Bring A Bicycle

Needs new tires. Smallest chainring looks fairly compact relative to the others and should be a suitable granny gear. I'd service the freewheel as well as the hubs if they haven't been looked at. Some Kool Stop brake pads would also be good if the others are not strong enough or too worn down. When you load up with weight you'll know whether or not you need to upgrade your pads. You could also get some brake boosters to add some rigidity and braking power. Everything else is up to personal preference.

Bike shop owner wants to sell you a bike, IMO. It's good enough as it is. It could be better with upgrades or changes to complement your riding style, but otherwise seems perfectly suitable.

jefnvk

As everyone else has mentioned, owner trying to sell you a new bike. I didn't much prefer that half step gearing crank on my Miyata, but that is an easy change if you decide you don't like it. More gears are nicer, but so long as you have the overall range, the only benefit you get is is the option to pick something that keeps your desired cadence a but more closely. I wouldn't hesitate to ride that thing cross country, so long as it was in good repair.

I don't understand all this advice. I own a pile of 27" bikes. Every single tube 27" marked tube I have ever bought for them is also labelled for 700, generally something like 28-32. Tubes for 700x32 is all you need for a 27x1-1/4.

As far as tires, most shops around me still sell 27" if you need one in an emergency. Hardware shops and department stores often still stock the Bell/Schwinn/Other Pacific brand folders.

Ifyou are planning your trip ahead of time, lots of options are available online. I personally like Paselas, I know Contis and Schwalbe and Vittorias exist as well.

SEAJAYBIKE

I'm going to give the owner some credit. Few bike shop owners are solely out there trying to screw people. They are generally a good bunch with a wide range of business skills. The owner may have been trying (maybe in a ham handed way) to warn you that the bike may no longer be safe for a cross country trip.
I would say the bike was up to the job a couple decades ago. It MAY functionally make the trip but old stuff breaks and safety is a factor to consider. Keep in mind that all the parts are ancient.

You should ask yourself honestly... On what mountain pass descent are you OK with the fact that the frame, fork, wheels, spokes, stem, bars may be close to, or well past their fatigue life? Metal has a fatigue life. And you are about to try the equivalent of loading down a '74 Pinto and driving it cross country.
No Ford dealer in their right mind would recommend that....and it wouldn't be just to sell you a new car.

Yes, old bikes have made this trip. Its also true that old bikes have failed on trips. Just my two cents worth.

HTupolev

Age doesn't cause fatigue, stress does. A touring bike whose original finish is totally pristine is pretty unlikely to have serious fatigue issues.

professorbob

A 520 is a one of the most respected dedicated tourers
anywhere. Fact.

Tourist in MSN

Agree.

shipwreck

Bike shop owners are not primarily out to screw people, but they are out to make money, and as a side effect can end up screwing people.

Equating this bike with an old Pinto is absolute crap. If the OP had an old Vista that he was going to take across country, perhaps.

Pretty much. The bike looks like it was cared for. The rear derailleur, the rear cassette, nor the chain is original and there is some wear on the crank rings and braking surface, but not that indicate lots of hard miles, so while it was ridden it was probably maintained and not abused(as far as can be told from pics).
The tires are not all that old. The only thing that can be said about the bike shop owner is that he said the tires have some miles left in them.

seeker333

An old bike could have corrosion issues to the point where a frame joint is compromised, although there would likely be external cosmetic evidence in the form of common rust spots.

If I'm considering purchase of an old steel bike, I'd try to remove seat post for two reasons - a. to make sure post isn't seized and b. shine a light down interior of seat tube to inspect for evidence of rust in the ST-BB joint area. This area is prone to rust, as rain water slung off rear tire wets seat post, runs down into seat tube and collects on the top of the bottom bracket (inside the seat tube where it's unlikely to be discovered). A little surface rust on the top side of BB is no big deal, this can result from a single wet ride. A lot of rust at this critical joint is good reason to walk away from a potential bike purchase.

The particular vintage of the OP's bike (1987 520 Cirrus) was prone to corrosion at the driveside chainstay-dropout joint, due to it's fairly unique inside-the-chainstay RD cable routing. It requires holes in the end of the chainstay for the cable/housing, which also permits water/dirt ingress. Standard RD cable routing improves upon this design weakness.

desconhecido 

Need to be careful about buying tubes as the rims appear to be drilled for presta valves and the 27" tubes are likely to be SV. Looks like those in the link are SV.

I have a couple bikes with 27" wheels and as my preference is for presta valves, I typically buy tubes designated for 700C and don't notice any issues. Some tubes are even marketed for either size -- the difference in BSD being ony 1cm. Also, 650B tubes with PVs work fine for 590 (650A) or Schwinn 597mm rims.

In addition to a patch kit, a nice, functional pump would be good to have. The Topeak mini morph and the Zefel HPX have both worked well for me.

CliffordK

Yeah,

I searched for Presta, and Google gave me Schrader... and I didn't notice that until later

It looks like there is quite a premium for the 27" tubes...

So, you're right, it probably doesn't matter that much. I think a little longer tube may be easier to mount (assuming not too long), but perhaps it doesn't matter that much.

Still, having a few spares, especially if one is touring isn't a bad idea. When I buy supplies mail-order, I'll periodically throw in a few extra tubes if I get free shipping.

desconhecido 

Extra tubes, for sure. Depending on conditions, it's quite possible to have multiple flats in one day. For a ride across the country, it may be likely.

Tough tires, too. Both puncture resistant as well as tough sidewalls. I like the Schwalbe tires though some people say that they ride as if lead lined.

Papa Tom

I also seem to remember reading a blog by a guy who rode a $79 K-Mart Huffy across the USA just a few years ago.

saddlesores

if this will be an ongoing concern, not knowing what is available in local
shops while on tour, just modify the wheels.
drill out the rims to accept schraeder, with adapter inserts for presta.
(and carry a spare insert...)
PV, SV, 700c, 27"........all good.

hhk25

I own virtually the same bike although I think mine is a few years newer with 7 speed cassette. I bought it from a 60 year old woman who rode the bike around the world. I also own a brand new, custom Marinoni touring bike with 11 speed group and I still ride the Trek a lot. I love the simplicity of the friction shift bar ends and not having to worry about scratching it.

If I had found the Trek before I ordered the Marinoni, I would have saved myself a lot of money.

I would ride the bike across the country without hesitation.

Mtroup

Load her up and ride various terrain. You’ll find your answers pretty quickly.

LeeG

that is a very good bike. My concern is that if the seat position reflects your correct leg extension the bike is simply too big regardless of its condition.

Back to the bike, everything about it looks great. What’s as important as the model and type of equipment is their actual condition which can’t be determined looking at it. If you take the wheels off and spin them are they smooth, without chain on can you feel the bottom bracket bearins run smooth, is the headset ok or pitted? Once you have a couple of those problems needing replacement you’re getting close to half the cost of a new bike. Abolutely no problem finding 27” tires or using 700 c tubes. The gear range is excellent. The fact is that you have an rpm range in your legs that is easily met with ten gears let alone 27.

SEAJAYBIKE

HTup. A valid point if the bikes have been "resting" in a garage. This could be the case. Thanks for mentioning.
I made the assumption the bike had been ridden over the years.
Both my Bianchi frames and my one Atala frame looked fine externally when they failed from mileage at the front end of the down tube. All three in the same spot.


Shipwreck likes Pintos.

Happy Feet

You've had three good looking frames fail from internal rust in the exactly same spot?
I will just say from my experience with older bikes I find that amazing.

Sometimes you have to be concerned about damage to a frame but in this case, the photos supplied by the OP show a bike in very good condition considering its age.


I find the "rebuilding an old bike can be more expensive than buying new" a bit of a red herring myself. It assumes a person will not spend more money on a new purchase which, many times, isn't accurate or that the rebuilt bike won't be better by comparison.

For example, a new "inexpensive" bike will probably have low quality tires, seat and pedals that the tourist will want to upgrade; plus a few will redo the bar tape. That's easily $400+ extra from the base price (in CAD pricing). Take a cheap Nashbar bike at $800 that's really $1200. So there you have an entry level bike with some good components.

Add the same upgrades to a $300 bike and its $700. The only issue for the OP is he paid too much for the initial bike if considering it from a straight across financial comparison. However, the 520 is a bit of a "grail" bike in touring circles so there is an intrinsic value to that. The resale for a Trek 520 will always be better than a Nashbar entry level bike but we could say this one was bought at the high end of the scale and not the rebuild/flip end.
If I'm rebuilding a bike I always look for a low initial outlay to account for upgrades.

An old school BB replacement is $20 or a new cartridge is $50. A headset is another $50. Not every bike needs expensive name brand parts and many inexpensive new bikes don't have them either. So splurging for a CC or KK headset is the same upgrade price new or old. As it is the 520 looks to have a Deore groupset in good condition.

So you now have a $1200 new vs $800 used bike. Add $400 for an excellent quality wheelset (the most important component on a bike) and you have nearly the same price but far better bike used.

The caveat in all that is having an eye to buying low and being able to see what is cosmetic/cheap to repair and what isn't, as well as what is worth repairing and what will never be of any greater value. In this case the OP may have bought a bit high but can be comforted by having a very nice, sought after bike.

On the other side IMO regardless of price, wrenching on your bike is a great investment in being able to solve mechanical problems on the road and one down side to buying new is a reluctance to actually wrench on the bike. Being able to fix a bike is a + skill for touring in my book and rebuilding your own bike is a great way to gain that (skill).

SEAJAYBIKE

Hi Happy Feet. Not rust. Fatigue failure.
I used to put in a lot of miles. I can only assume that particular section of a frame takes a lot of flex cycles over the miles.

Happy Feet

Odd. But then again I have had a bullhorn bar fail when people say they are virtually indestructible.

Kontact 

This is what the box that tubes comes in looks like:



Is there really a question as to whether you need specific 27" tubes?


As far as tires, I have a hard time imagining a bike shop that doesn't at least have some 27x1 1/4" gum walls in stock for all those 27" sport touring bikes that were the majority of the first US bike boom. Certainly the OP should carry a spare tire because he might not be anywhere near a bike shop, but we are talking about touring in the US.


Otherwise, the OP's Trek seems to be a quite reasonable touring bike with a fairly low gear. If he wasn't to go to seven speed the only thing he'd need to change is the freewheel and chain as the bike has friction shifting.

bicyclridr4life

"His....changing from 6 to 7 in back (you) may as well buy a new bike"

Never go back to that dud.

I upgraded a 6 speed rear to 7 speed.
Cost less than $40 parts and labor. (Labor because I do not have a freewheel remover).
Your rear derailleur should have enough range for a 7 speed sprocket.
I had a used SRAM X9 rear derailleur, (I dislike Shimano, which is what the bike originally had)
A new SRAM X3 trigger shifter set was $20. The 7 speed 14/36 freewheel was $12.

jefnvk

I have too. Just know the frame clearance MAY NOT be there without some massaging. In my instance, I had to add a few washers to the axle to sufficiently space it out, so I didn't have chain rub on the little cog.

Kontact 

7 speed freewheels fit on 6 speed hubs and in 6 speed frames without any modification.

clasher

Sand Canyon 27" tires are a good value at that price and are folding beads for easy storage. Those Sand Canyon tires are probably the nicest riding tires made in the 27" size right now. Walmart should still sell cheap 27" tires if you need another one on your trip or don't feel like spending 30$ on a tire. Amazon has plenty of selection too.