so my girlfriend recently purchased a trek 520 on craigslist, and i am in the market for a decent touring bike so that we can travel the California coast together in the next year, initial budget is around $600ish (give or take)

i found this bike on craigslist that uses a 730 frame that has been converted into a touring bike but i dont really understand fully the difference between the geometry of a road bike compared to that of a hybrid
but i feel like he is asking a bit to much for the bike
though admittedly it seems like he has put alot of time and money into the bike
here is a link and picture
90s Trek 730 Built for Touring

he wants $600 for it
-Shimano Tiagra STI integrated shifters/brakes w/cable adjusters
-Crosstop Brake Levers
-Front fork has braze-on posts for added front rack support
-Shimano Tiagra Tri-Crankset
-9-Speed Shimano cartridge rear road-gearing hub
-Shimano Cantilever Brakes
-Touring kickstand
-700-35c tire in the front, 700-38c tire in the rear


id appreciate some feedback
is this a rip off?
is the 730 frame even well suited for touring?
whats the main difference between road geometry and hybrid geometry?

i will mainly use the bike as a commuter (20 miles a day) but would like it to handle some light touring along side my girls 520

The Trek 730 multitrack has frame geometry very similar to the Trek 520. The 730 is not double butted, so it is a bit heavier than the 520.

A basic unmodified 730 can be had for less than $150- in fair ride able condition in the Bay Area. Someone has spent well over $500 on components to modify the bike being offered. Though I question "Shimano cartridge rear road-gearing hub" because Shimano has never made a hub with cartridge bearings....


The fenders look hokey to me; looks like a front fender on the back, and a shortened rear fender on the front. The gap in the back is not so good. The front is great.

Test ride it. Does it fit you?

Touring vs Road geometry - touring is more relaxed, more stable, like a hybrid.

Meh. Personally, I think it seems like an OK bike for city riding, but not quite right for touring, and definitely overpriced. No matter how I look at it, it seems well overpriced. And not to call out Nfmisso, but I doubt someone put well over $500 in components into that bike. I built my touring with a mix of new and a very high standard of "used" in mind, and put together a full bike of LX/SLX/Ultegra for Much less than $500. Even if they did buy all new parts at MSRP(who does that?), it isn't going to ever be worth nearly the price of the individual parts at MSRP. Not even the second after you build it. Ever price out every part of a car individually? I bet you your Honda goes from $20,000 to $30,000+. You still can't sell it for $30,000. Bikes are the same way. And I just checked and you can actually buy a 10sp Tiagra equipped bike new for ~$800. You'd also likely want to replace the cassette for a tour if it's a road/city type cassette. The gearing won't be good for climbing hills with touring gear loaded up. That means likely changing the chain too to accommodate the larger rear cog. Count that cost into the bike cost. Personally I say that's a $300-$400 bike, depending on area. Probably the $400 since you're in CA where the used bike market is priced at the highest the market will possibly bear. I say keep looking.

[QUOTE=nfmisso;16961965]The Trek 730 multitrack has frame geometry very similar to the Trek 520. The 730 is not double butted, so it is a bit heavier than the 520.

Test ride it. Does it fit you?



Also looks like a replacement fork on the for sale bike. Because of a crash? Is there other frame damage?

The 730, at least my '97, has more tire clearance than a 520 with slightly shorter chain stays. Otherwise it has virtually the same dimensions/angles. The main tubes are 'butted' chrome moly. Am running 47c Schwalbe Kevlar Guard Marathons and could still put fenders on with a different rear rack. It is used as a 'hunt & fish bike' to carry rods/tackle and soft cased airguns on country (paved, gravel, dirt) roads. Mostly stock with only the bar/stem/levers, tires/tubes/pedals and saddle changed.

The bike is actually a tad too large for me, I shall keep searching for my future beauty...

You can get a new touring bike on bikes direct for about $600 (Windsor Tourist). I don't have one, but the specs are alright and I've heard good reports about them.