Hopefully it has some original components on it. Just look up the date codes at the vintage trek site. In addition, often the fork steering tube will have a date code on it, many times the code is pretty easy to break. I had a Nishiki with a "2K" code which was either October or November 1972 on that bike. Almost all parts have codes: stem, calipers, seat post, bottom bracket spindle, sometimes bottom bracket cups, derailleurs, crank arms, QR levers, etc. I have seen them just about everywhere. The trick is the parts need to be original to the bike, otherwise, it really doesn't tell you anything. Add about six months to the date of the newest code, and you will be very close.


Google "dating vintage bikes". The first entry listed is for the vintage Trek site. Serial numbers are often useless (but not always).