Chicago Al 

Here's the bike I scored yesterday. As you can see, grinders and rattlecans have been nowhere near it. In fact I would not even knowingly sell a bike like this to someone who was going to do that to it. I wouldn't even part it out!

I have not even cleaned it, which you can see it needs. Only flaws I can find: some scrapes to the paint, easily touched up I think. And there is a slight 'hitch' in the headset right at the centerline, maybe just due to old lubrication as it goes away if you turn the wheel back and forth a few times. Maybe it was stored that way a long time. Anyway, it's a way nice bike for a C&V noob like me. Thanks to Robbie for his help last month when the bike first appeared, and thanks to everyone here I have read and learned from. Now for some warmer weather!


Full shot


Chrome Fork Crown, after just being wiped with my finger


Head Tube


Brake hoods and bar tape show little wear for 25+ years


Scrape on the fork

Chicago Al 

Suntour dropouts, chrome chainstay, you can see a scrape on the seat stay


Superbe FD, only discrepancy from catalog is chainring isn't black


Superbe RD


Superbe pedal


Mikashima pedal strap


Front Brake

jet sanchEz

So. Nice.

Are the hubs also Suntour Superbe Pro? What type of tubing is the frame? Brake levers are pantographed?

Chicago Al 

Hubs: Suzue sealed bearing, anodized, as are Araya rims. Tubing: Champion #1 (picture of label was boring). Brake levers have little DC incised on front.

turtlemilk

how much did you pay for it

junkfoodjunkie

Very nice!!! Great shape, I am sure it will be well loved.

Jake

Bam42685

That's a great looking bike. What kind of brakes are those?

beech333

Very nice! I remember reading a few posts about this, but it didn't register when you just mentioned the "big purchase" a few minutes ago. I love those Superbe pedals. I'm addicted to Suntour pedals now.

I really like the GC levers and brakes, though something like that wouldn't look right on any of my bikes.

Primitive Don

(PD drools over quality Japanese bike)

mkeller234

Man, I love those brake levers. The whole bike looks great

WNG

Oooh...@_@
Very sweet, lot's of Suntour goodness. Congrats on the find.
As for the headset, overhaul it as expected, but dump the cages and run loose balls. The extra ball(s) will eliminate that indexed 'bump'.

1bluetrek

!!! I used to have that same bike I want it backkk!!!

cycleheimer

Nice looking!

From Sheldon Brown:

The Turbo and Comp TA models (early 1980s) featured Tange's high-end Champion #1 or #2 tubing, a double-butted, seamless chromium-molybdenum (CrMo) steel alloy.

RFC

Beautiful!!!

turtlemilk

how much are these bikes? and are thet rare?

stausty

A Centurion in such nice condition is a rare beast, for sure, but the wonderful thing about Centurions is that they really are not that expensive for the quality. There are the enthusiasts among us (psst....RobbieTunes) but the Centurion name does not have the same pull as a Raleigh, Bianchi, or even a Miyata, even though they are of similar quality. They're one of those brands that turn up in unbelievable condition more often than others, from my experience.

RobbieTunes

I can weigh in, now that I've recovered from Al's deft slice into my midsection yesterday.....

The Turbo is hard to find, not nearly as numerous as the Comp TA of the same era, and comes up rarely on eBay, maybe 1-2 times a year. In my opinion, it's the classiest frame Tange made for Centurion. The chrome accents are really nice, and superbly finished. The entire frame is chrome plated, but I have no idea how the polish level is on the painted portions.

The Prestige may be rarer, and has a lighter frame, but I find the Turbo nicer. It's very hard to find one with any parts of the Superbe group left over, Al hit a jackpot in that regard. He can likely sell the group for what he paid for the entire bike, if not more.

I can't put a value on it, but Al got an excellent buy on the bike, especially in black, which is easily touched up and rubbed out to no trace of a scratch. They are more impressive in person, and the chrome quality is excellent.

+1 on the headset recommendations. The Turbo suffers from only one item that I felt they could have done better, miniscule bearings in the headset. There aren't very many, and they are really small. I used a heavier duty grease in min for that reason.

Very nice, hard to find bike.

Chicago Al 

'Grand Compe' brake lever


Turbo logo; I like how few logos are on this bike compared to many from the 80s


Champion #1 tubing, but only single-butted, so clearly it sucks.


Sugino Aero-Mighty crankset; sorry about lack of definition in photo


Front brake, Dia Compe 'New Grand Compe" NGC400


Suzue sealed-bearing hub; will check out scraped paint by weep hole in fork.


What kind of saddle but a Bernard Hinault Turbo? My first time riding one and initial reaction is positive, though that is just my butt talking. Even more than usual.

RobbieTunes

1983, pales in comparison.

SingeDebile

it deserves some good tires, but thats all it needs. enjoy!

Chicago Al 

AFAIK the tires are original. Going to try to pick up a pair of Panaracer Paselas in 32c tomorrow, local and cheap.

To answer questions above: I paid $250. Seller first put the bike up on Chicago CL on Christmas Eve (!) for $150. After my immediate response (and many others apparently) he went dormant, didn't reply to emails. When he relisted at the higher price I jumped on it, and as it was not far from me was able to get there quickly.

Thanks to Robbie for, as usual, great information on the model and Centurion in general. (Also A Winthrop's article that's on Sheldon B's site.) I had a feeling the Turbo was quite rare as when I researched the model in December I found very few references to it, even here on BF. I like rare, even if it means the 'value' isn't proportional.

Also thanks for the headset advice. I may overhaul the headset on my Miyata first, just to get a handle on what's involved. All this wrenching stuff is new to me and I wouldn't want to mess anything up on this bike.

Took the Turbo for a quick ride today. What a blast.

ps: Robbie, what are the differences between '83 and '84? I assume you were joking about that gorgeous red bike 'paling in comparison.'

RobbieTunes

I don't know of any differences, actually, unless Suntour was involved in the brake levers/calipers, but I doubt it. Centurion had a thing for bronze anodizing about that time, and the Comp TA also had the Suzue hubs like that, with anodized box-section Araya rims. Mine also came with the Bernard Hinault Turbo saddle, in excellent shape, and for those who like Turbo's, that's a good one.

The red version is nice, ascayola has one, but the contrast between the black frame and the chrome is just more striking, especially in person. A tear-down, polish and wax is appropriate. Black touchup is easily done, and there is a color match for that head tube, which I'll send via PM, of DupliColor.

SingeDebile

perfect tires to use,

(I've just had an unsettling experience with a front tire slipping out on old rubber, and your bike looks of the type that will ask to be ridden enthusiastically)

DVC45

That is beautiful! Great find indeed.
I hope to see that in person on the next CV Chicago ride.

turtlemilk

so these bikes was olny made in 1984 -1985?