Touring - Trek 520

I have ordered a new 48 CM Trek 520. :D It will be as much as two weeks in shipping and preparation. At work we say if it isn't on paper it didn't happen. So it will be about two weeks for the pictures to be here. I am having a dynamo front hub installed with the accompanying front and rear lights installed right away. I am going to ride it a bit first but want a computer and perhaps a different (butterfly) handlebar. Other possibles besides the usual things as extra bottle cages? I have panniers for the factory rear rack, rear blinky and front 610 cateye light for visibilty. The battery lights will usually be on strobe. This is my commute "car" as well. What ideas do you have as to setting it up if you had the bike? For commutes .... for week long tours .... for month long tours? Thanks in advance. Blues Frog

If I had the $$ my first choice would be this bike, for an OTB. I like the changes your having made, looks like my list of ideas lol. As it is I'm building my bike solo aquiring parts as I find them. Looking forward to the pics :)

I have the same size 520!

I think you should just ride it the way it is for a while, and you'll figure out what (if any) modifications it needs. Right out of the box it's great for light tours/commutes. For heavily loaded touring you might need a front rack and a sturdier rear rack.

I really like the stock handlebars.

I have a 54cm 520. First thing I bought was a rear trunk bag for my daily commute and new tires since I commute on half pavement and half dirt raod (well packed)...I wanted something with a little tread on it. Oh, and a new saddle, the stock one was painful for me.

First thing to go: saddle.

Everything else is ok. The 520 I owned for awhile was great (I should have kept it...)

I tried butterfly bars on one bike and mostly hate them.

I haven't seen a new 520 in several years...but the first thing I changed on my last new bike (2006) was the suspension seat post and the stock saddle. Replaced those with a Kalloy and a Brooks B67. Next was a generator hub, upgraded the brakes and installed B&M LED lights. For bags I primarily use a Banjo Brothers rack bag with drop down panniers. For touring I use Ortlieb Classic Rollers. My city bike is set up with a huge set (45l) of canvas Basil Karavans.

I have one bike with the butterfly bars and they work fine on that bike, but I wouldn't put them on some of my others.

Aaron :)

excuse the ignorance, but what are butterfly bars?

second the Ortlieb panniers, they are pricey, but the set I am still using are over 15 years old and I have used them for trips, but more importantly, for commuting for 15 years and have held up perfectly well. They are waterproof (get any waterproof bags and you wont want to use non-waterproof ones again) they have a very well designed "clip" system that holds the bag ontothe rack, so that they dont fall off if you hit a good bump (yes, I have had it happen iwth earlier bags, a pain in the ass and dangerous)

Do think about if the reach to the bars is alright, often a shorter bar stem can make all the diff in the world for long ride neck, back and hand comfort.

bike computers are fun to have, handy while touring and makes things clearer for know how far to the next town etc. There are many tht are pretty inexpensive $20 sort of thing.

oh--think about fenders, thats important. On a bike that will go through rain etc, fenders keep you cleaner,and less road gunk willgo onto your front derailler, etc, and in the end, your bike will need cleaning and maintenance, and parts will last longer.

Brooks saddle, Tubus racks, Schwalbe Marathon tyres, the ultimate touring machine, sold !

@djb

Also known as trekking bars. I use them on my expedition bike in black.
(http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/kalloybars.html)
Aaron :)
http://www.wallbike.com/content/JPG/kalloybars.jpg

ahhhh so thats what they are called. Certainly lots of hand positions, great for wrist, hands, neck slight changes that make all the difference.

tks

Check this bad boy Trek 520 out.

We just finished a 9+ month tour of South America and Canada and she was great. At the start the only thing I changed were the racks and tires. Same saddle same everything and I wouldn't have it any other way. Throughout the trip I replaced the cassette and a split rear rim but you know after 15,000km you need to do that. Before I started the trip I obsessed about what gear other people had but one of the most important things I realized throughout the trip is not to care what other people use. What you have will be great. Just go out there and have a good time.

Here you go, maybe! http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs126.ash2/39646_1538466150837_1510389540_1388116_3255478_n.jpg

I got two older 520's and ' love 'em too!

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa87/DVC45/IMG_3468.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa87/DVC45/IMG_3482-1.jpg

I bought a Trek 520 the first of the year to replace a 2002 520 that was stolen in December. I added the usual - bottle cages, fenders, saddle bag, computer, pump and lights. The upgrades I made were pedals and a Jandd rear rack. The factory supplied rack seemed a little lightweight and did not easily accomodate my Ortlieb panniers. I also considered changing the saddle but after putting some miles on the Trek I found that it worked okay for me. Incidentally, I recovered my 2002 520 three months after it was stolen so now have two.

You can see the Brooks saddle in the picture. The dynamo hub is in the process of being assembled now. The spokes were probably ordered today. I like everything about the bike. I am still adjusting the fit though. I set the seatpost 3/4" up last night and it seems better. I think it needs to go a 1/2" back too. I like to stretch out a little more than the current setting allows... it was cramped when I tried to lower myself against the headwind this afternoon. Good luck and may the winds be at your back. Blues Frog

You will love the dyno hub.I have the SON dyno hub on my LHT.
Thats a nice looking bike,have fun rideing it.