Classic & Vintage - Raleigh International Early 70's vs. 1983 Trek 520

Looking for the best fit commuter/touring bike. pros/cons...531 vs. 501? comfort? Price range for both? Any advice welcomed. Looking to keep buget/quality in mind. 53 cm..any hits? Cheers.

While I don't know much about the Trek (don't have one), I can tell you the Raleigh is a GREAT riding bike (got 3). Build quality varies a bit on them though... The Raleigh is very comfortable, yet still feels sporty. Some people even preferred them to the Pro for racing years ago. They're not as stiff & agile as the Pro, but much nicer to ride long distance. Raleigh did make an International in 53cm ctc. You absolutely want the Reynolds 531, and NOT 501. They're certainly not the same grade of tubeset! On the Raleigh, expect to pay anywhere from about $300 on up.... Really perfect examples sell for around $750+, and I imagine a NOS/NIB example would go for around $1500 on eBay. Components were all Campagnolo Record (Nuovo), except for Weinmann brakes. While I don't know about the Trek, an International is a known Classic that you'll love. Chances are though, that the Trek will be less costly.

I go on club rides all the time. Everyone and their brother has a Trek. The women love riding them - they're a girl's bike, just like the Porsche Boxster is a girl's car..... :D

Get the Raleigh and get noticed....... :)

John D.

I graduated to a Raleigh International after a Peugeot UO8 and Nishiki Semi Pro in 1972 or 73. I did a lot of double centuries and longer multi day tours. The International was the best! Very comfortable ride, stable but fast and agile. Mine was geared pretty high and I could really fly downhill, speeds that make me nervous on my dave moulton race frame which is twichy by comparison.

I spent the whole day in that Brooks pro saddle many, many times, I can't imagine a more comfortable bike. As a matter of fact I'm interested in finding a nice International frame in my size and building up a nice commuting bike with some modern components. I'll be posting a question about that when I return from a trip next week.

Get the Raleigh, you won't be disappointed.

Hey everyone thanks for the tips. I have ridden the international and I absolutely love it! Problem is that I'm itching for a bike and as I just purchased a peugeot garage sell find, I think it's shot. I don't want to put the money in it to find that I can get a much better bike for the same price. Here's the dilemma. I found a trek 520 on ebay that is a 53 cm with reynold's 501 and mostly campy parts, check it out!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7158852234&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I haven't bid yet, and I have no experience purchasing a bike from ebay. I'm truly a beginner, though I bought a specialized sirrus last year only to have it stolen in 7 months. Now my passion is for steel vintage beauties. I'm learning a lot from you expert biker's, and I wonder if I should shoot for this trek, and look for an international while I'm building my riding skills. My peugeot is shot, and I'm riding a 3 speed Raleigh sport which as you know is impossible for the hills in Seattle. I'm a bit impulsive at the moment but surely do not want to make a mistake by bidding on this trek just to have a decent bike till I find the right Raleigh. Any more advice would be welcomed, you guys are great.

I found a trek 520 on ebay that is a 53 cm with reynold's 501 and mostly campy parts, check it out!

Looks like a nice bike. Components are an interesting mix; Super Record front derailleur with the good Rally rear. Brakes, shifters & hubs look like Triomph and/or Victory. If you can get it for about $225 or less, you're OK. Probably shouldn't pay more though. Advice on bidding... If you've got a good broadband connection, bid your max within the last 10 seconds... The last 5 if you're experienced... Good luck...!

Yai!
that's a pretty bike

http://www.vintage-trek.com/

I have an 1983-1984 (built 83- spec'd with 84 parts) Trek 500 I ride fixed and it's great. To be honest though, I don't spend that much time on it so comfort for long rides I don't know.

Good luck whichever you find.
PJ

I go on club rides all the time. Everyone and their brother has a Trek. The women love riding them - they're a girl's bike, just like the Porsche Boxster is a girl's car..... :D

Get the Raleigh and get noticed....... :)

John D.

John,
You know I have a '86 520 and it rides like a dream. ALL 600 components. What I didn't tell you is that my bike is a chic magnet because all the women love them!

Drop the Raleigh and get the chicks! LOL :)

What I didn't tell you is that my bike is a chic magnet because all the women love them!


I guess some guys need all the help they can get...... :eek: :p

John D.

Drop the Raleigh and get the chicks! LOL :)

Better yet - I'm happily married already. Send me the Raleigh. Deliver to my West Coast testing agent, mswantak, as I'd want a long-term safety study performed on it before taking delivery. :D

The E-bay bike is a 1983 model.
The 520's get snatched up by the tourer/commuter crowd. they were
very nice bikes. The one on e-bay is really in great condition. I'd bet this one
goes over $500.

Marty

I'd bet this one
goes over $500.

Marty
YOW!
$500 will buy a half decent International if you look around... For that kind of $, I'd take the Raleigh any time. Nothing like chromed Nervex Pro lugs and Reynolds 531...not to mention the classic Campagnolo Nuovo Record bits...

"If you've got a good broadband connection, bid your max within the last 10 seconds... The last 5 if you're experienced... Good luck...!"

You don't need broadband to do this, I've dropped one-second bids (on purpose) on a dial up no problem, and with a pentium 100 computer, too. Or you can go to esnipe.com or vrane.com and use their evil services. The later is less fun.

Hint: open two browser windows, one with your bid amount ready to drop and the other to the bid history page of the auction you are bidding on. Refresh the bid history page until you have it synced up with a timer, and then drop the bid at the last second. Works like a charm.

"If you've got a good broadband connection, bid your max within the last 10 seconds... The last 5 if you're experienced... Good luck...!"

You don't need broadband to do this, I've dropped one-second bids (on purpose) on a dial up no problem, and with a pentium 100 computer, too. Or you can go to esnipe.com or vrane.com and use their evil services. The later is less fun.

Hint: open two browser windows, one with your bid amount ready to drop and the other to the bid history page of the auction you are bidding on. Refresh the bid history page until you have it synced up with a timer, and then drop the bid at the last second. Works like a charm.
Ha!... And I lost a '74 Carlsbad Masi with the twin-plate crown a couple or 4 years ago, due to a dial-up that was giving me troubles... Finally dumped that & went with cable. I couldn't even get on the eBay page to load, and that was a few minutes before the auction end... The bike went for $1100, and looked like new, with original finish & components. Same bike would go for double today... Man, that was a cool bike. I hate dial-up...

thanks for the bidding advice. i'll keep you posted.

Other guy, when sniping, don't worry about the ebay page itself-- just use the bid history page. It's not cluttered with graphics, etc. and reloads really quite fast, even on my pokey little dial-up. Tells you how long is left in the auction, which is the really important factor. Like I said, get a second window loaded just up to the point where you confirm the bid. Hit that in the last few seconds. Works like a charm, and you can get the bids timed to the second.

I suppose I'd be grouchy had i lost such a fine bike as you did. However, my pokey dial up did yeild a very nice 67 PX10, in the last five seconds of the auction. And my dial up connection is not prone to sudden unexplained failure, either, which makes it better. Vrane and esnipe have failed to place my bids once or twice, so if I really want something, I snipe manually.

I'd like to add that I'm quite bullish on those old Treks. Very nicely made, and all the Lance Wannabes have new Treks anyway. The new ones look nothing like the old ones, and the pre-84 ones are excellent. I have an 84 560 and an 80 410, I prefer the 410, but the 560 is nice as well.

I finally took that $10.00 Trek 2100 carbon bike out for a 20 mile shakedown spin today. I gotta admit - for a girl's bike, it rides pretty nice........ :D

John D.

I am a Trek kinda guy, which is apparently good, because I like girls a lot, too. More than bikes, even. I haven't noticed that they fling themselves into my path when I ride by, tho...

the 520 is a very nice touring bike. It has exactly the same geometry as the other '20's in the Trek line at the time (the 720 was the best touring bike that year, I think). If you like 'em cushy, then this should meet your needs very well. I'd look hard at the brakes if you are planning to really tour with a load, though. Victory's are, um, exciting in situations where you really need to stop.

alright guys. so I screwed up on the bidding and the trek isn't mine. i think i didn't have enough confidence to bid more than $350 so I put in a lower bid 4 minutes into it just to check out the competition. there were two others going at it, the last bid i placed was $375 at the last second and someone beat me to it. someone scored a nice ride! i'm still looking and any finds would be welcomed. unfortunately i'm back to my old peugeot until the right bike comes my way. thanks for the info and please keep an eye out for me.

You really want a 720 anyway, if that style blows yer skirt up. 531 tubing is a pretty big step up from 501...and it'd be nice to have the original drivetrain, because you probably wouldn't have to do as much sorting out. Keep looking, it'll come to you.

alright guys. so I screwed up on the bidding and the trek isn't mine....
Don't feel too bad. The price seems high to me anyway. That's about what I paid for my first Raleigh International (the one I ride most), though I did buy it 5 years ago. I found that Int. ('74 copper) in a local bike shop, and since found a '70 Int. (green with anniversary badge) in another local shop...$400 for it. Both are in really nice "rider" condition (clean, but not for show).

That 520 Trek wasn't a top model either...
If I were seriously out to get a Trek, I think I'd want one of the 531 tubed models with the seperate head lugs instead of the mono-lug thing. No offense to Trek lovers; I like Treks too, but I've just never come across an early one my size...