Framebuilders - broken frame

I have what I think is a 1983 Trek 620 (Reynolds steel), which I bought from a friend about 1986. I love this bike and put on about 5,000 miles a year, mostly commuting in Chicago. This morning both seat stays cracked where they are welded to the seat tube. Is this repairable? If so, any idea where I can get it done (in or near Chicago or northern suburbs) and how much it would cost?

Wastyn Cycles (http://www.wastyn.com/rooms.htm), 2634 Fullerton Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60647.

Phone: (773) 384-8999

Cleaning and rebrazing side tacked seat stays is pretty straightforward, but the seat tube will probably have to be reamed after the repair and the area around the repair will have to be repainted.

You'll have to call and ask for an estimate.

EDIT - I see from the eighties Trek catalogs that the 620 seat stays appear to be fastback rather than side tacked. This will complicate the repair, but it's still repairable. I'd contact Scott at Wastyn's and see what he says.

Here's the photo174596

That's side tacked, so it should be pretty straightforward. The original stay is awfully thin at the point where it was brazed to the lug.

They may wind up cutting off the end of the stay and using a seat stay cap to replace the broken end, or they could braze a reinforcing plate over the break. Either way, you'll lose the Trek pantograph.

Here are two examples of end caps from Nova Supply.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/Frame%20Tube%20Joining/SeatStayCaps.jpg

...and end caps from Henry James.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/Frame%20Tube%20Joining/HenryJamesSeatStayCaps.jpg

ok, that's a new one on me. Wonder if someone took off too much material when they cleaned up the cap, or if the braze didn't extend far enough down the seat stay. When I was at Trek, I'm pretty sure the logo in the caps was stamped in. I wish I had some, but I'm pretty sure I don't.

OP: have you checked the serial number against the list at vintage Trek (http://www.vintage-trek.com/SerialNumbers.htm)?

I have been to Vintage Trek, which is how I ascertained the year and model (my friend was no help). I was never able to locate the serial number (I wonder if it is covered by the cable router under the BB).

is it possible for you to post a picture from the back?

Sorry. I don't have a photo from the back, and the bike is not with me right now. Here is an angle from the side; both sides are broken through between the "T" and the "R", below the braze.174755

A similar repair on a Raleigh by Royal H Cycles in Somerville, MA: http://royalh.tumblr.com/post/667292689/rad-raleigh-restoration

FYI: I sent an email to Wastyn in Chicago and received this reply: "We no longer weld frames or stays." On another recommendation, I took bike to Blue City Cycles in the Bridgeport neighborhood.