Road Test/Bike Review (1987) CENTURION Le Mans RS
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Road Test/Bike Review (1987) CENTURION Le Mans RS
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Very interesting article thanks for sharing the tange tubing used on the bike wasn't the lightest nor the best. The Ironman seems Centurion's flagship but the Lemans lacks apparently the same quality of craftsmanship.
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You never know who, now or in the future, is going to find value in an article about a specific bike.
Many more coming.
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Actually, on the tubing, I believe per previous discussions here on this board, there wasn't a large weight difference between a Tange 1 and Tange 2 frame. And, I'd say Tange was making as good a quality of chromoly frame tube as anyone at the time. I also don't understand the "Italian crazy Criterium maniac bike" comments. I thought criterium racing was a very American form of bicycle racing, producing a closed course that was good for multiple views of the racer per race, and beer sales. I don't think the 1980's Italy was into criteriums (maybe I'm wrong)... any Italian board members who were alive in the 80's, have more insight to this? To me, now, with retrospective eyes... most people buying bicycles back then were more into doing triathlon events. A type of bicycle racing were finesse bicycle steering really isn't required. Most triathlon bicycle courses were "out and back" straight shot affairs, requiring you to make few turns. So a "go straight" geometry makes much more sense, so you can just concentrate on grinding out the mileage. And, I don't really think your need to bash Buick automobiles to get you bicycle points across. I think I align more with Ted C's analysis, "all in all, a good effort". In today's world, where vintage goes graveling, the more relaxed, probably slightly better tire clearance, may give a Lemans RS a bit of an advantage over it's Ironman big bro.
Last edited by uncle uncle; 03-01-23 at 10:37 PM.
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The '88 Centurion LeMans I bought for $35 for the 2021 Clunker Challenge 100 turned out to be one of the most delightful bikes I've owned. It handles well, it's comfortable on poorly paved roads, and I just plain enjoyed riding it - so much so that I hung onto it, and plan it riding it some more this year. Someone forgot to tell it that it's a budget bike built to a price point - on the road it's comparable to many much pricer bikes I've owned and ridden. There is a LOT of bang for the buck here.
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I bought this exact bike for my wife back in 1987. It was a great bike, especially for the bargain price..
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"...the usual Biopace rumba..."
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I built my sister a mixte le man's. It was an extremely nice frameset in my eyes.
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. . . I also don't understand the "Italian crazy Criterium maniac bike" comments. I thought criterium racing was a very American form of bicycle racing, producing a closed course that was good for multiple views of the racer per race, and beer sales. I don't think the 1980's Italy was into criteriums (maybe I'm wrong)... any Italian board members who were alive in the 80's, have more insight to this? . . .
Thus, the bikes designed to be raced that way had a lot in common with present-day "endurance" bikes---somewhat slacker head tube and seat tube angles, higher handlebars, longer wheelbases.
Italian road racing had, for some reason or other, gravitated toward a sprint-centered style. Could be that there were more short-distance road races there than elsewhere or that track racing was more popular there.
I don't remember reading much back then about Italian racing, other than a couple of spring and fall classics and the Giro d'Italia, but I do remember that the Giro, at least for the (many) flattish stages, was supposedly ridden at a more or less parade-like pace until the final 40 or 50 kilometers, at which point the speeds rose dramatically.
Another possible factor: just as it seems that every town in Italy had at least one frame builder in those days, most towns probably also hosted lots of in-town races that we never heard about over here but that resembled American crit racing.
For that kind of sprint-centered pack racing, many Italian bikes were designed to provide high-speed maneuverability, with short wheelbases and steep angles.
My 1985 Bianchi Specialissima was a typical example: supremely quick handling, highly stable, but not particularly comfortable---very much like my 1983 Bianchi Eco Pista track bike.
The only U.S. manufacturer to jump on the criterium geometry bandwagon was Cannondale, with their Crit Series bikes, thus inadvertently earning them a reputation for building uncomfortable (aluminum) bikes that dogged them for years.
That reputation was inaccurate and unfair, since the Crit series Cannondale bikes I sold when I worked at a Cannondale dealership back then rode pretty much the same as my Bianchi---but few riders ever got the chance to compare a Crit series bike directly to an Italian equivalent, so the reputation persisted.
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My mom bought me a Centurion Lemans for graduation in 1989. I keep it for sentimental value, but darn it, it's still a very pleasurable bike to ride. It glides along nicely and I really can't see the need to upgrade to anything else. I toyed with the idea of buying something where I can sit more upright, but I still keep riding my Centurion (14 miles just last night).
The only thing I don't like is the color, but it was on the clearance rack so we saved a few bucks when we bought it.
Otherwise, I wanted to chime in that I've had this thing for 34 years, it's still my one and only bike, I've ridden it a decent amount and I still love it.
This is someone else's picture, but I have the same bike.
vintage-centurion dhot com/models/sports-rec/images/1988_lemans-pink.jpg
The only thing I don't like is the color, but it was on the clearance rack so we saved a few bucks when we bought it.
Otherwise, I wanted to chime in that I've had this thing for 34 years, it's still my one and only bike, I've ridden it a decent amount and I still love it.
This is someone else's picture, but I have the same bike.
vintage-centurion dhot com/models/sports-rec/images/1988_lemans-pink.jpg
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Bike geometry aside, I think this power steering thing in cars is just a fad. It'll go away once people see that it's just a crutch for inexperienced drivers.
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there's a LeMans in my size for sale locally (dirt cheap), and I'm trying very hard not to buy it. I like my Accordo a lot and imagine the LeMans would be even nicer.
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And you read this thread, and all the happy talk about how nice this bike is, to talk yourself into not buying the bike . . . ?
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My brother had a 74 Econoline van that the power steering went out on, so like a real man he removed the pump and drove it unassisted but with the stiffer power steering ratio. I borrowed it a time or two. Power steering may be a fad but I'm a fan boy.
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Rode my first century on a LeMans. Set it up with a triple. Fun bike, a little too small.
Ended up putting the frame out in the alley when I moved. It disappeared in under 10 seconds.
Ended up putting the frame out in the alley when I moved. It disappeared in under 10 seconds.
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Oh man, what daydreams that brought back.
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The baby my wife was pregnant with.
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Surprised I missed this when it was first posted. Working for a Centurion dealer, I always had a soft spot in my heart for the brand.
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#VanLife
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Rode it past this particular McDonalds on about every training ride in the summer of 1991.
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I don't think the straight gauge stays on the LeMans would add over a pound, but I don't know. Both are Tange 2
Also have an '88 Le Mans complete, and it weighs in at 26.11 in a 56cm