Originally Posted by
sirclicksalot
Well, this *was* my ride until 3/12 of this year
87 400T, with *almost full campy victory group (minus seatpost, everything else matched). I had the campy hubs as well, but they were laced to tubular matrix rims, so I ended up using the Mavic 3D laced to specialized generic cartridge hubs. However, after getting left-hooked and that frame acquiring a 3-5 degree bend in both top/downtube right behind the headtube lugs, I decided to go hunting for the legendary 47cm chainstays, and found this guy:
85 620, Deore front/rear w/indexed DT shifters, everything else is stock.
Originally Posted by
sirclicksalot
Yeah, I really liked it. The funny thing about it is that aside from a slightly larger headtube and an extra 5cm on the chainstays, it's geometry was identical to my 620. The 620 has 531cs throughout, whereas the 400T had 531 on the main tubes and 501 in the stays and fork. And 27" rims instead of 700c. So I'm basically stuck with basically 4 tires to choose from.
Sweet bikes!
First of all- they're both pretty fantastical bikes. I've got an 86 400 and an 85 620:
I greatly favor the 620- It's just a much more comfortable bike- but I actually think the 400 is better looking- more vibrant color, cooler graphics. I just did an overhaul of my 400 with brakes, levers, shifters and derailleurs- a new crankset is being put on right now. I'll post pix of that when I get it back. My 620 now sports 6 speed Suntour Command Shifters and an XC Pro rear derailleur (and the original Sachs/Huret Pilot FD).
Secondly- the 1986 and 1987 400 Elance are indeed 531 in the main frame- but Tange cro-moly in the fork and stays. (not that it makes a whole lot of difference). The 1985 Trek 620 is made from 531CS. The 531CS thing is a sort of topic of debate among some people. According to Reynolds- there's no debate. Reynolds 531CS is a tubeset- with butted 531 in the main frame and Reynolds cro-moly in the fork and stays. Pretty much the same thing as the 400 Elance. (minus the Tange vs. Reynolds cro-moly thing)
Take a look at the Reynolds transfer guide- 531CS is #30:
"... A cycle bearing this transfer has top seat and downtube BUTTED in REYNOLDS 531 and head tube, BUTTED steerer, TAPER GAUGE forks seatstays and chainstays manufactured from specially cold worked chrome Molybdenum tubing."
To me, that makes the 620 (and thus the 400 Elance) a really cool bike- the strength/lightness/ride properties of the 531 and the stoutness of the cro-moly where it needed the extra strength. I've "read" of people talking about how flexy and springy the 531C 720 is- that it gives too much; the 620 is designed NOT to do that, but it weighs a little more. Also notice that in the Trek timeline- the 400 Elance appears in 1986 and the entire 600 series disappears... because effectively, the 600 series became redundant.
Thirdly (or fourthly or whatever), regarding the wheels/tires... Although I'm actually pretty happy and settled on 27 x 1 1/4- I've read of people both having problems adjusting the cantilevers to suit 700C, but more importantly- I've read of one spectacular success:
http://nihonmaru.blogspot.com/2011/0...0-alights.html
Good luck- you've got a seriously awesome bike!