Cinelli Equipe - A New Life for my Old Centurion

I purchased this 1985 Centurion "Cinelli" Equipe in 2012 and sold it in 2015. 

The bike fit me fine and rode like a dream, but I needed the money for... another bike, so I sold it. The person I sold it to, in turn, sold it to a fellow Classic and Vintage Bicycle Enthusiast who saw the potential in the Cinelli-built frame and decided to take this bike an entirely different direction. 

He stripped the frame and took it to Evan at The Bicycle Stand in Long Beach to have their painter respray the frame in a brilliant BMW-Mini Color "Electric Blue Metallic."

I found the Centurion again during a random conversation with the current owner who mentioned he had a rare Centurion Equipe. I said, "Oh, I had one of those, but sold it about a year ago." He sent me a couple of photos and I was able to confirm, from touch-up paint and other small details, that it was, indeed, my old bike! 

The owner mentioned his plans to leverage the frame's Cinelli legacy and turn it into a one-of-a-kind Cinelli Equipe frame. He chose the color for the frame after driving by a local BMW dealer and seeing a Mini in the lot.  The precise paint details are: BMW-Mini Color "Electric Blue Metallic", Mini code 870. The Cinelli's paint is Matrix Brand, "Performance Basecoat" code MBP-LV-113822. 

The owner was willing to sell the bike, so we made a deal and I just picked it up this morning. 

I've got the frame hanging for now until I collect all the C-Record-Era parts for it. I have most, but want them to be as minty as possible. 

There is one less stock Centurion Equipe in the world. How many are there out there now? Fifty? One hundred? Either way, I feel good about bringing a truly unique bicycle onto the road and having my old friend back home. 

Test Ride - Centurion Equipe

I took the Centurion "Cinelli" Equipe out for a 15-miler this morning around the neighborhood. While there were no hills, cobblestones, switchbacks, or other fun obstacles to provide a "proper" test ride evaluation, there were squirrels to dodge and I came close to hitting a skunk, so perhaps this counts toward the bike's adequate handling characteristics. 

The first couple miles were somewhat uncomfortable, but this was no fault of the bike. Had to adjust the seat back an inch and tilt it up a bit. I prefer to have the nose of my saddles a couple of degrees above horizontal. I truly distaste leaning into the bars to keep myself "back" on my saddles. If you find yourself with numb palms or fingers after a ride, make sure your not leaning into the bars too much. You should feel neutral on your bike - well-balanced and not pitched forward, fighting to keep yourself from sliding off the front or the back of your saddle. 

Enough for the riding lessons. Once I adjusted the seat, the Centurion disappeared beneath me. It has very neutral handling, neither twitchy or laid-back, and, although not the lightest bike in the stable (22 pounds 1oz without bottle cages), accelerates well and is stiff while sprinting. 

Perhaps the best compliment I can give this bike is that it doesn't draw attention to itself in any way. The Campagnolo Nuovo Record rear derailleur shifts effortlessly through the gears, and the stability and easy handling allow me to focus on everything except the bike - like the squirrels and other, less pleasant early-morning critters.

I was thinking of selling this bike, but, after this morning's ride, I've decided it's a keeper. This is a decision I can live with, and one that should bring many more easy miles in the years to come.

More photos of the Centurion Equipe can be found HERE. 

1985 Centurion "Cinelli" Equipe

Even with a microfiber cloth lining the shop stand jaws, the Equipe logo disintegrated. :( Lesson learned, and WHY didn't Centurion clear coat these decals?

Test ride of this bike HERE.

I've decided to concentrate on collecting unique bicycles, for now, anyway.

This Centurion certainly qualifies. Popular "expert" opinion estimates the number of stock Equipe bicycles may be as high as 50, but probably fewer, and this one is pretty darn close to stock. The brake levers are not stock, as the original, Universal AER levers were replaced at some point with Modolo Speedy levers. I've got an eBay search for the originals, so it's only a matter of time. Just put the Dia Compe 204 hoods on the Speedy levers and they fit perfectly.

The original Cinelli seat was falling apart, and I have another Cinelli Volare on a different bike that I'll swap over as time permits.

The Ofmega Sintesi pedals are long gone as well, replaced with period-correct (well, within a year or two) Campagnolo Chorus pedals. [6/30/13 Update - I bought a pair of NOS Ofmega Sintesi pedals and installed them on the bike. They work well, but the bolts for the toe clips are a real pain to keep tight.]

I'll let you read up on the history of the Centurion Equipe HERE on the Cinelli Only blog. The owner of the site, Angel has good info there and is restoring another variation of the "Equipe" which you can read about HERE. 

How does it ride? Smooth, stable, tracks like an arrow and is ready to jump into action when needed. The component mix, except for the brakes which don't stop worth a darn, is excellent, and the frame is light and responsive. Sew ups are such a joy to ride on. More on that in an upcoming post.

Enjoy the pics above and see more HERE.

Test ride of this bike HERE.