Here’s a link to the 85 catalog if you haven’t seen it already: http://www.vintage-trek.com/images/trek/85TrekSport.pdf


It is listed under the ‘sport’ section, not the ‘touring’ section. Looking at the geometry, it reminds me of a Miyata 610. These sport/touring bikes are very popular with hipsters and older ex-racers that haven’t given up their road race roots and can’t see riding a full-on loaded and slow 26” wheeled bike.


The obvious main difference between the sport/touring and touring bikes is the length of the chain stay. If you compare the difference between the distance from the rear tire to the seat tube on a mid-80’s Expedition or Miyata 1000, which is probably 3-4 inches; to a mid-80’s race bike, which may barely have enough room for a 700x23 tire: you’ll see the 2 extremes between a touring bike which is designed to take advantage of the flex of the steel, much like the leaf spring on an old truck, as compared to a stiff race bike. A ‘sport/touring’ bike is designed to be a hybrid between the two, like Goldilocks’ porridge is neither too hot nor too cold. Like most sporting products that are designed to do a lot of things, it usually means that it doesn’t do one thing really well, but a lot of things adequately.


So; if loaded touring is your primary thing, this is not your best option. But; if you are looking for a bike that can pretty much do anything that you would want it to do from sporty, fast exercise bike to partially loaded comfortable daily commuter to occasional loaded touring, other than rough off-road use, this is your bike. Again; in the C&V world, it’s because this type bike can be built up in so many different ways that makes it so desirable.