Project Centurion

A randonee, or brevet, is a noncompetitive, long distance (120-800 miles) cycling event. The word is French and has no direct translation, but generally it means to wander/roam the countryside by bike. A rider in an event is a randonnuer. It's a cool word.

After discovering the high speed instability and other quirks of the Pompino, I started looking for an old bike or frame to build up as a light touring, long distance, randonnuering rig. Two months ago one of my roommates moved out leaving behind a few unwanted items including an old road bike - a Centurion Sport DLX. Nothing special, just your basic mid 80's, entry-level road bike, much like my old Schwinn Traveller. I took it off his hands for $5! Definitely my cheapest bike to date, but it's not worth much more. The tires are flat and dry rotted as are the brake shoes. The rims are warped, chain is garbage, and cable housings are shot. And, to top it off the frame was out of alignment by over half an inch!

I'm not sure if was run over by a car or maybe just backed into, but it's seen some pretty heavy forces. Nothing a 2x4 couldn't fix though. It's not perfect now, but I managed to get it within a millimeter or two. That's the great thing about steel; still, I kept waiting for something to snap. Considering this bike has no vintage value and only cost me 5 bucks, I have no moral qualms bending the frame, repainting it, replacing parts, hammering on it, etc. So, it should be a fun project. I'm trying my best not to put much money into it. So far I've bought cables, housing, a crank puller, paint, and a seat post with a modern clamp design. I'll also need new handlebars as the current ones are bent, and I expect the aluminum to snap when I try to straighten it out. I'll need a drive side crank arm too, because the current chainrings are warped and not removable.

Currently it sits torn apart on my bedroom floor waiting to be thoroughly cleaned, degreased, painted, regreased, and reassembled. If it rides nice, like I hope, I'll keep it and upgrade it a little more. If it doesn't, I'll sell it to a college kid for a commuter. If the frame turns out to be scrap metal, I'll just keep the parts and look for another old frame.

The reason for wanting an old road bike for long distances is that steel offers a more compliant ride compared to aluminum or carbon fiber. Older bikes also have clearance for bigger, more comfortable tires, mounts for fenders, and relaxed geometry. Sure, there are a few new bikes with these features, but they come at a high price. I do wish it had bottle cage mounts. I'm looking forward to the rebuild process. Updates to come!