A less-common Japanese road bike....

[Freeman]

Where I am in the USA some businessmen sold bicycles under the name "Centurion", which they had made to their specs in Japan. Recently at a second-hand shop I took a look at this bike and brought it home. I believe it is from the late 70s or 1980 at the latest. It was the top of the line model at the time from this importer and is built up from some nice parts. The butted Tange frame is chromed then painted cobalt-blue. It has Sunshine Pro-Am wheel hubs which look to be copies of Campy Record hubs in nice eyeleted 700c rims. Suntour Cyclone shifting, a drillium Sugino Super Mighty crank and bottom-bracket, and nice sidepull brakes with cable adjusters on the levers. The bars and stem are "Kusuki" Medallion. I have already taken the entire bike apart so it can be cleaned and lubed and made ready to ride. Centurion bicycles are not hard to find in the USA, but this high-end model seems to be very uncommon. My guess is that those in the USA back then looking for a high-end road bike usually went for the Italian bikes or the Schwinn Paramount racers or maybe a British or French bike before they thought about buying a Japanese bike. The old ten-speeds with their 120mm rear dropout spacing are my favorite old road bikes, so I was glad to find this one.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

That is a lovely bike. M prefix denotes a Miki built frame. Always nicely made.

 

[Nob]

Big Frame for a Big Man…..nice find

 

[Freeman]

That is a lovely bike. M prefix denotes a Miki built frame. Always nicely made.

Thanks for the info about Miki, I will look into that. Am looking forward to putting this back together with care and riding it.

 

[juvela]

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date -

serial indicates a production date of October 1980 so cycle a 1981 model

production lines typically change over for the next year's model in September so cycles produced October/November/December are the next year model

several spots to check for confirmatory date marking on bicycle:

portion of stem down inside steerer

right end of handlebar

portion of seat post down inside steerer

backside of crankarms

gear mechs

if you find a coded date there is a guide to reading the markings here:

http://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm

guide to reading serials on Asian produced cycles here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1042901-asian-serial-number-guide.html

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spot of Centurion history here -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_(bicycle_company)


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[Freeman]

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date -

serial indicates a production date of October 1980 so cycle a 1981 model

production lines typically change over for the next year's model in September so cycles produced October/November/December are the next year model

several spots to check for confirmatory date marking on bicycle:

portion of stem down inside steerer

right end of handlebar

portion of seat post down inside steerer

backside of crankarms

gear mechs

if you find a coded date there is a guide to reading the markings here:

http://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm

guide to reading serials on Asian produced cycles here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1042901-asian-serial-number-guide.html

---

spot of Centurion history here -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_(bicycle_company)


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I have seen the date codes on many old bicycles and parts over the years. This bike has a seat-post and cranks marked 1978, but I see the rear Sunshine hub is marked 5-80. So it very well could be a 1981 bike if they had not gone to ten speeds in that year. The best resource I have found for old Centurion bikes is here; they have pdf copies of many old catalogs. According to them 1981 was the last year for this model, I think then they came out with all new model names for the new 12-speed bikes;

https://vintagecenturion.com/models/competition/semi-pro.shtml

 

[SteelNipple]

Really nice bike, Miki frames are great. Is it a 65cm frame and were the Weinmann brakes original to that model?

Funny thing is there also was second Centurion brand from Germany and the bikes were also build by Miki and some models by Ciocc(if I remember correctly). I have one of those German Centurions, like you a Miki frame from 1980.

 

[Freeman]

Really nice bike, Miki frames are great. Is it a 65cm frame and were the Weinmann brakes original to that model?

Funny thing is there also was second Centurion brand from Germany and the bikes were also build by Miki and some models by Ciocc(if I remember correctly). I have one of those German Centurions, like you a Miki frame from 1980.

The frame is about 25 inches from BB up to top of seat tube. The 1979 catalog shows this model with Gran Comp 500 brakes and levers, this bike was put together late in '80, so I am guessing it did too, also the catalog lists a 25.5" frame size. Looking at old catalogs I think the entire bike is original, except for the tires and it had some cheap plastic flat pedals on it which I threw out and will replace with something like it came with new. I thought the catalog's claim that this model weighs only 21 pounds optimistic, but I weighed it the other day and it came in right at about that weight, which is impressive for a big frame like this.