Minty: Centurion Le Mans RS 1988
Purchased in September, 2011
INFORMATION (about Centurions and the Le Mans): Centurion Wikipedia entry; History of Centurion Bikes; Centurion 1984 Catalog (Sheldon Brown); Centurion (Sheldon Brown); Centurion-Serial-Number-Database (Bike Forums); VeloBase article on Centurions
SPECIFICATIONS
Frame material: Tange 2. Tange 2 info (Bike Forums); Tange 2 info; Tange 2 (Wikipedia); From Sheldon Brown: "the high-end Tange tubesets were high-quality CrMo steel which were on a par with high-end Columbus SL/SP (CrMo) and Reynolds 531(manganese-molybdenum) tubesets." Tange 1 & 2 are great frame materials."
Frame dimensions: [Top tube = ] [Seat tube = ] [Standover height = ] [Chainstay length = ]
Fork material: Mangaloy
Handlebars: Winpista Kusuki [Stem clamp diameter: ] [Reach = ] [Drop = ]
Stem: Winpista [Clamp: ] [Quill: ] [Extension size = ] 22.2
Headset: [Type: ] [Stack height = ] [Crown race diameter = ]
Shifters: Shimano Light Action downtube index shifters (BL-8434) [Q: Are these also compatible with 7 speed?]
Derailleur (rear) [original]: Shimano Light Action L525 SS [short cage] [Speed(s): 6] [Shifting systems: Friction, SIS] [Maximum rear cog = 28T] [Total capacity (chain wrap) = 28] [Chain width = 3/32”] [Pulley centre to centre: 55mm]. Disraeli Gears info
Derailleur (rear) [new]: Shimano Ultegra RD-6500 [long cage] [Speed(s): 9] [Shifting systems: Friction, SIS, STI?] [Maximum rear cog = 27T] [Minimum rear cog = 11] [Total capacity (chain wrap) = 37 or 38]. [Shimano Tech Doc PDF] [Disraeli Gear info] [Cambria]
Info on using it with 32T: You have to adjust what is called the "b" screw in order to rotate the body of the derailleur back enough that the top pulley doesn't ride on the larger cassette sprockets. It isn't the best shifting experience I've ever had, but it works well enough. )
Derailleur (front): Shimano FD-Z206 [double or triple] [Max ring difference: 18T] [Clamp style: 28.6mm clamp] (bottom pull) [VeloBase]
Freewheel (original): [Speed: 6] [Cogs: 13-26] [Hu
Freewheel (new): Shimano 600 MF-6208 6 speed (14-32T) (Cogs: 14-17-20-24-28-32); 126mm threaded hub. [VeloBase 6208] [mid to late 1980s]
Crankset (original): Shimano FC-B126 [Bottom bracket style: ?] [Bolt Circle Diameter (BCD) = 130mm (smallest possible chainring = 38T)] [Extractor threads: ?] [Pedal threads: ?] [Crank length = 170mm]
Chainrings (original): Biopace 42 / 52
Crankset (new): Shimano FC-MT60 (triple) [Bottom bracket style: ?] [Bolt Circle Diameter (BCD) = 110mm (smallest possible chainring = 33T)] [Extractor threads: ?] [Pedal threads: ?] [Crank length = 170mm] [VeloBase]
Chainrings (new): 36/46
Gear inch range (original): 43-106 (chainrings = 42/52) (Freewheel = 13-26)
Gear inch range (new): 31-89 (chainrings = 36/46) (Freewheel = 14-28)
Brakes (front): Shimano BB-L400
Brakes (rear): Shimano BB-L400
Brake levers:
Bottom bracket:
Hubs: Suzue [Type: ] [Rear spacing = ]
Wheels:
Tires (new): Continental Top Contact [Size = 32mm]
Rack – Front: None
Rack - Rear: None
Bar wrap (new): Fizik
Mirror: None.
Lights: None.