Dave Scott Centurion Signature Bike
When I turn pro I’m not doing the crappy sponsors thing. Ketones. Zen8. AG1. Or social media. I’m going to go straight to a bike company and negociate a signature bike deal. 10% for me on every unit sold.
This is what Dave Scott did in 1986 with Centurion. And a Dave Scott Centurion would still be my dream eBay find. Although he didn’t actually ride one. He was on a re-badged and re-painted Albert Eisentraut.
Not only did they look great. I prefer the 1987 pink and yellow. But they were pretty well specced. Shimano 105 throughout. With aero brakes. 32-hole Wolber rims. And most importantly. Top tube frame pump pegs.
The photo above is Dave at the 1986 Hawaii Ironman. And below are some ads from 1987. Remember. If you’re not on one. You’ll be behind one.
Images: Tri-Athlete (FR) Nov-Dec 1987
In 1988 there were 5 bikes in Centurion’s triathlon range. The Ironman Master. The Ironman Expert. The Le Mans. The Le mans proportional. For smaller riders. And the Ironman Carbon. The groupset on the white and fuscia Ironman Master had been upgraded to the tricolor Ultegra.
In Hawaii in 1987 Dave used a bike in the Le Mans colourway. Above. And Mike Pigg was now on a Centurion too. The Ironman Carbon. With bonded alloy lugs. I’ll track his 1988 season later to see how he performed on it.
Images: Triathlete (USA) January 1989
In 1989 Mike Pigg was again featured in the ads. Above is the Ironman Master. I like how they’ve focused in on Dave’s signature. The bike was supplied with Sampson clipless pedals. Never heard of them before.
Note. That by 1989 we’re fully into the aerobar-era. Maybe Centurion’s “most aggressive frame geometry ever” is because they know some Profile Aero 2-style clip-ons will almost certainly be bolted on.
Links:
Albert Eisentraut on Classic Rendezvous
Albert Eisentraut in Bicycle Guide
Sources:
Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald
