When I came to Kingwood, TX as a YFU exchange student in the summer of 1988, I had done some bike races at home already, but mostly I had been used to just using my bike to ride everywhere. Thus, I visited the two bike shops in town to see if they had an affordable bike for me to use during the year. 

I found a bike at Jerry Turner's shop "Bicycles, Etc." on Loop 494. The bike was only three months old, as somebody had given it to his son who had been hoping for a mountain bike. Well, the boy ruined the front wheel and eventually sold the bike back to Jerry. I was able to retrue the wheel somewhat and ride the bike throughout the year without any further problems. 

The 'Ironman Expert' was a lugged steel frame made from Tange-tubes, and it was equipped with a 6-speed Shimano 105 gruppo. In the U.S. 'Centurion' was a brand DiamondBack used to market road bikes in the '70s and '80s (not to be confused with the European 'Centurion' bikes). The bike cost me $275 (MSRP ran around $660), and I was later able to sell it for $250. 

Centurion sold bikes with the Ironman-label from the mid-80s on. They were among the most popular road bikes in the States at that time, and since that was the time when road cycling was somewhat popular, they are among the most popular road bikes of any period. 

When I bought mine in 1988, there were three models (I believe): One equipped with Shimano 105, a better model with Shimano 600, and one with Suntour GPX components. Each model came with their own distinct two-color scheme. See here for an informative page about these bikes. 

This was my first bike with SIS indexed shifting and aero brake levers - how exciting. Like most of those who considered themselves 'traditional European racers', however, I turned off the indexing at first. It was also my first racing bike with clincher tires, and I immediately decided to make that switch on my bike in Germany as soon as I got home. 

That year turned out to be my most successful in bike racing. I rode for the Woodlands Cycling Club and the Kingwood High School Cycling team (which we started that year, and which died shortly after we graduated). I won about 30 junior and Cat. IV and III races on the road and the track (the Alkek Velodrome in Houston).