The Golden Boy 

I realize it's been a year- and somehow I didn't see this...

IIRC, my Trek 720 was 17.

I was pretty sure I posted a thread about it so I would have it as reference... as well as wallowing in the irony of *JUST* thinking "who ever breaks a seat post binder bolt" literally days before I broke mine... but I can't find that thread.

The Golden Boy 

Here's a new shot of my 1985 Trek 620 after the latest rebuild.

620 Rebuild Shakedown by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr

Sedgemop 

Yeah, bar tape and saddle gotta go too.

fvernon

This 1980 Trek 614 followed me home from a thrift store today (as did 2 1986 Specialized Rockhoppers lurking in the background). I'm not quite sure if I'm going to rehab it or sell it quite yet...I suppose I just need to get out and ride it to see how the fit works with me. The frame is in great shape; anyone out there have any experience with these not-yet-in-the-catalog 600s from 1980 with the N serial numbers and pretty bare frames?

mountaindave 

I have an ‘81 61X frame waiting to be built up for my wife. These early treks have universally been great riders for us. Ride yours and see what you think. But I’m kind of an early trek nut.

52telecaster

Building an 81 6xx for my gf. Just a real nice all around frameset.

madpogue 

^^^^^ OMG the original water bottle is probably a collector item unto itself. The whole bike is something of a time capsule.

I wouldn't be surprised if those were pretty similar to the 613/614 from '82, which gets the full catalog page treatment on vintage-trek.

fvernon

The bottle might be worth more than the frame!

I figured the 1980 versions were pretty close, if not identical, to the 61Xs from a year or two later, which is a bonus in my book; I've always had a sweet spot for light tourers/endurance geometry. I have a few other projects to get to first, but I'm looking forward to getting this in riding shape (e.g., new tubes/tires) and spending a bit of time seeing how we get along.

sd5782 

I have posted here before on this bike I believe, but at least for now, I am satisfied with this configuration. The 700 of this year was a one year production. Looking at other threads, it seems to have a kinship to the 700 series TX bikes of the late 70s. It is a sports tourer with full 531 and is a very pleasant ride. I went sport tourer on my configuration. Another poster had one that he went more sport on. Mine came with plenty of nicks and such, but most of the original components. Stock Superbe shifters, FD and brakes with a long cage Superbe rear that I added. I did swap out the Superbe 144bcd crank as I need something smaller than a 42 chainring. Upright stem and different bars too. Stock wheels wearing 32 Gravel Kings with stock Campy hubs.



1983 Trek 700 in 22.5” size



SR Apex crank with 34-47 rings and 14-32 five speed rear



Sakae anatomical bars

The Superbe crank was pretty and now is on my Frejus to replace that one’s 47-50. I went with a 5 speed rear on this as I wasn’t really satisfied with the gear combinations with a 6 while playing around with the gear calculators. My gaps amount to 1-1.5 mph and I shift less and enjoy the ride more. I finally figured out how to post a screen shot of the gearing. I have an obsession with even gear spacing.



1.5 step


Not as pretty as most of the bikes here, but a very pleasant ride. I’ve also recently come into an 82 412 that seems similar but perhaps slightly more relaxed than this. It is Ishiwata 022 tubing and the same size. I may build it up in the winter so as to experience the feel of that tubing. I might have to post that one at that time.

madpogue 

^^^^^ I have an '85 blue 600 on a smaller frame, and the Reynolds decal is 531CS.

mountaindave 

First, it looks great!
Second, you shall post pics of your 412 or it didn’t happen. I have the same bike and really like it for it’s differences. It’s a pleasant rambler.
Third, that half step gearing is impressive. Kind of like you have a bunch of half steps with one overdrive and one bailout. Very cool adaptation. I might just have to try that out.

sd5782 

Thanks @mountaindave. I do have this kinda anal obsession with gear spacing. This one of course came with a 6 speed and even spacing is a bit more elusive. With no big hills here in the flatlands, the 5 speed works well enough. The 86 bcd crank gives lots of options, including using as a triple. I also have the problem of too many bikes, so I have a few stashed at my daughter’s house presently including the 412. I have ridden it a slight bit and it is in line for next winter.

I think the front axle cones may not be original on that one. I had a very hard time setting the adjustment, and it seems as though the bearings may hit the cones too far inward on the radius. I also think looking at geometry that the 412 may have a bit less trail which I like. Pics I have now are from time of very cheap purchase. It is pretty clean.



As purchased



118 bcd crank



Ishiwata 022



The forks with a questionable reputation





I have a nice Shimano triple that came on another bike that I may use on this. The 118 rings are very hard to find. It will be a project for the coming winter along with a fairly rough Torpado, and a too racy and small for me Ross Signature Triad. Wrenching is fun.

Hobbiano 

The 531cs tubing sticker denoted a "tube set" that consisted of butted 531 three main tubes only and fork and stays of chrome molly, likely 501 tubing. The 531cs tube set was used mostly by Trek. In the specs (above), where it says the fork is 531cs, it's not necessarily untrue, because it's part of the 531cs tube set, but it's chrome molly, likely 501 tubing, because that's what the 531cs tube set consisted of, so it's kind of misleading. If you google "Reynolds 531cs or "Reynolds 531 Club Sport" you will find the same information, so it must be true, right?

madpogue 

On my above-mentioned '85 600, the seat tube decal says 531CS, and the fork blade decal says 531.

And while we're flashing 412s of that era, here's my odd duck, Ruby:

She's an '82 412 only by the serial number, and I suppose the overall geo. But a number of "deviations". RD cable stop is under (well, under and "out", like a 4 o'clock position) the chainstay, and the mech cables go under the BB, which is marked "60TSI" (per vintage-trek, 60 degrees btw. seat tube and downtube, design by Tim Isaac). Full 022 including stays and fork, and it's definitely an investment cast fork crown. Rack braze-ons on the seat stays. '82-'83-style panel, but the T R E K are each separate stickers on the panel. And I don't think this colorway was offered on the '82 412.

Hobbiano 

My blue '84 610 has a 531cs decal on the seat tube, and no decal on the fork. but on the steerer tube it says Tange.
My slate with a pewter panel '82 412 has an Ishiwata 022 sticker on the seat tube, and nothing on the fork. I think its a Tange fork with the welded crown, the so called death fork. The geometry looks like your red bike above.
Correction: I think my 412 has the Ishiwata death fork. It does have a welded crown.

sd5782 

My 83 700 pictured above has the 531C sticker indicating all tubes 531 and has 531 stickers on the forks if that is useful info to anyone. I did do some work on my 82 412 a year ago. I snapped a couple of fork pics when I read about the questions on them.



Ishiwata markings





I’m no expert, but this crown doesn’t look like a casting. It doesn’t look rusty either, so I will feel safe riding it too.

Hobbiano 

My 412 has the same fork as yours. It looks like it has very low miles, so I feel it's safe to ride. I will keep an eye on it though.

The Golden Boy 

That's EXACTLY right (although I wouldn't want to claim it as "501" because Reynolds didn't claim it to be). This has gotten people really bothered- because they believe and REALLY want to believe that their bike is 'all 531,' but it's not; it's still a very carefully engineered Reynolds product. Any 600 series Trek has a butted 531 main frame and forks and stays of another material- be it Ishiwata Mangy, Tange Mangaloy or Reynolds CrMo (I don't recall if there's others- but you get the idea). That's why a 600 series bike is a 600 series bike- it's not 531/531.

The official Reynolds description of 531CS is:
"REYNOLDS 531 CLUB SPORT transfer, a cycle bearing this transfer has top seat and down tube BUTTED in REYNOLDS 531 and head tube, BUTTED steerer. TAPER GAUGE forks, seatstays and chainstays manufactured from specially cold worked chrome Molybdenum tubing. Designed for fast sports and touring."

So, while it doesn't specify 501, it does specify CrMo.

https://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/rey...-transfers.jpg

The Golden Boy 

This is something interesting about Trek- if you noticed the description of 531CS specifies a CrMo butted steerer- but a lot of the 600 series Treks I've seen have Tange steerers... As you might be aware, Trek played fast and loose with the "made in the USA" statement- as the fork and rear triangle were brazed in Japan (I've read by Tange)- I wonder if that has something to do with why there's (often) a Tange steerer on these bikes.


As a total aside- if you'll notice there's no 600 series bikes in the 1986 catalog- but the 400 series bikes have 531 main frames but Tange stays and fork... just interesting to me.

Hobbiano 

@The Golden Boy Do you think Trek only used the three main tubes of the 531cs "tube set" and for the fork and stays used other non-Reynolds material, like maybe an Ishiwata or Tange fork and whatever the brazed in Japan rear triangles were? And still called it 531cs, which was a full tubeset?

The Golden Boy 

Keep in mind- the Tange stamp could very well be an assembly stamp vs a manufacturing stamp...

I'm looking for a quote from someone- it basically said that Trek received the tube set from Reynolds, sent the stays and fork along with the sockets (because this is the days of the socketed lugs), off to Japan/Tange- and then get stuff back for final assembly in Waterloo.

Now- there's a trust that has to be there for a bike to be what the builder says it is- especially when the difference in tube sets is not small money. However, business is business... and you're aware that Trek did throw manufacturers business like including Simplex, Modolo and Huret components in the day of Suntour and Shimano dominance. I don't think Trek would allow the stays or fork blades to be switched- but I can imagine a steerer... but again- the Tange stamp could just be from its assembly....

madpogue 

This is why I called my Ruby an "odd duck". Here's the inside of the fork crown, and a glimpse of the outside:




...and, of course, Maillard.

Hobbiano 

So your red bike is a 412? Not a 6xx. Just a 412 anomaly. That's looks like a nicer fork than mine, for sure.

madpogue 

Correct; the serial number is smack in the middle of a batch of 412s. And remember, the 6xxs had Reynolds 531 main tubes.

AdventureManCO 

Just picked up these two...

1987 Trek 560 Pro Series:



1981-ish Trek 957 w/ Campy Super Record -