Jiwimo

Hi everyone, I've been a lurker for a while but just made an account to ask for advice.
Im new so I'm not allowed to post links or photos apparently but here's the title of the listing if you could look it up on eBay: TREK CARBON FRAME FRAMESET 59cm ROAD BIKE VINTAGE FIXIE RETRO CINELLI QUILL STEM
the listing is based in Southend on sea in the uk

​​​​​​Does anyone know what model it is?

It looks to be in good shape. Buyer accepts returns so if it's no good after inspection I could send it back. Would hate to do that cause it's always a pain when people return items - but it's the only way under social distancing guidelines as I don't live in the same city.

I've not owned a carbon frame before.. which makes me a bit nervous. But the larger tubing would really compliment a paintjob I've been wanting to do for a while.

If the general opinion is a no, perhaps I could get some suggestions on frames with similar shapes? The paintjob I want to do is a replication so I could send photos of the original here if that would help.

Thank you so much for any help you're able to give 😊 ​​​​​​​

Russ Roth

There's nothing of any use there to determine what year or model it might happen to be. They've had carbon bikes for over 30 years and have had multiple types. Without pics or a link no one will be able to give an opinion.

Velo Mule

I think this is it:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TREK-CARB...kAAOSwDwNeck6m

rpa90

Looks sleek 👌🏼

curbtender

Is that the ad? How do they know it's a Trek? I'm not seeing that style seat tube with that style brake cable routing anywhere.

RiddleOfSteel

Looks like a carbon Trek to me. Looks clean, too, minus those few marks (top tube). Nothing that gives me pause. My 210 lb self has bought and ridden near-30 year old carbon (Specialized) and it was in similar condition. Excellent bike, and I wasn't afraid of it. You could ask the owner some more history on it and make your decision from that point.

If you're looking for large-tube bikes, I will gladly suggest any and all vintage Cannondales. I've owned plenty, as have a few of our members, and they are proven in durability and in speed. 1983-1988 for traditional frames ('84/85 for the intro of road frames), 1989-mid '90s for the cantilevered-chain stays of the 3.0 frames, then the refining of the 3.0 into the 2.8, and finally a return to the traditional diamond frame with the CAADs in 1997.

Lascauxcaveman 

Maybe a OCLV Trek from about 20 years ago? 5500 or something? Like any vintage CF bike, I'd want to take real close look at it in person and in good light before buying. But I admit, I'm not really a CF kinda guy.

Jiwimo

Im not sure, I asked for more info all they said was it's mid 90s

Jiwimo

Someone on ****** r/vintage_bicycles said it might be an oclv as well. Ideally of course I'd really like to inspect in person before committing to buy (and then possibly having to go through the hassle of sending it back) but not possible at the moment.

Jiwimo

I forgot to mention, I'm about 230lbs. So my weight adds to my uncertainty of buying a carbon frame.
Seller wasn't able to give any more history other than that it's a mid 90s model..

Thanks for that Suggestion I'll look into those Cannondales

jdawginsc 

I'm not a carbon fiber guy either, but it is seemingly in nice shape. However, it depends on what you wish to do with it component wise.

Russ Roth

I'm not certain its a trek either. The front and most of it looks very trek like but 5000 series treks that I can ever recall seeing had straight tubes and didn't have shaping, that didn't show up till the Madone and it had cooler shaping. A quick google image search of trek 5500 produces 100s of images and not a single one that shows that seat tube. I find it dubious that its a real trek.

curbtender

You shouldn't have any problem with the monocoque frame. Sometimes the mounta for cables corrode.

Johno59

I would strongly advise caution. A used CF frame for a 230 lb rider seems an odd choice. It will not have rigidity coz it's old and delaminated and even if you don't have Chris Hoy legs you'll bend it. It will be light but the 10 lbs you are saving for accelehration benefits/reasons over a steel frame is meaningless when the total weight you are trying to accelerate away from is say 50 - 100 lbs lighter.
The frame looks like a Chicom knock-off , not a Trek.

Dean51 

@Russ Roth, I believe you are spot on correct re the seat tube. I added a '95 Trek 5500 to my fleet earlier this year. Since then I've probably looked at most of the same "100s of images" of the Trek 5000/5200/5500 series and I don't recall seeing any with what I'll call the "scalloped" shape on the rear of the seat tube. The rest of the bike is all Trek OCLV in my view. Perhaps this was a special model with a short wheelbase. Could be a keeper. Like others have suggested, look it over carefully. Mine is a great ride and weighs in at 19.5 pounds with clinchers and Campy 8-speed.

Dean

Dean51 

Re the subject frame being a knock-off..... a clue may be found in the size / serial number. My '95 5500 has this info hand stamped on the inside of the drive side rear drop out. Pic follows.

Dean

IMG_3935

RiddleOfSteel

2004+ Trek Madones had the scallop, which is what I had in mind (along with the DT/HT/TT instersection), but they also came with integrated headsets and not 1" threaded. The earlier Trek 5X00s did indeed have straight tubes.

At 230 lb, I'd skip the risk of an old carbon frame and get on a steel or aluminum. Modern aluminum frames can be pretty darn light (Trek Emonda ALR, like I've had) and modern Treks all carry a rider limit of 275 lb, so they're safe for non TdF flyweight climbers. Though for your budget (start smaller and work up, like pretty much all of us), older frames will be plenty good while still being able to hang modern parts on.

Jiwimo

Thank you for the advice everyone. I think I might have figured it out. Do a search for kestrel 200! Im still new so can't post pictures yet but this frame looks incredibly similar...

RiddleOfSteel

The Kestrel 200 is very similar, save for the dropped seat stays in comparison to the ebay listing. Lovely things--never tall enough (welcome to my problem with vintage carbon bikes...)--but just so cool.

Eric F 

I'm not convinced it's a Kestrel because of the dropped seat stays, as ROS noted above.

Jiwimo

​​​​​​
mm yes I see that now. Was so focused on the seat tube

Eric F 

The dropouts on the "Trek" don't match the dropouts on the 5000-series OCLV frames I'm seeing. The carbon weave pattern doesn't look right to me, either. Something just ain't right.

Johno59

If you choose to go the plastic path for an old CF frame the part of the frame to check throughly is the BB shell. This is where any attritional damage (that is not obviously crash/neglect related) occurs. It is difficult to ascertain even if you are astride the bike. It is only under full gas that a weakened BB shell will illustrate whether or not a CF frame has delaminated to a the extent making it a wall decoration.

canklecat

I'd say no. That doesn't look like any 1990s Trek carbon frame I've seen -- that bulge in the seat tube resembles a frame by another manufacturer, but I can't recall the brand at the moment.

And it appears to have been repainted, with some odd discrepancies. The carbon weave is visible in some areas, but the paint is opaque elsewhere. Hard to tell from the photos.

The bottle cage mounts appear to be the conventional internally threaded inserts. That was started in 1994 Trek OCLVs. Before then they mounted protruding bolts, which made it tricky to mount cages. I had to find cages with clearance for retaining nuts and a wrench to hold the nut, and use shims to set off the cage enough that the bolt wouldn't scrape the water bottle. PITA. Trek fixed that in '94, but that's not a 1994 Trek OCLV frame from the 5200, 5500 and 5900 models.

Without inspecting it and having a shop do an ultrasound or other scan, I'd be concerned that it's been damaged, repaired with a homebrewed carbon fiber patch kit, and painted to cover up the repair.

There were some early 1990s Trek OCLV frames that came with threaded headsets, so that alone isn't necessarily a problem. And I like my 1993 Trek 5900.

But I wouldn't pay more than maybe $50 for that frame, gambling that it might be a lost cause if it turns out to have been damaged and repaired.

curbtender

Kestrel would have thru frame brake cables. Not sure who makes that frame, but it looks early.
Ebay picture from ad...