Post your Centurion Ironman.. For the love of 80s paint jobs!
#7576
Senior Member
This will be short (as I am sure a lot of you will be grateful for), as I am in a sleep deprived state of my own. I understand the logic and practicality of updating a Centurion frame with new modern parts and modifying for weight reduction. It makes sense if you are racing your bike. I am not a racer though. The vintage bikes are fast enough for my low ability. Also, I feel, if they were good enough for LeMond then they are plenty good enough for me to say the least. My Paletti is of that quality. I am coming from the point of view of a lover of the art of the bicycle and a collector who likes to ride. From that stand point it would be bad to use modern parts. I admit that in that sense I am a purist. So neither side is wrong because there are different goals with different ways to achieve them.
#7577
Senior Member
I come from a lifetime of loving and messing with hot rod cars. If it was fast it needed to be faster. If it broke you found a stronger part to fix it with. If it was ugly you did something to make it look cool. If you could cram a bigger motor under the hood you dreamed about doing so. The Ironman is like taking a 69 Roadrunner with a 383 and slipping a Hemi in it. That's why one of mine has Dura-Ace with carbon fiber wheels and both of them are 10 speed. The motor is old and tired but attempts to revive it have been less successful.
#7578
Just call me Carrie
That would be how I ended up with a '68 F100 pickup in matte black with flames. The paint job was terrible, but it was nicer than aqua green with rust... I miss that truck, but babies take up all the free time.
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I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
#7579
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Hmm. Flames. Yeah, maybe my rattle-can black '85 F250 diesel needs flames.
#7580
Just call me Carrie
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#7581
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Ooh, and a flareside.... (makes Homer Simpson drool sound).
Bricknose in the background?
Bricknose in the background?
#7582
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For me it's not so much about racing, appearance, or fads....it's more about performance. And since I'm only familiar with '80s bike technology, that's what I gravitate towards. That's probably true for for most, in that the era you started your cycling journey is what you tend to replicate.
Fortunately for Ironman owners stock components were very good and performance oriented.
The heart and soul of a Ironman/bike is its frame. The steel Ironman was built with three things in mind, performance, comfort, and affordability. And in that order is what's important To ME. I Want a bike whose performance only limits are dictated by my condition. And I Need a bike with geometry that is comfortable for at least 112 miles in the saddle. I Have to have a bike that is inexpensive enough that I can ride it hard and put away wet because I may need to purchase another.
Although I loved Lemond and Hinault who were excellent TT players, they were on a team. My idols were time trialist who had only their individual selves to rely on. No team for encouragement, no team car for flat or mechanical repairs, no massage therapist, no personal assistant. Just like me but way more cardio gifted. Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Scott Tinley, Scott Molina, and Mike Pigg come to mind.
I've been under the weather but I'm feeling better now. Sunny day predicted and hopefully I'll be able to post pics of my bikes today.
Fortunately for Ironman owners stock components were very good and performance oriented.
The heart and soul of a Ironman/bike is its frame. The steel Ironman was built with three things in mind, performance, comfort, and affordability. And in that order is what's important To ME. I Want a bike whose performance only limits are dictated by my condition. And I Need a bike with geometry that is comfortable for at least 112 miles in the saddle. I Have to have a bike that is inexpensive enough that I can ride it hard and put away wet because I may need to purchase another.
Although I loved Lemond and Hinault who were excellent TT players, they were on a team. My idols were time trialist who had only their individual selves to rely on. No team for encouragement, no team car for flat or mechanical repairs, no massage therapist, no personal assistant. Just like me but way more cardio gifted. Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Scott Tinley, Scott Molina, and Mike Pigg come to mind.
I've been under the weather but I'm feeling better now. Sunny day predicted and hopefully I'll be able to post pics of my bikes today.
Appearance does matter to me though because I love the art of the bicycle and that is aesthetics. Some people think that is meaningless or superficial and that is fine. They enjoy what they like and I likewise. I think they lose sight of this tidbit though, which is the fact that Paletti, Colnago, Masi, De Rosa, Somec, 3Rensho, Zunow etc., and yes Centurion (as you know too well) put a huge amount of effort, time, money, and more importantly heart and brilliant design into the aesthetics, art, the way it looks, whatever you want to call it. In the end, I think neither of us is wrong anyway. Looking forward to seeing the pictures of your bikes.
#7584
Just call me Carrie
Yup, short bed flareside. Next to her is a '92 long bed F150. We used the '92 to pay the mechanic for his work on the '68 before we shipped her to NY.
Not in the picture is the '03 Ranger. We still have it with 96k miles.
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I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
#7585
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I’m one of those who tries to limit my inventory, so I really don’t let myself drift into the true collector mode. But I’m also trying to optimize the quality and fit if my rides. I was able to pick up an Ironman for a tad over a c-note this fall, and I rode it a couple hundred miles, as is, to see if the geometry would work for me - and it really feels great! So . . . my plan is to build it up as my main vintage rider (I also have a CX bike for gravel and general riding) - it will get about 50% of my miles. Because if my age and level of comfort and safety with my bikes, I’ll be removing just about every component on the bike and swapping in a full Dura-Ace 8-speed group with the early shifter brakes. This group will come off of my 1980 Miyata Pro which has been my vintage rider for the past couple years, but which narrowly lost out to the Ironman. While I was OK with the Ironman 105 setup, I feel much safer with the controls at hand. Right now, all the components have been removed from the bike, and I’m trying to find paint to match the colors so I can get the touch-ups done. Then, I’ll reassemble with the D-A pieces. Looking forward to this winter project!
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Some days, it's not even worth gnawing through the restraints.
Some days, it's not even worth gnawing through the restraints.
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#7586
Senior Member
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#7587
Senior Member
U=ddeand;21214226]I’m one of those who tries to limit my inventory, so I really don’t let myself drift into the true collector mode. But I’m also trying to optimize the quality and fit if my rides. I was able to pick up an Ironman for a tad over a c-note this fall, and I rode it a couple hundred miles, as is, to see if the geometry would work for me - and it really feels great! So . . . my plan is to build it up as my main vintage rider (I also have a CX bike for gravel and general riding) - it will get about 50% of my miles. Because if my age and level of comfort and safety with my bikes, I’ll be removing just about every component on the bike and swapping in a full Dura-Ace 8-speed group with the early shifter brakes. This group will come off of my 1980 Miyata Pro which has been my vintage rider for the past couple years, but which narrowly lost out to the Ironman. While I was OK with the Ironman 105 setup, I feel much safer with the controls at hand. Right now, all the components have been removed from the bike, and I’m trying to find paint to match the colors so I can get the touch-ups done. Then, I’ll reassemble with the D-A pieces. Looking forward to this winter project!
[/QUOTE]
So very Cool and congratulations on your acquisition.
You're gonna have fun rebuilding and riding, guaranteed.
[/QUOTE]
So very Cool and congratulations on your acquisition.
You're gonna have fun rebuilding and riding, guaranteed.
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#7588
Senior Member
54cm 1986 6 speed CLASSIC
Dura ace bb,hs,fd,rd,hubs.
600 crankset, brakeset,aero seatpost.
First generation aerobars, and gripshift.
Oem stem and saddle.
600 crankset, brakeset,aero seatpost.
First generation aerobars, and gripshift.
Oem stem and saddle.
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#7589
Senior Member
54cm 1987 7 speed MIAMI VICE
105/oem Rd,fd,hs,bb,hubs, crankset, brakeset, stem.
600 aero seatpost, scott aerobars, 7 speed gripshift turbo sadlle.
600 aero seatpost, scott aerobars, 7 speed gripshift turbo sadlle.
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#7590
Senior Member
54cm 1988 8 speed Carbon MIDNIGHT RIDER
Dura ace fd, rd, Crankset.
600 tricolor brakeset, hubs.
Oem hs, stem, saddle.
Shimano aero seatpost, scott aerobars, 8 speed gripshift
600 tricolor brakeset, hubs.
Oem hs, stem, saddle.
Shimano aero seatpost, scott aerobars, 8 speed gripshift
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#7591
Senior Member
52cm 1989 9 speed SUMMERTIME BLUES
Dura ace 7700 bb,fd,rd, crankset, brakeset, brifters.
Oem 600 tricolor hs.
Vetta trishock saddle, Italian stem, 1986 oem seatpost and bars.
Oem 600 tricolor hs.
Vetta trishock saddle, Italian stem, 1986 oem seatpost and bars.
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#7592
Just call me Carrie
I've gotta ask--what's an aero seatpost? I've never heard of it.
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I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
#7594
Just call me Carrie
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I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
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#7595
Senior Member
#7596
Just call me Carrie
I'm pretty sure that pure grit is all that's going to get me through my next few races. Because I'm a stubborn gal and I will not DNF.
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I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
#7597
Senior Member
and might as well look good doing it....and of course an Ironman is the first step.
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#7598
Just call me Carrie
Disclaimer: I have no desire to do a full. A half is good for me. I would argue that my lower half is an Ironman, the upper is a novelist who has too much free time.
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I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
#7599
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Jesus dude, what are you trying to do? Make us all sick with jealously?!? Ha ha ha.....that thing looks in really good shape....how much does the bike weigh as it is a carbon?
#7600
Senior Member
After posting the pics of the bikes I own which of course are all Ironman. I realized I missed a lot of details... actually intentionally. Like type of chain, wrap, chainring size, freewheel or cassette.
But the one thing I want to add is: the '86 is pre expert/master, the '87 is my only Expert, the '88 is neither expert nor master but rather Carbon. And finally the '89 is my only Master.
So basically I have one of each ever offered by Centurion. And more than that I think I have my favorite color scheme from each year that I prefer including the Rare Carbon and Summertime Blues color schemes.
All that I have left to complete the straight is an '85 OG preferably (maybe only) in the silver.
Later Ironkids.
But the one thing I want to add is: the '86 is pre expert/master, the '87 is my only Expert, the '88 is neither expert nor master but rather Carbon. And finally the '89 is my only Master.
So basically I have one of each ever offered by Centurion. And more than that I think I have my favorite color scheme from each year that I prefer including the Rare Carbon and Summertime Blues color schemes.
All that I have left to complete the straight is an '85 OG preferably (maybe only) in the silver.
Later Ironkids.
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