When did Trek move production overseas
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
When did Trek move production overseas
I have a trek 7500 multitrack which has a made in USA sticker on it. I have figured out it was manufactured from 1997 to present. I would like to narrow this down further by finding out when trek stopped making aluminum frames in the USA, but I can’t find the answer anywhere.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 1,606
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 581 Post(s)
Liked 921 Times
in
518 Posts
I think it was 1994 or 1995 when most of their welded frames started coming from Taiwan. Their steel 'Singletrack' 900 series were lugged frames made in Wisconsin before that, as were the bonded aluminum frames and carbon frames.
I don't know how many aluminum frames they welded in Wisconsin - I think they did their Tandem frames, but any welded aluminum single bikes I would expect had frames made in Taiwan and were only assembled in USA. I could be wrong.
I don't know how many aluminum frames they welded in Wisconsin - I think they did their Tandem frames, but any welded aluminum single bikes I would expect had frames made in Taiwan and were only assembled in USA. I could be wrong.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Illinois quad cities (Colona)
Posts: 194
Bikes: Trek Marlin 6 29r - Scattanti road bike w carbon fork - Trek 6500 - Univega Alpina 503 - Specialized Sworks M4 made in USA
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
57 Posts
I have a Trek M4 S-works 26" mtn bike I'm told was made in 2000 with made in USA sticker.
#4
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
My 2015 Emonda SLR Project One was made in Waterloo.
#5
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I would like to know when my bike was made but can’t figure it out. I bought it used. I tried to run the serial number in vintage-trek.com, but I think my bike is too new for the website as j don’t have a 6 or 7 digit code. Mine is long with letters and numbers in it.
#7
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
#9
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
#11
Senior Member
#12
Senior Member
"Verdict: Are Trek Bikes Made in the USA?Unfortunately, there are no more Trek bikes that are fully made in the USA. They used to produce a small number of bikes in their U.S. facilities in Waterloo and Whitewater, Wisconsin (about 20,000 bikes per year), but that came to a halt in December 2017, according to a source we have inside the Trek engineering team.
Trek’s last remaining American made bikes was their carbon fiber collection, where they used to get carbon fiber from Salt Lake City and make the molds in their main facility in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Now those high end carbon framesets are produced in Asia, and shipped to Wisconsin for painting and assembly. "
https://allamericanreviews.com/trek/
Trek’s last remaining American made bikes was their carbon fiber collection, where they used to get carbon fiber from Salt Lake City and make the molds in their main facility in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Now those high end carbon framesets are produced in Asia, and shipped to Wisconsin for painting and assembly. "
https://allamericanreviews.com/trek/
#13
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,938
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3943 Post(s)
Liked 7,286 Times
in
2,942 Posts
Likes For tomato coupe:
#15
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,467
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4335 Post(s)
Liked 3,958 Times
in
2,646 Posts
Wow that is a beyond rare bike, I am talking 1 of 1. Trek as far as I know never made Specialized bikes and Specialized never made bikes for Trek. So a Specialized S-Works made by Trek is super duper rare, like rarer than rare. Would love to see pictures.
Likes For veganbikes:
#16
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,605
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10947 Post(s)
Liked 7,474 Times
in
4,181 Posts
Another option is to find a 2 letter code on your drivetrain components. It'll be on the inside/backside of each component. Google 'shimano date codes' and match the codes. Thst will tell you the bike is no older than the oldest component(assuming its all original).
#17
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times
in
1,366 Posts
In the 90’s, just like everything else. Everyone was so worried about jobs going to Mexico they didn’t notice them going to China
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Illinois quad cities (Colona)
Posts: 194
Bikes: Trek Marlin 6 29r - Scattanti road bike w carbon fork - Trek 6500 - Univega Alpina 503 - Specialized Sworks M4 made in USA
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
57 Posts
So the S-Works logo means Specialized is involved? The bike I have is red/white. I'll get the grand daughter over and get some pictures posted. There are no serial numbers I can find. I'm thinking a factory one of one would be a stretch. I had a tough time figuring out what it is. I'm used to the names like they use on the top bar on most.
It sounds like the bike may be out of my league. I live at 600 ft above sea level and the mountains here could be measured in inches. I put rather smooth trail tires on it . I ride mostly roads to the public trails and the local paths and trails. I'm not looking to sell it. It gets along fine with the Marlin 600 Trek 6500
It sounds like the bike may be out of my league. I live at 600 ft above sea level and the mountains here could be measured in inches. I put rather smooth trail tires on it . I ride mostly roads to the public trails and the local paths and trails. I'm not looking to sell it. It gets along fine with the Marlin 600 Trek 6500
Last edited by cb400bill; 09-25-20 at 07:26 PM. Reason: Fixed quote
Likes For 2cam16:
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Illinois quad cities (Colona)
Posts: 194
Bikes: Trek Marlin 6 29r - Scattanti road bike w carbon fork - Trek 6500 - Univega Alpina 503 - Specialized Sworks M4 made in USA
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
57 Posts
2cam16- Thank you for that information. I was misinformed. I wish specialized had put a number on my bike.
Likes For Olefeller77:
#21
Occam's Rotor
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2366 Post(s)
Liked 2,331 Times
in
1,164 Posts
Trek held out for awhile. I have a couple of bikes from ca. 2007/2008. They don't say "made in X" but they don't say "made in Waterloo, Wisc" either, so I suspect they were trying to hide it or in transition at that point.
#22
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I found out the year it’s a ‘99. I looked it up on google images and found one that was a ‘98. After looking again on vintage-trek.com I found my color listed under 7500, 1999.
Likes For Nsanti:
#23
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,467
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4335 Post(s)
Liked 3,958 Times
in
2,646 Posts
So the S-Works logo means Specialized is involved? The bike I have is red/white. I'll get the grand daughter over and get some pictures posted. There are no serial numbers I can find. I'm thinking a factory one of one would be a stretch. I had a tough time figuring out what it is. I'm used to the names like they use on the top bar on most.
It sounds like the bike may be out of my league. I live at 600 ft above sea level and the mountains here could be measured in inches. I put rather smooth trail tires on it . I ride mostly roads to the public trails and the local paths and trails. I'm not looking to sell it. It gets along fine with the Marlin 600 Trek 6500
It sounds like the bike may be out of my league. I live at 600 ft above sea level and the mountains here could be measured in inches. I put rather smooth trail tires on it . I ride mostly roads to the public trails and the local paths and trails. I'm not looking to sell it. It gets along fine with the Marlin 600 Trek 6500
I was making a joke, Trek had nothing to do with that bike at all.
Likes For veganbikes:
#24
Full Member
My SLR9 has a production date of 1/25/17. I heard that I was part of the last generation of Made in USA frames, and I have the Made in USA sticker/decal on the frame. By that time only OCLV 700 frames were made in the USA. When I go the bike, I said "I'd love to have an Emonda disk, but they'll never make one, cause Emonda is their lightest frame." Five months later Trek was all-in for disks and had the Emonda disk frame.
Last edited by Rogerogeroge; 09-25-20 at 08:50 PM.
#25
Senior Member
If not mistaken, the purpose of importing unpainted frames to the US and then painting them in country then assembling them is to label the frame as made in USA. Is this off-base?