This may surprise some of you, but for a while I've been thinking of getting a non-french road bike, not out of any disgust with the french (love 'em) but in order to get something I could have more options with parts-wise. I've lusted after a vintage Trek or two, and have had more than one pass thru my hands in the last year, but none of them was my size. Yesterday, though, I found a 1984 Trek 560, with Reynolds 501 main tubes, in my size, at the local thrift (35$).

I tore it down tonight. It had a couple of odd additions, like Cinelli bars and stem, and the Helicomatic rear wheel had been replaced (I wonder why). It's in fine structural shape, in need of paint touch up in a few areas, but perfectly straight, with all the dropouts properly aligned. No cracks, dents, dings, etc. I'm not terribly interested in leaving it original, so I think I'll rebuild it with parts from the parts pile as so:

Cinelli bars/stem
Shimano 600 brakes and levers
Shimano 600 sealed hubs on Araya rims
SR/Sakae cranks (original)
Suntour Cyclone derailleurs (original)
Simplex retrofriction shifters
Either look or SR pedals, I've no idea just now.

I'm really looking forward to riding this one; I've heard very good things about 501, but have never ridden on a bike made of it. It'll probably end up in the commuting rotation with the UO10, which hauls large loads, and the PFN10E. It's made me put aside the ancient 67 or so PX I bought off ebay last month (though that needs almost no work, I just don't intend to ride it except on the nicest of nice days). The total cost of the Trek, once built, should be about zero dollars, which makes it even better. I swore I'd buy no more bikes this year unless I found one suitably cheap .

I've got an 85 670 (brazed in Nov 1984), I absolutely
love it.
Have you been to www.vintage-trek.com ? there is a
list of serial numbers (all of em!) and lots of info on your
trek, including what it came out of Wisconsin wearing.
welcome back from the Dark Side

Marty

Lotek-- yes, that's a great site. I think you sent me there last time I came here after finding a pile of Treks; I've since bookmarked it, because I seem to keep finding old Treks over the last few months. Wouldn't mind at all if that run continues. Interestingly, I found this bike the day after contributing $$$ to bikeforums, so I believe this one's all Karma.