After a few weeks of navigating the messed up algorithms of facebook marketplace and endless craigslist ads, I finally came across an early all-terrain bike that was my size. Making the drive from Atlanta to Charlotte was a lot, but I was able to add in some track racing at the velodrome in Rock Hill, South Carolina to help make the driving worthwhile. Here is what I brought home!

So some questions, if you're willing and able to help:
Does anyone know the original seatpost diameter for this bike? It came with a 27.0 seatpost and a chopped up wald 13/16" to 7/8" shim. I currently have a 27.2 seatpost in there with a coke can and a half shim. It seems a 27.4 might be the right fit?
At some point someone tried to touch up paint with black spray paint covering up the original beautiful metallic flake. I'd like to try and remove what I can without damaging the original paint. I don't mind the nicks on the frame but the dull black spray paint really bugs me. Any suggestions on how to best approach this?
I love the original stem, but I'd like to consider a wider bar. Do I have any options with this double clamp? I don't think there is a bulge at the clamps. I'll have to measure my diameter when I get a chance.

Those hardtail biggies are tough to find, ain't they. You just have to make sure the knurling on the new bar is in the right spots and it will certainly work. Those double clamp bars came in several widths. Try to load up with cromo one, the weight difference is noticeable.

A bonus shot of the bike "as-found" at the velodrome.

I don't think I'll regret making the drive for this one! It's a completely different ride than my 1991 Ironhorse MT600r. I'm really enjoying the loooong stays.

If you haven't been, Vintage Trek is the resource you need. Here's where you can date it; once you've done that, find the brochure and/or tech manual for it here. HTH. Oh, and make sure to show us pics as you get her back in working order!

Terrific find from the era when solid axles were used even for the high-end mountain bikes, since it was assumed that QR axles wouldn't hold up to the rigors of hard off-road riding.

Those Deore XT hubs were derived from Dura-Ace track hubs. The front hub uses a 10mm axle with flats milled to fit in a 9mm fork end.

Sheldon Brown's site lists 27.2 as the most likely candidate, but you have one in place now plus a shim so another 2mm may be it. As far as the spray bomb touch-up goes; I have used acetone on a rag to remove it. Trek paint is tough, so if you don't go overboard with the acetone it should take care of the problem without harming the original paint - be careful around decals though. Nice bike.

+1 on the acetone. The paint might have been cured for too long for the acetone to work effectively but that would be my first try. It may take some rubbing and some exposure time for the acetone to work. I was doing some repair work to the hood of my car and discovered that I had two primer drips on my fender after two weeks. It came off. It took some time for the acetone to soften the paint and then some rubbing. I used paper towel. Cotton cloth would have been better but the fenders will get blended in the next few weeks.

The second try would be 1000 grit sandpaper followed by 2000 grit. Use a firm sanding block or a piece of wood or aluminum as a backer. The idea would be to remove the spray paint without removing too much of the original paint. This should leave just the spray paint in the paint divot.

Nice find. I like the lugged frame, lugged fork and character of the bike. Was that made in Wisconsin?

That is a good looking velodrome I had not seen pictures of it until now.

The main triangles were brazed in Waterloo, fork and rear triangle subassemblies were made in Japan and joined with frames in Waterloo before painting. Early production used Reynolds 531 "All Terrain" tubing, later production used Tange Prestige tubing.

I will definitely give the acetone a go. Wish me luck!

The hubs are one of my favorite parts of the bike! They're spinning smooth as butter.

That's awesome! I thought it was odd that the catalog spec'd the 531 for the main tubes but Tange Champion for the stays. Any idea why the rear triangles we done in Japan instead of trying to do the whole frame in Waterloo?

The imported subassemblies could be done cheaper in Japan and didn't carry the same import tariff a complete bike would pay.

Very Cool. I stopped looking at 850s because they weren’t lugged.

Very interesting. Thanks for the insight! This quirkiness makes me love this bike even more!

I started looking for 850s because I realized that the early ones were! haha

Was wondering who picked it up. It was for sale for several weeks. Sounds like it's going to a good home...glad it worked out for you.

I was surprised how old the listing was when I saw it. Couldn't believe it hadn't come up in any of my earlier searches. I was somewhat surprised when the seller responded and it was still available!

Some small changes/personal touches

Thursday evening cruise.

Nice find. I picked up mine a year or two ago. Mine was painted at RRB bike shop in Chicago and has years of wear and tear, though I fully appreciate the wabi sabi of it.
It is a very comfortable bike.

Nice bike! I have an '84 also. Well it's an 830 - one model down - built with Reynolds 501. It needs a little work:

I got a good deal on it. Free. Just had to drive 15 miles to go get it. It had been in a flood in 2016 and was under water for a week or two. When the water receded, there it sat, in the same spot under a shed, until the owner called me up and said come get it, about four years later. So when I got it home I gave it a preliminary scrubbing:

The seatpost and stem were not stuck. The Suntour cartridge bearing hubs still turn as smooth as butter!
I was the original owner of this bike. I bought it new in '84 and sold it after about two or three years, around 1987, give or take. Well, the guy I sold it to, who was a friend, called me and said it was going in the trash, unless I wanted it, around 2020. I think it will be salvageable. It doesn't seem to have too much rust. Maybe it was protected by the layer of bayou scum and toxic waste that remained on it ever since the 2016 flood.
I also got a '69 Schwinn Super Sport at the same time, with the same story (I was the original owner, etc.). My friend bought both bikes from me around the same time, and gave them both back to me thirty six years later.

Some more changes:
I built up a wheelset with a white industries eno hub! I have been having tons of fun with this thing as a singlespeed






And then in preparation for a 200k gravel ride, I decided to build up a 700c wheelset. It looks like it was meant to have the larger wheels. I'm comfortably clearing Panaracer Gravelking Slick in 700x38 I this is my favorite version of the bike yet! As pictured without bottles or bag, it weighs in at 23.6lbs. Not too bad for a 24.5" mtb frame from 1984!

Nice bike!

Whoa, I could not have envisioned this.
Nicely done, clearly an All Terrain, Multi-Dimensional Bike.
Looks like tons of fun.

It does look like it was meant for 700c wheels. Larger frames with 26" wheels can loon a bit cartoonish.

I really like it as a single speed.

What brakes did you use to get to 700c, just regular V brakes?