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The $1 Trek

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Old 05-09-18 | 06:42 PM
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The $1 Trek

A week ago Thursday, I got up early to attend a city-wide rummage 100 miles away. I planned an all-day trip and hoped to get a decent bike or two. In years past it was not unusual for me to pick up between 3-6 bikes at this venue.

So I get up before 5 and I'm on the road by 6. The morning turns out to be a bust, with all the bikes being either way too expensive or needing more help than I could give them. So I left that town and went to a different town to do some other non-bike things.

Came back through the first town on the way back home, and was slowly driving around all the stops I'd been to before. I happened to be driving away from a group of 3 houses all having rummages when I saw what looked like the end of a rummage - three items in the driveway: a Trek bike missing its front wheel, a portable washing machine, and a pressure sprayer. Garage door was closed, no one in sight. I stood there for a few minutes debating whether to even see if anyone was home, as it was after the time when the sale supposedly closed city-wide. As I'm standing there debating, someone comes out of the house. I say hello and ask if the bike is for sale. A nice lady says yes, a neighbor had given it to her and her family didn't want it any more. I ask her how much, as I can't see any price tag. She says, "A dollar." For a moment, I'm wondering, did I just hear that right? A buck? Then I take a closer look at the bike, and sure enough, there's a pink $1 sticker on the handlebar. So I get out my dollar, thank the lady, stick the bike in my car and drive away.

Said bike turned to be a 1990 Trek 930, apparently the first year for this model if I'm not mistaken. Lugged TrueTemper AT double-butted cromoly. This one has a Shimano drivetrain, but the catalog says I should have SunTour (I'm much happier with the Shimano). As far as condition, the left shifter is futzed, there's a jerry-rigged nut and bolt in place of a traditional seatpost binder bolt, and there are a couple rust spots on the frame. But other than that, and missing the front wheel (pix are taken with a front wheel out of my collection), not bad for a buck. So I did wind up getting a deal after all, just not when I thought I would.


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Old 05-09-18 | 07:29 PM
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Bikes: 1978 Trek TX700; 1978/79 Trek 736; 1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1984 Schwinn Voyageur SP; 1985 Trek 620; 1985 Trek 720; 1986 Trek 400 Elance; 1987 Schwinn High Sierra; 1990 Miyata 1000LT

Sweet!

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Old 05-09-18 | 07:31 PM
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Damn great find! What do you plan on doing with it?
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Old 05-09-18 | 07:41 PM
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Not sure yet. I was thinking drop bar MTB conversion. I have a Cannondale SM600 that I've already started building up into a drop bar MTB, so if that works well, maybe another.
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Old 05-09-18 | 08:20 PM
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Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"

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Old 05-09-18 | 08:28 PM
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Nice. I just bought that same model bike, a year or two newer, yesterday. I got a decent deal, you got a screaming deal!
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Old 05-09-18 | 09:36 PM
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Yep, $1 Treks happen.

I was waiting at a stoplight in front of a yardsale and saw this Trek. I jumped out and told the wife to drive around the block.

I asked the guy how much, and he said $1 (and then he tried to talk me out of buying it because it was "junk")

I gave him 4 quarters and hauled ass.

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Old 05-09-18 | 10:12 PM
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Nice score, it looks like the same color scheme to my '90 520.

Those DX shifters are worth something so you may want to repair the front or sell as is. I repaired a similar XT.
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Old 05-10-18 | 12:45 AM
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Bikes: '77 Centurion "Pro Tour"; '67 Carlton "The Flyer"; 1984 Ross MTB (stored at parents' house)

The Takagi Tourney crank seems much older than the bike, perhaps by 7-8 years.

That bike will turn out great.
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Old 05-10-18 | 01:24 AM
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I clearly overpaid, because the 930 below cost me $5.00 on ebay, with tacoed rear wheel. Those dam fees!

[img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/4wgh0sc0u3...k930a.jpg?dl=0[/img]
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Old 05-10-18 | 01:25 AM
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Bikes: Still a garage full

Based on the OP's score. I clearly overpaid by 500%, because the 930 below cost me $5.00 on ebay, with tacoed rear wheel. Those dam fees!





Last edited by oddjob2; 05-10-18 at 07:58 AM.
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Old 05-10-18 | 05:54 AM
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Great deal on an awesome bike!
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Old 05-10-18 | 06:16 AM
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Crikey, what a deal at a $1! I mean, when it's that cheap, who cares about scuffs and scratches, right? Enjoy the drop bar conversion!
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Old 05-10-18 | 06:19 AM
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Nice score! I've been looking for something like this for a while now, hopefully with a price near what you paid, lol.
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Old 05-10-18 | 06:59 AM
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Nice pick up, I built up a green one as a campus bike for a kid I know.
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Old 05-10-18 | 08:15 AM
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Bikes: 2008 Trek 7.3 FX, Metalic Black.... Also two newish Walmart cheapos, a Schwimm and a Huffy,...

So cool. I would have paid double for that, ha ha. Frame size?
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Old 05-10-18 | 08:56 AM
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Wow, $1 Treks!

shopping RV's ;---')

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Old 05-10-18 | 09:01 AM
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Damn...a little soap and water and the paint job will even look new. That's one hell of good find for $1
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Old 05-10-18 | 11:53 AM
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Frame size is 18".
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Old 05-10-18 | 12:07 PM
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Bikes: 2008 Trek 7.3 FX, Metalic Black.... Also two newish Walmart cheapos, a Schwimm and a Huffy,...

18 inches,,, Thanks!
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Old 05-10-18 | 10:13 PM
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I feel that I got ripped off. I picked up this Trek 930 a few years back for $15.
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Old 05-10-18 | 10:23 PM
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For $1 I think you could do better. You could avoid dying by getting a 1 Liter bottle of Arrowhead. But who knows, bike people are crazy!
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