Mountain Biking - Bike year identification...

(First off, a little history -- I raced BMX for many years, many years ago. I then got into roadies, although I did a short stint with a Diamond Back MTB. I've been riding roadie again since September, commuting to work every day and doing long rides on the weekend, after about a 10 year layoff.)

So I was given this mountain bike -- it needed a little TLC, so into the shop it went. Truth be told, I love riding it. It's a very fun ride. I've even commuted to work on it a few times. It's become my "general purpose" bike, the bike I use for trips to the store, to ride with my son (who is a BMX racer) when he is training and such, and the bike I grab when I just want to doodle around in the street outside the house.

http://www.seraphim-guard.com/images/tim/mtb01.jpg
It's a Trek Mountain Trail 820. It seems to have a fairly decent -- if not entry-level -- component set: Shimano Altus cranks/Acera X derailleurs, Shimano Altus canti brakes, Grip Shift shifters (which I actually like), Shimano Acera X hubs/Weinmann 519 rims, and finally a Trek saddle/seatpost.

I'm trying to figure out what year this bike hails from. Judging by the styling of the TREK logos it's more than a few years old, but I can't find any info on this particular bike.

Can anyone give a hand?

Thanks,
Tim.

Mid '90's I would say. Its pre-vbrake, post compact crankset.

Are those the hard toe clips that don't use straps?

My latest build has 97 stamped all over it. Forks,bb,frame. I dont know if this is common or not,but I gotta assume it's a 97. Not to mention all the chipped up and ground up teal blue paint I had to grind off of it. Look for dates on it or the components.
By the wat that's a nice old Trek. Looks like she wasn't ridden much.

I dont think that bike is 97, its early nineties at the earliest.

Mine is 95

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/9391/newone7ob.jpg

I dont think that bike is 97, its early nineties at the earliest.

Mine is 95

http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/9391/newone7ob.jpg
I wasn't saying it was a 97 or anything. Dang that's a nice Trek too. Restro or O.E.?

I don't even know what restro and o.e. are lol.

Restoration and original equipment. Either way it's a damn nice bike.

everything is the original in the pic, but now(few months later) I have new pedals, bar ends and crank set.

I keep hoping to find a vintage bike like that. One that was ridden a few times then parked in the garage.

Yea my bike was ridden about 2-3 times when my uncle got really sick and gave us the bike where it sat for something like 8 years. Now that I have had it, it has 400+ miles on it. Thing is, i clean it after every ride :)

Are those the hard toe clips that don't use straps?

Yup. Mini-clips. I'm torn between leaving those on because of the "around town" and "with my son" riding I do on that bike or switch over to clipless like my roadie. It sure is nice not having to change shoes if I want to hop on the bike and leap some curbs with the boy.

By the wat that's a nice old Trek. Looks like she wasn't ridden much.

Thank you. She had casual usage before she was given to me; nothing too severe, but she had "been sitting too long" syndrome as well. I cleaned her up, put the pedals/clips on, did all the adjustments, and she rides like a dream.

Like I said above, really fun ride.