Vintage Trek find
 

'86 Trek Elance 300. First vintage and first road bike. Bottom of the "sport" line for the model year, but it's pretty impressive. Excited to get it cleaned up and running. $100 on offer up and 100% stock down to the tires!

Will post more photos asap.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...805fac7504.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f581bb12b8.jpg

That is a respectable bicycle! Enjoy the ride!

Nice find! That's a big frame so I hope that you're tall.

I have one of these in process that came from the dumpster behind the LBS.

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I'm working on updating an Elance 400, making it a bit more current. Elance series were great bicycles with fantastic riding qualities.

Don't let that "entry level" thing about Trek fool you- you have a (triple) butted Ishiwata CrMo main frame with a CrMo fork... just because the catalog doesn't specify- I'd guess you might have HiTen stays... That's at least a few steps above most other companies' "entry level" frame. And then look at your components- Shimano Z-series and Light Action is all good stuff and it looks nice.

I have a 1986 Trek 400 Elance- I've seen fit to outfit it with top shelf stuff- tricolor 600, Suntour XC Comp, XC Pro, Avocet touring crank... It's a beautiful bike, it rides excellent and it straddles the 'touring' and 'go fast' line. Steeper angles with a slightly longer rear end with rack eyelets.

Good deal; 86 300 frame with top quality tubing. Enjoy.

Im 6'3" and it's a bit big for me, but I'll manage.

Looks about right for 6'3"! And no such thing as a bad 70s-80s trek really. Their low end is most companies mid range. This is a versatile and high quality bike!

This is a great bike.

There's an '86 Trek 300 Elance on Central NJ Craigslist, been there about a month, but the asking price is $200, twice what you paid. Well bought!

At entry level Trek has most others whupped. Trek’s entry level was rather high by engineering, workmanship and componentry. That’s why I own several. Nice find at a great price!

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0bbc0f1124.jpg
Forgot to update, but I got it all cleaned up, threw on some comfy bars and it rides like a dream! Speedy and so smooth!

You might want to try a differnent stem in the future

My experience with Trek bikes is minimal but I refurbished a 1984 600 series that was given to me and I was impressed with both the quality and ride. I gave it to my son in law because it was too small for me to ride regularly.

For why?

Looks great, nice clean build. What size on those Paselas?

'cause, man...he said so ;)

looks right to me. congrats

Paselas are 27x1.25. Buttery soft. I love them.

are those your mala beads hanging on the bell? (1st post photo)

Yes and no. They're hanging on the closet door knob, behind my bike. :thumb:

ha!! they're door knobs! <<ding ding>>

nice rug, too. it is a rug, right....lol? (j/k ;) )

Thanks! Less of a "build", really. All original aside from bars, tires and a bit of elbow grease!

Yoga mat cover. Sleeve? Case?! Yeah...that.

I like how you lined up both tires names with the inner tube valves :thumb:

Oh and that blue color on ur trek is very nice.