Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Trek 520 frame/fork, what is it worth?

Its from the mid '80s I figure. Has downtube shifter bosses and I believe was indexed 7 speed. So maybe late '80s.

It has a full chromoly frame/fork. Small frame.

I don't have pictures yet but it is in okay shape. No major issues but has typical scratches and dings from use over the years.

I'm wondering if this is a desirable frame of what kind of value?

And what would the bike be worth built up using 700c wheels with 8 speed, 105 or dura ace brifters, drop bars, Deore XT canti brakes, etc?

The fork does have rack bosses which is rather nifty.

I went out to my car and looked at the frame, still too dark for pics but it is fully lugged and is gray with blue lettering. Its not the outline style lettering but the solid black lettering.

I have both a 1984, taupe and a 1985, grey metalflake with red lettering. Yours appears to be an earlier model, perhaps the 1983. Although I paid considerably less, it is not uncommon to have seen very clean examples of complete 520's sell on ebay for $350 to as much as $680, (sold June 21, 2012) including shipping.

I agree with Oddjob while I for one would only pay a $120 or so for 520 they are great American built frames with superior ride quality. They usually sell for $150- $200 or so locally to the right buyer and go for $300-500 nicely autioned on plus shipping on ebay.

I have both a 1984, taupe and a 1985, grey metalflake with red lettering. Yours appears to be an earlier model, perhaps the 1983. Although I paid considerably less, it is not uncommon to have seen very clean examples of complete 520's sell on ebay for $350 to as much as $680, (sold June 21, 2012) including shipping.
Oh neato. So it is a rather desirable bike then. I see the 800 series mountain bikes selling for 75-125 all day long on CL so I wasn't sure of the value of these 500 series models.

I had a 1985 grey metalflake with red lettering Trek 520 that I picked up this summer at Goodwill for $20. Sold it for $425. It had Shimano 600 components and down tube shifters. It didn't take very long to sell but the Twin Cities is a pretty hot market.

I have one that I found at the dump. It was well raped, so I converted it to a single speed. It is a wonderful ride and has sweet geometry. I think the 520 was a touring bike.

I have one that I found at the dump. It was well raped, so I converted it to a single speed. It is a wonderful ride and has sweet geometry. I think the 520 was a touring bike.

Depends on the year, some were kind of sort of touring bikes, others were pretty serious touring bikes.

Well I looked up the serial number at vintage Trek and it turns out I was rather off on the year. As best as I can tell by extrapolation on their serial number table, my frame is a 91 Trek 520.

I started building it up yesterday. Put my set of 8 speed cyclocross wheels I had on it. Dura ace brifters and rear deraileur, tricolor crankset double, unsure on front derailleur for now. I have a nice rear rack I'm going to put on it and I think I might save up for a front rack since I have the front rack bosses on the fork.