I've been watching an auction on eBay for a local pickup of a Trek 412. The auction is getting a little expensive for my taste, but in the meantime I think I've been bitten by the Trek bug.

So how do you folks like your vintage Trek's (and does anyone wanna sell me one? )

What size do you ride and what's your budget?

Is this the one you're watching???

Thats the one. Am I bidding against you?


...for just a frame, I'd like to keep it in the 50-75 dollar range. I'd go more if it were a whole bike. Really I'm looking for something to build into a 10-12 speed comfortable day tripper, Basically I wanna build my own version of Yehuda's Van Sweringen

Not yet but there's still a few hours left on the auction.

I can do local pickup and save 40 bux though

Experienced ebay'rs never bid til the last 5 seconds of the auction or so. Bidding early just reveals your interest, and encourages newbies to increase their bid.

If you want to buy items on ebay, do a search on google for sniping and then use one of the various programs to snipe for you. Just remember to set your bid on what the item is worth to you, not based on the current bid level. Popular items tend to get a fair amount of sniping at the end, so current bid level has very little relationship to the final price.

meh I try not to feed into the bid sniping stuff... I think its unfair and I don't like it when it happens to me, so I don't do it to others.


If you just set your price to the highest you are willing to pay ebay will bid for you. Thats good enough for me even if it means I miss out on something here and there.

I have a 1985 660 that I got on CL about 2 weeks ago. I got it as a frame set and am almost finished with the build but I threw on my fixed gear parts just to try it and It's awesome. It has more race like geo than a 412.
From what I have read you can't go wrong with a steel frame Trek, no matter which model. If the frame is your size and you don't pay too much then snag the thang.

That's good that you can do a local pick up. I have bought things off the bay with p/u that wouldn't have made sense otherwise.

PS. I got my frame/fork/ headset for $100, in very good condition. Zero rust, minor paint nicks.

Wait, deez, did you change your name to CravenMoarhead mid-thread, or am I getting Yehuda-confused?

Also, is the ebay Trek your ideal frame size? I've got a 410 from the same era in a size smaller, Campy Triomphe crank, fd, and shifters with a newer Tiagra RD. It's been a TLC project that I haven't show much love to in awhile.

Yeah I did change names. I just made my new name look as close to the old one as possible. I actually did it last night but I accidentally logged in under my old name and made some posts today too I'm gonna be CravenMoarhead going forward

anyhow. No, the frame isn't my 100% perfect size but Its pretty close. 59-60 would be pretty close to my best fit. Since I'm going for an upright seating position though I'm not really super concerned about a frame being too big, I can always change the stem or get longer handlebars; rather I just don't want it to be too small.

I think the next size down is 56cm according to the 1980 trek brochure
https://www.vintage-trek.com/TrekBrochure1980.htm
if thats the size i think it would be a little too small for me. bummer.

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Have a 1981 Trek 412 (looks like N.O.S.) with a 25 1/2" frame. Rides nicely (IMO) on the 27" x 1" Rigida alloy rims. Definitely a "keeper". Are you swapping out the parts from another bike? Seems like an expensive proposition otherwise. Easy to upgrade from the original components it came with. Suntour Cyclone deraileurs, Gran Compe side pulls, Brooks B-17 leather saddle and an alloy micro adjusting seat post would be a nice start...and don't forget a decent crankset. All I did was change the old seat post to a simple Kalin alloy micro adjusting one, while keeping the original for "posterity". The original was actually date stamped from '79. The 412 was a nice bike, but lower on the Trek "totem pole".

Well Craven were you the lucky winner of this auction? I deliberately abstained...

That was very nice of you thanks, but unfortunately no, the post above thats filled with asterisks is actually just a long stream of profanity the forum censored for everyone's virgin eyes

so yeah, didn't win it.

I have a 1979 710, with a mix of Campagnolo, Superbe, Gran Compe and SR. Nice bike, very light and responsive. The only thing I am considering is changing tires from 700x23 to 700x25 or 28 for a little more cushy ride.

That's too bad you didn't get the frame. I would watch CL like a hawk and jump on a Trek frame when you find one. I think I got lucky when I was the first one in line to buy mine. The guy I bought it from knew his bikes, he wouldn't budge on the price but gave me the head set which he wasn't going to do at first.

BTW, nice handle for BF. It's like a vanity license plate that slips through unnoticed .

thanks Yeah I do like those old Trek's, I used your price as a good stopping point...I bid it up to 100 bux before i gave up though