FS: 55cm 1976 Centurion Pro Tour (Rare)

[Mark Eastman]

I have a rare early Centurion Pro Tour from 1976 that came stock with brazed-on mount Dia-Compe centerpull brakes (also rare). This was one of the first production touring bikes to be imported to the US from Japan. Frame made with lightweight Tange Champion #2 double butted tubing with a very good fork offset for touring or running as a lightweight rando with a front bag on a short front rack.

Bicycling magazine reviewed the bike in 1976 and scans of the original published review can be viewed here:

http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=588

I rebuilt this bike with vintage Stronglight 49D cranks 48/30 TA chainrings, new sealed BB, new wheelset built-up with Phil Wood hubs and Mavic Open Sport rims, Panaracer TG 700x28 tires. Nitto SP-72 Jaguar seatpost, vintage Avocet Racing saddle. New Nitto rando heat treated handlebars. Original SR alpina aero stem. Nitto R cage. Campagnolo NR friction shifters. 

I set it up with Honjo hammertone fenders and I replaced the Suntour VGT-LUXE alloy super light rear derailleur with an nearly new version. Besides the scrapes in the paint that was done over chrome, I don't believe the bike originally was ever ridden very much and I've only ridden it periodically since I rebuilt it. I've ridden it over Ebbetts pass and the brazed on mount brakes are excellent, very even pull compared the cantilever brakes that tend to grab more as you pull.

It's set up with a Shimano 13-26 6-speed rear freewheel. Some people have been converting the Pro Tour to 650B but not sure about the brazed-on brake mount version. Now that Paul and Dia-compe are making brazed on mount brakes, maybe more doable.

Original Robin's Egg blue color with a few scuffs otherwise excellent, no damage.

This is an exceptional vintage Centurion Rando/Touring bike. I hate to sell it, but I'm trying to make way for a new 650B frame ;^)

 

More pictures on request.

$975 

Mark Eastman
East Palo Alto CA

[Mark Eastman]

Specs:

Standover height: 81.5 cm

Seat tube ctr to ctr: 55 cm, ctr to top: 57 cm

Tob tube length: ctr to ctr 56 cm

Wheelbase 104 cm

More photos:

https://goo.gl/photos/yCcFVJP6mn84TLX46

Mark Eastman

East Palo Alto, CA

[Rob Hawks]

If this were a 57cm I'd be all over it.

Back in the late 1970s I got a job working at a bike shop in Detroit, Allied Cycle. The shop was an importer for certain brands, including Centurion, and sold bikes to other shops. Very rarely we'd get a customer who would buy one of the top of the line Centurions, and the build always went to the more experienced mechanics at the shop. I tried to buy one of the Semi-Pros but management wanted them for customers only. In the blue color, those bikes just really grabbed my attention and I've always wanted one. Ironically, that blue paint that so enthralled me was the bike's biggest weakness. The paint jobs were nicely done but on some frames the paint would often flake off in huge pieces and it was just not durable at all.

rob

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[Mark Eastman]

Hi Rob,

The blue paint has a slightly metallic finish to it that's fairly cool. It originally had the "Centurion" decals on the downtube when I bought it, but they came off when I used a citrus degreaser (Mudd Shine) while cleaning the frame :/. Overall the paint seems to be holding up besides a few chips I've touched up.

Previously I reconditioned another 53cm version of the same year and model Pro Tour from a frameset that fortunately that came with the brazed-on mounted brake. That one I had powder coated in a similar blue. The powder coater didn't properly mask the frame tough as some of the chrome was affected. 

You can see photos of the 53cm Pro Tour I reconditioned here. (just over 21lbs.)

https://goo.gl/photos/7B2V3jcVFCUCiVoc8

(this one I sold to a woman who road it in an SFR populaire, but with flat bars)

Mark

Mark Eastman

click...@gmail.com

[Rob Hawks]

Looks like you got one of the good paint jobs. Not all of them flaked like the ones I mentioned.

rob

[Rob Hawks]

Looks like you got one of the good paint jobs. Not all of them flaked like the ones I mentioned.

rob

[Mark Eastman]

** Sold **

Mark