1999 Trek USPS with number tab?
02-07-20, 12:18 PM
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1999 Trek USPS with number tab?
I've come across this bike for sale and have been searching for information on USPS team bikes or other examples of a 1999 bike with the number tab. I know this isn't something that people fake in general, but anyone seen one with one of these?
Pics of the bike:
Lance's 1999 bike doesn't have a number tab:
Looks like tabs on some team bikes at 1999 Redlands:
Pics of the bike:
Lance's 1999 bike doesn't have a number tab:
Looks like tabs on some team bikes at 1999 Redlands:
02-07-20, 12:41 PM
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Number tabs were not too unusual on racy type bikes in Europe, bitd. But I can't ever remember seeing them on any production bikes from usa companies.
This is a Merckx shipped to usa from Belgium, not a team bike.
This is a Merckx shipped to usa from Belgium, not a team bike.
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Last edited by Wildwood; 02-07-20 at 12:49 PM.
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02-07-20, 01:30 PM
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The number tab on the Trek appears to be metal and likely glued on.
Can't imagine that it is anything but a Team bike, given the perfect color match.
But there are a bunch of people out there who take pride in modifying a bike to suit their fantasy dream. Such a simple addition could made by almost anyone.
Can't imagine that it is anything but a Team bike, given the perfect color match.
But there are a bunch of people out there who take pride in modifying a bike to suit their fantasy dream. Such a simple addition could made by almost anyone.
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02-07-20, 01:37 PM
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Right. It seems genuine. Seems that for the early years of USPS at least, race bikes were identical to production bikes. That's cool, but I suppose means that a team bike doesn't hold much extra cache. Maybe if there was a verified tie to a specific rider or event.
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02-07-20, 03:45 PM
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Look for some EPO left behind in the seat tube
then you will know for sure
This bicycle is a cool find
then you will know for sure
This bicycle is a cool find
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02-07-20, 03:56 PM
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That's not a number tab, it's for holding the IV bag.
02-07-20, 04:31 PM
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I think that was a real point of pride for the Trek folks at the time: that you could walk into your LBS and ride out with a TdF-ready bike. (It certainly worked on me: I bought a '00 5200, which was the lower spec, but raced it to my Cat 3 upgrade)
02-07-20, 07:09 PM
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There was some weirdness at Trek around then too. I had a Trek 8000 mountain bike from '98 I think, it was a non standard color and lacked the disc mount the production models all had. I think they did running production changes as they needed to the US made stuff, and at the time that was still a good chunk of the catalog.
02-08-20, 03:35 AM
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02-08-20, 06:16 AM
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Banned.
02-09-20, 05:29 PM
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I’m going to pass on the bike, but here’s a link if anyone’s interested.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...1374234003388/
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...1374234003388/
