I picked up a rather beat up Trek 720 the other day. I wont be able to get better pictures for a couple of days , but it has Grand Compe centerpulls, so im guessing its a 1982.
It came with a 27" wheelset which is rideable but not optimal with the brakes and leave no room for fenders.
Their wobbler champion 58's on Campy hubs so they will find a proper home.
The paint is shot.
The drive train is set up half step granny. The front Huret deraileur is a a bit suspect but the chain on the bike is wore out and probably to short.
The rear derailleur is a Mountech.
Shifters are suntour bar ends.
The front fork has 2 sets of mid mounted braze-ons. I need to call the seller back about what they are for.
Unfortunately they dont line up with the Bruce Gordon racks that came with the bike. Bonus......
Ive riden the bike as is, and am going to put a new chain on it, tweak shifting, brakes, bearings and ride it a bit.
But its to nice of a frame to be a beater.
So what to do?
The paint is toast. There is a lot of touched up patches that look like some one attempted to clan up some surface rust.
I'm going to powder coat it. Sorry.
What color though? Base and clear over? Stickers? A 5 yard finish will work for me. I dont need moustasche range detail work.
Purpose of the bike?
Touring or gnarly weekend warrior Randoneur? It came with Bruce gordon racks, but I have a slightly more modern touring bike that I will also probably never ride across the country. There are 4 century rides that pass thru my neighborhood every summer though.
Wheels?
700 or 650b? 126 or 130mm? Freewheel or casstte? Im a solid Clydesdale at 230. I like fenders. Most of my cool bike/projects are 126mm.
realistically, I'll use what ever I can scrounge up. But if I was going to build a wheel set, I am leaning toward a a Phill freewheel rear hub that can have its spaceing converted from 126 to 130mm.
Drive train?
Up dated halfstep granny? Big question is what front deraileur will handle the jump? And what kind of freewheel or cassete will work with a halfstep? What are the other good mid range options? I like the bar end friction shifting, and I have a new set of chain rings for a touring triple. 7, 8, 9, or 10 speed? Deore derailleurs?
The little bit of research I did put this bike into the "Shank your Mama for" (Goldenboy?) range of desirability, (No Mama's where harmed) So I thought some folks around here might have already thought about what they would do with a bike like this. Thanks, Woody