Finally landed a whale: 1983 Trek 720
#76
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Will try the ammonia, as I have some on hand. I'm going to try to clean the BB with it in place. It is dry in there, I can tell just by spinning it, so I hope everything looks ok.
#77
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Finally got this thing put together. I had to have a shop finish it up, otherwise it would've never gotten done. Some pics from the shakedown:
1720 by jscottpaschall
3720 by jscottpaschall
4720 by jscottpaschall
Admittedly, all that stem exposed on the technomic is not my favorite thing. I may opt for a dirt drop stem in the future to get the bars up without exposing all that quill. Rides like a long wheel base, extended cab pick-up. Certainly not for weight weenies. I've got room for wider tired too, which will probably be in the picture at some point.
1720 by jscottpaschall
3720 by jscottpaschall
4720 by jscottpaschall
Admittedly, all that stem exposed on the technomic is not my favorite thing. I may opt for a dirt drop stem in the future to get the bars up without exposing all that quill. Rides like a long wheel base, extended cab pick-up. Certainly not for weight weenies. I've got room for wider tired too, which will probably be in the picture at some point.
#78
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Admittedly, all that stem exposed on the technomic is not my favorite thing. I may opt for a dirt drop stem in the future to get the bars up without exposing all that quill. Rides like a long wheel base, extended cab pick-up. Certainly not for weight weenies. I've got room for wider tired too, which will probably be in the picture at some point.
A couple of things about those couple of things. If you need the bars up that high, keep the Technomic. I got a Dirt Drop for my 620 and it does not seem graceful to me. I've just been dragging my feet about getting a Technomic- I love the height and distance of the bars right now, but I don't like the angled stem. If you want to trade- I'm up for it- but I'd suggest keeping the Technomic.
About room for tires... What did you do for wheels? Did you go to 700C? I walked into a set of Phil/Super Champion 27" wheels, so I stayed with 27s, and there's not a lot of room for fenders underneath there with 27 x 1 1/4 tires. If I had 700C wheels, I would probably be able to fit 35s and fenders comfortably.
Isn't it great riding your bike after so long of putting it together, all the work, and then to have *that* underneath you... Great feeling- again, congratulations!
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I'd start by giving everything a very thorough cleaning. Don't leave any bit untouched. I assume you want to keep it as original as possible so I would be reluctant to replace things that are part of the bike's original character. I expect a bike of this age needs to have all the bearings checked, cleaned re-greased. This is something you may want your LBS to do as it requires some specialized tools and experience. Have them check the chain length while you're there to see if there is any stretch. If the cables work fine and there is no rust, then I'd leave them alone. If not, you may want to replace the cables. The housing may or may not need replacing, but if find you need to replace the cables, then replace both cables and housing. Maybe put fresh bar tape on it.
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Finally got this thing put together. I had to have a shop finish it up, otherwise it would've never gotten done. Some pics from the shakedown:
Admittedly, all that stem exposed on the technomic is not my favorite thing. I may opt for a dirt drop stem in the future to get the bars up without exposing all that quill. Rides like a long wheel base, extended cab pick-up. Certainly not for weight weenies. I've got room for wider tired too, which will probably be in the picture at some point.
Admittedly, all that stem exposed on the technomic is not my favorite thing. I may opt for a dirt drop stem in the future to get the bars up without exposing all that quill. Rides like a long wheel base, extended cab pick-up. Certainly not for weight weenies. I've got room for wider tired too, which will probably be in the picture at some point.
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Congrats! A 720 is nearly on my list. I have a 760 waiting in the wings.
WRT the Helicomatic hub. I have one that came on the 610 I purchased. The freewheel is near perfect and is available. The problem is with the cones. They are pitted beyond use and are unobtainable. The race in the hub is fine and 3/16 balls are easily found. The issues is maintenance. You need to check them frequently. I don't have a history with them but my impression is to check them once a year, at least. Keeping them greased will prolong the life of the cones. Some will say that 3/16ths balls are not as good as 1/4 but there is a argument that there is more contact surface area with more smaller balls, resulting in greater load distribution and reduced force on the races and per ball. The problem is that they rotate more per revolution. So just keep them lubed if the cones look good. If the cones are showing pitting. Start searching for a replacement hub. You will not find cones.
Being who I am, I would not go with changes except as needed. The exception for consideration is the RD. Don't fix what ain't broke. And if you do make changes, be sure you can undo them. I would be one of the ones screaming about spreading the rear triangles, especially if there is lots of room for a 7 block.
Above all enjoy!
WRT the Helicomatic hub. I have one that came on the 610 I purchased. The freewheel is near perfect and is available. The problem is with the cones. They are pitted beyond use and are unobtainable. The race in the hub is fine and 3/16 balls are easily found. The issues is maintenance. You need to check them frequently. I don't have a history with them but my impression is to check them once a year, at least. Keeping them greased will prolong the life of the cones. Some will say that 3/16ths balls are not as good as 1/4 but there is a argument that there is more contact surface area with more smaller balls, resulting in greater load distribution and reduced force on the races and per ball. The problem is that they rotate more per revolution. So just keep them lubed if the cones look good. If the cones are showing pitting. Start searching for a replacement hub. You will not find cones.
Being who I am, I would not go with changes except as needed. The exception for consideration is the RD. Don't fix what ain't broke. And if you do make changes, be sure you can undo them. I would be one of the ones screaming about spreading the rear triangles, especially if there is lots of room for a 7 block.
Above all enjoy!
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#82
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This has been a great thread to follow. Congrats on the original find. I especially love the old tools you found along with it. And regarding your work bringing it back to life, Bravo! It looks very classy!
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I guess I could've included some details! I went with 27" Velomine CR18's for budget reasons. The original plan was to rebuild the old rear wheel with a Velo Orange 126mm hub, but I couldn't justify the expense. Tires are cheapy 27"-1 1/4 (shop had no options on 27" tires), and I've got room to go wider, as you'll see. I've read the Michelin World Tour 1 1/4's run especially wide.
I picked up the freewheel off of eBay for a decent price. It's a very lightly used Suntour Winner 13-32. RD is the Suntour VGT Luxe flog00 hooked me up with. Looks and shifts great. The Dia-Compe hoods from Velo Orange do not fit the Gran Compe levers properly, but it doesn't bother me too much; they are pretty comfortable and have a good feel.
The shop did something very odd with the shifter cable from the stop to the guides underneath the BB. This is a shop that works with vintage stuff pretty frequently, so I'm not sure what's going on here. Any thoughts?
7207 by jscottpaschall
7205 by jscottpaschall
7208 by jscottpaschall
7209 by jscottpaschall
And here are the two together:
72010 by jscottpaschall
I picked up the freewheel off of eBay for a decent price. It's a very lightly used Suntour Winner 13-32. RD is the Suntour VGT Luxe flog00 hooked me up with. Looks and shifts great. The Dia-Compe hoods from Velo Orange do not fit the Gran Compe levers properly, but it doesn't bother me too much; they are pretty comfortable and have a good feel.
The shop did something very odd with the shifter cable from the stop to the guides underneath the BB. This is a shop that works with vintage stuff pretty frequently, so I'm not sure what's going on here. Any thoughts?
7207 by jscottpaschall
7205 by jscottpaschall
7208 by jscottpaschall
7209 by jscottpaschall
And here are the two together:
72010 by jscottpaschall
#84
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That is an obsessively clean drive train. I like it. The cable runs look very clean in the pics. What is going on that you find odd?
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I'm used to bare cable running from the stop on. There is a casing around the cable from the stop if you look closely. The mechanic said he had to drill out the back of the stop and flare my BB routing a little to account for it, and I wondered why he didn't just run bare cable.
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Perhaps its just my eyes, but that doesn't look like bare cable coming out of the stops. Is there an advantage to keeping it cladded?
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I missed that. Yeah that's a little odd. I'd run bare cable from the stops. The lining doesn't make a lot of sense because the cable isn't running inside of something where it might bind or catch.
But if it works good, I'd leave it alone.
But if it works good, I'd leave it alone.
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#90
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You've got a Cannondale handlebar bag loop mount on your rear dropout!
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#91
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@JohnDThompson - Thanks for your contribution to the understanding these vintage Treks! I greatly appreciate you sharing your experience and knowledge, and so candidly! Now if you could just help me find an original fork for my 1984 60cm 760!
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I'm used to bare cable running from the stop on. There is a casing around the cable from the stop if you look closely. The mechanic said he had to drill out the back of the stop and flare my BB routing a little to account for it, and I wondered why he didn't just run bare cable.
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I have really enjoyed this thread, attached are some pics of my own 82/728. A CL find, unfortunately missing some of it original components.
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Nice patina! Hoping to put some on mine starting immediately. Me and a buddy have been waiting to get the 720 done so we can take a camping trip out to a park that's about 35 miles away, round trip. In the fall this will become my main mode of transportation to school as well.
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It should have them on the seat tube as well; I don't recall any of them going out with under-the-down-tube mounts but no seat tube mounts. And the panel on the seat tube shouldn't be a decal; it's actual paint in contrasting color with the old individual letters T R E K applied over it and separate yellow bands above and below. I still have a bunch of those bands in my sticker collection.
This isn’t true about the seat tube logo, is it? the 83 in my possession has a decal for sure, it’s not paint.
And yes, a bottle cage under the down tube was a really odd choice, considering there isn’t one on the seat tube. I really wouldn’t be surprised if maintaining the logo was the idea behind that.
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Old thread but I’m looking through old 720 threads as one has come into our household.
This isn’t true about the seat tube logo, is it? the 83 in my possession has a decal for sure, it’s not paint.
And yes, a bottle cage under the down tube was a really odd choice, considering there isn’t one on the seat tube. I really wouldn’t be surprised if maintaining the logo was the idea behind that.
This isn’t true about the seat tube logo, is it? the 83 in my possession has a decal for sure, it’s not paint.
And yes, a bottle cage under the down tube was a really odd choice, considering there isn’t one on the seat tube. I really wouldn’t be surprised if maintaining the logo was the idea behind that.
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From what I've ascertained it is because the frame pump went there (along the seat tube). Touring bikes adopted the second bottle cage on the underside of the down tube, which makes sense when one believes the seat tube is for the pump. By the mid-'80s we saw the pump peg on the head tube / upper head lug as a second bottle cage was added to non-touring bikes. So yeah, it does seem weird, and it's present on my '82 720, but I like it since I get the two bottle capacity while also having a frame pump in a place that allows me to shoulder the bike up and down stairs easily.
I will likely start my own thread about this bike but since im here right now:
This is an ‘83. Is the flexibility issue when fully loaded on these as bad as a few posters have made it seem here? Is it remedied enough by packing low riders up front?
If I swap this to 700c should 32mm and fenders fit fine?
My partner has a 1986 Miyata 210 but this 720 is like new with a few upgrades (indexed shifting, Deore dx drivetrain) and it fits her. She also prefers the look of it. We can only keep one and I’m sure it will be the 720 but there is some concern about fully loaded performance with the reports of it being too flexible.
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That makes enough sense regarding the frame pump.
I will likely start my own thread about this bike but since im here right now:
This is an ‘83. Is the flexibility issue when fully loaded on these as bad as a few posters have made it seem here? Is it remedied enough by packing low riders up front?
If I swap this to 700c should 32mm and fenders fit fine?
My partner has a 1986 Miyata 210 but this 720 is like new with a few upgrades (indexed shifting, Deore dx drivetrain) and it fits her. She also prefers the look of it. We can only keep one and I’m sure it will be the 720 but there is some concern about fully loaded performance with the reports of it being too flexible.
I will likely start my own thread about this bike but since im here right now:
This is an ‘83. Is the flexibility issue when fully loaded on these as bad as a few posters have made it seem here? Is it remedied enough by packing low riders up front?
If I swap this to 700c should 32mm and fenders fit fine?
My partner has a 1986 Miyata 210 but this 720 is like new with a few upgrades (indexed shifting, Deore dx drivetrain) and it fits her. She also prefers the look of it. We can only keep one and I’m sure it will be the 720 but there is some concern about fully loaded performance with the reports of it being too flexible.
I'd ask for photos, but in lieu of them being provided, looking at the OP's 720 with 27" tires, I see acres of room for fenders. If those 1 1/4" (32mm nominal) tires are accurate, add about 4mm more in height and width in 700C form (of which there appears to be plenty of accommodation) and I'd say there's plenty of room for true 35mm tires and fenders, which will net anyone with a phenomenal ride (provided the tires are something along the lines of Soma Supple Vitesse or Compase/RH, or at least Pasela 35s).
Ultimately, it's up to you to experiment. I will say that some basic measuring of present clearances on your part will go a long way to you personally answering your own questions regarding clearance. You have the bike and the ability to do this. You likely have other bikes with 700C wheels and larger tires with which you can easily and (crucially!) immediately swap on to this 720. The '83-85 720s were designed around 27" wheels, standard 27" tires, and fender usage. Only 1982 was designed for 700C wheels, and it will fit 32mm tires and fenders, though it's a little snug. Later 720s are bowling-with-bumpers-up easy to fit tires and fenders on. The only Trek/bike they'll be outdone by is a 1985 620 which will fit 40mm actual tires and fenders if you play the game perfectly. It's insane, which is one of the reasons I keep that bike as well.
Last edited by RiddleOfSteel; 09-03-23 at 12:44 AM.
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#100
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10-4 on the extra tire/wheel combos. I usually carry an extra set just in case. I like kevlar for durability. I have super thin tires with light wheels and some I don't mind getting dirty.