mtb-timeline

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<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Centurion Bikes Germany =====


Centurion sold mountain bikes in Europe designed by [[https://mmbhof.org/wolfgang-renner/|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 [[db:start|WSI/Diamond Back]] brand out of Canoga Park, California.
((History from: [[https://www-centurion-de.translate.goog/de-de/p/uber-uns/entwickelt-und-designed-in-bawu-267.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=ajax,se,elem|centurion.de]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_(bicycle_company)|Wikipedia]] & [[https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://www.radfahren.de/story/centurion-geschichte/|Radfahren]]))
Early German Centurion mountain bicycles were designed and constructed differently from Diamond Back but later models looked fairly similar.  ((Much details at: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_(bicycle_company)|Wikipedia]] and [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_(deutscher_Fahrradhersteller)|german Wikipedia]].))  For example, the [[db:start#s1982|1982]] Diamond Back is lugged while than the [[centurion:start#s1982|1982]] Centurion is TIG welded.  ((Centurion catalogs made for the US market do not list German mountain bikes: [[http://vintage-centurion.com/literature/centurion-catalogs.shtml]]))
The Centurion brand retired from North America in 1990 but continues today in German speaking Europe: [[https://www.centurion.de/de-de|Centurion]]



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<div column 45%>
{{renner.jpg?400|Wolfgang Renner}}
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Wolfgang Renner, field testing early mt. bikes
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[[https://www.centurion.de/de-de/p/uber-uns/der-pionier-wolfgang-renner-270.html|centurion.de]]
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<div column 50% #s1981>
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===== 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’// ((As per: [[https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/suntour_superbe_tech_l_derailleur_4800.html|disraeligears]]))

<blockquote>
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.
<cite>
[[https://www-bike--magazin-de.translate.goog/hintergruende/typen_portraet/jubilaeum-wolfgang-renner-und-40-jahre-centurion/gallery/3960233/3960013?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp#image|bike-magazin.de]]
</cite>
</blockquote>


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<div column 45%>
{{1981.jpg?300|1981 Country}}
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1981 Country
[[https://www.bike-magazin.de/hintergruende/typen_portraet/jubilaeum-wolfgang-renner-und-40-jahre-centurion?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp|bike-magazin.de]]

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<div column 50% #s1982>
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===== 1982 Country =====

<blockquote>
Presented in 1981, on sale in 1982 - the first real mountain bike made in Germany!  ((This ignores the 1981 [[schauff:start|Schauff]]))
<cite>
[[https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://www.radfahren.de/story/centurion-geschichte/|Radfahren Magazine]]
</cite>

</blockquote>

Tange frame, almost all Suntour components.


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<div column 45%>
{{1982.jpg?300|1982 Country}}
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1982 Country
[[https://www.radfahren.de/story/centurion-geschichte/|redfahren]]

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<div column 50% #s1983>
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===== 1983 Theo Intra =====

[[https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_Intra&prev=search&pto=aue|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 ((Presumably borrowed from the Beatle's [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Raccoon|Rocky Raccoon]].  Otherwise, raccoons (note spelling) are called Waschbären in German.))
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More detailed pics at: https://fotos.mtb-news.de/p/999816


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{{1983.jpg?300|1983 Theo Intra }}
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1983 Theo Intra
[[https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/der-centurion-mit-bildern-thread.708869/page-5|mtb-news.de]]

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<div column 50% #s1984>
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===== 1984 Explorer =====

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<div column 45%>
{{1984.jpg?300|1984 Explorer}}
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1984 Explorer
[[https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/attachments/img_6973-jpg.534016/|mtb-news.de]]

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<div column 50% #s1985>
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===== 1985 Rocky II =====



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{{1985.jpg?300|1985 Rocky II }}
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1985 Rocky II
[[https://fotos.mtb-news.de/p/2209607|mtb-news.de]]

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<div column 50% #s1987>
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===== 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.
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{{1987.jpg?300|1987 Lhasa Kathmandu }}
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1987 Lhasa Kathmandu
[[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1724315734261613&type=3|Centurion Facebook]]

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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Lhasa Kathmandu =====

SunTour XCE (?) (1989-1991).

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{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Lhasa Kathmandu }}
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1989 Lhasa Kathmandu
[[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1625668900792964&type=3|Centurion Facebook]]

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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Stratos =====

SunTour XC Comp (1990-93.)

{{slicer.jpg?200|Nard Slicer }}
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Bonus pic: detail of a 1990 Centurion Stratos //nard slicer//.
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[[https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/der-centurion-mit-bildern-thread.708869/page-7|mtb-news.de]]


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<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Stratos }}
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1990 Stratos
[[https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1724315734261613&type=3|Centurion Facebook]]

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