Originally Posted by
bulgie
Yeah that bike is gorgeous. The rear bag is super classy -- any chance of finding something sorta matchy for the front? The gray color of the front bag clashes a bit for me.
The rear derailer looks like a circa '84 Mountech amiright? Suntour's answer to the Huret DuoPar, with a pulley cage that can float up and down, very clever. Frank Berto's verdict was it shifted "beautifully". I never got around to trying the rear Mountech, but I have that front Mountech on a couple of my bikes, and I have heard a few other people say the same thing -- hoard them when you can find them!
I'd advise ditching that Vistalite tail light, unless you have a sentimental attachment -- modern LEDs have improved so much since then. I'm a fan of vintage stuff most everywhere else on the bike, but not lights.
Is that a Crane Riten bell? If so, well done, one of the best bike bells ever. Cheerful sound but loud and excellent sustain. A good bell really enhances my enjoyment of a city bike.
Thank you!!! I think it's beautiful as well. It takes the cake as both the prettiest, and nicest riding bike I've had yet. Best $50 I've ever spent!!! I agree that the front bag needs to be replaced with something that better matches the rear bag though. I was on a super tight budget when I was initially looking for bags for it. The rear bag is an old camera bag from the '70s that belonged to my grandfather, so that was free, and the front was just what I could find with what I had to spend at the time ($10 shipped). I'll eventually get that sorted out.
The rear derailleur is indeed an '84 Suntour Mountech, and is the factory original that came on the bike. For the most part I've heard that they're great when kept clean, but are prone to failure at the integrated spring/jockey wheel if not maintained. I've been using this one regularly for a few years now with zero issues, but then again I do keep everything pretty clean. I do have a backup pair of Suntour Le Tech derailleurs on hand for this bike though just in case.
That tail light is just temporary as well. I found it in a box of parts I had laying around, and all I had on the rear of the Centurion at the time was a plain old red reflector. I figured any kind of light would be better than nothing since I do ride it on the highway often. Like I said, it's still a work in progress. My biggest constraint is budget!
Last but not least, you're correct on the bell too! It's an interesting model though being half brass and half copper. I was having a hard time choosing between the 2 materials, and couldn't find any copper ones in the U.S. when searching online. That's when I came across this half and half version from the U.K. and fell in love. Shipping took a little while, but it definitely is a beautiful sounding bell! I've always loved the classic "bringgg-bringgg" bike bell sound.
