I’m trying to buy a used bike to do some light road training in preparing for my first sprint/real triathalon and came across a guy who restored vintage road bikes on craigslist–he reached out and was excited because he had two bikes he had had trouble selling because of their frame size (58cm-60cm) and I’m 6’4 so this is what I was looking for.
I couldn’t find anything else great in the 100-250$ range so I just wanted to know if this was a reasonable deal or if I have no idea what I’m doing.
Pictures:
https://imgur.com/a/ngQdK3n centurion
https://imgur.com/a/TqqC6nQ schwinn
by fatjerk05
3 Comments
Also try [r/Vintage_bicycles/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Vintage_bicycles/)
Centurion looks like it’s the better bike. Comfortable brake lever hoods and the down tube shifters instead of stem mounted.
[https://rode-bike.com/1988-centurion-lemans/](https://rode-bike.com/1988-centurion-lemans/)
Searching ebay “sold items” [https://www.ebay.com/itm/204310134086](https://www.ebay.com/itm/204310134086) not yet restored $185 value when accounting for the shipping costs.
If you can’t find a used large road bike in your size for your low $250 budget then a modern hybrid from this century with a rigid fork, a “flat bar road bike”, may work as well as a vintage road bike.
Then install bar ends or drop ends at the ends of the flat handlebars.
Bar Ends – Retro MTB accessory that gives you extra leverage and hand positions when installed on flat bars. They’re out of fashion but still used by a great number of people.
Drop Ends – Those are bar-ends in the shape of road bike drops that can be clamped onto a set of flat bars. They give you an extra hand placement and an aero position.
Or even switch to [butterfly bars.](https://brainybiker.com/butterfly-bars-vs-drop-bars-full-comparison/)
Plus install a bit narrower slick tires if the included tires are rather wide with off road treads.
I find my circa 2000 [Specialized Sirrus hybrid](https://cocosvariety.com/cdn/shop/products/SpecializedSirrus-1.jpg) with slick tires can still ride rather fast compared to my circa 2000 Specialed Allez road bike, it just lacks the drop bars for the aero positioning and the geometry is somewhat more upright than a road bike.
Neither, with a $250 budget you should be able to get something from 2002-2012 that will be a lot better.
But if you must choose one of these 2 and there are no other options at all and they both fit then get the 1980s Centurion.
But they don’t look the same size so I suspect that one of them will be a better fit to you, and I would hope it’s the Centurion because the way the 1970s Schwinn is set up worries me a bit.
If you can, find someone local who knows how to inspect bikes and tell you if they’re in good nick or utter sheds, and who knows how to bike fit you.