mtb-timeline

Centurion Bikes Germany

Centurion sold mountain bikes in Europe designed by Wolfgang Renner, who had been importing Japanese-American Centurion road bikes into Germany starting in 1976. In the US market, WSI/Centurion sold road and touring bikes and later sold mt. bikes via their WSI/Diamond Back brand out of Canoga Park, California. ¹⁾ Early German Centurion mountain bicycles were designed and constructed differently from Diamond Back but later models looked fairly similar. ²⁾ For example, the 1982 Diamond Back is lugged while than the 1982 Centurion is TIG welded. ³⁾ The Centurion brand retired from North America in 1990 but continues today in German speaking Europe: Centurion

Wolfgang Renner, field testing early mt. bikes
centurion.de

1981 Country

This is the prototype Country as presented at the 1981 Long Beach Bike show. It probably shouldn't qualify for the timeline as it wasn't available for sale until 1982. SunTour Tech rear derailleur, ‘the most beautiful derailleur of all time’ ⁴⁾

The “Country” presented in 1981 is considered the first German mountain bike. Butted steel frame, 2 x 6 gears, Cross brakes. A year later, 300 of these were sold. bike-magazin.de

1981 Country bike-magazin.de

1982 Country

Presented in 1981, on sale in 1982 - the first real mountain bike made in Germany! ⁵⁾ Radfahren Magazine

Tange frame, almost all Suntour components.

1982 Country redfahren

1983 Theo Intra

Theo Intra was a(n obscure?) 1950's German track & road racer, whose connection to Centurion is unknown. Not as inspiring a model name as Centurion's later names:

1987: Lhasa Kathmandu
1987: Arrival
1988: Jetstream
1992: Elevator
1994: Racoon Team SX
1995: Rocky Racoon ⁶⁾

More detailed pics at: https://fotos.mtb-news.de/p/999816

1983 Theo Intra mtb-news.de

1984 Explorer

1984 Explorer mtb-news.de

1985 Rocky II

1985 Rocky II mtb-news.de

1987 Lhasa Kathmandu

SunTour XCD 6000, which should be 1988-1989. As this is a manufacturer's picture, let's assume that Centurion knows best. Named after a founder's trip to Nepal.

1987 Lhasa Kathmandu Centurion Facebook