Sjtaylor

I modernized a 1984 Trek 720 frame for touring. I put on a low rider front rack and did a loaded overnight test ride. It was sweet. I have yet to do a real tour with the 720. My brother in law is into adventure riding and wants us to do some tame adventure riding/bikepacking trips, probably not the place for the 720. Pandemic closures canceled the couple trips we had planned and in the mean time I acquired a bike I hope will more suitable for the trips we’re planning.

The new to me bike is a 2017 Trek 520 disc. The 520 came with a rear rack. I had a front rack that fit the front fork lugs and that’s the installed rack in the photo. I’m not sure if the non low rider rack is a pro or con on the 520. I’ll be using Ortlieb panniers.

I have a carbon framed gravel bike but no bike packing bags and no granny gears. I hope I don’t break the 520.

Thoughts and comments welcomed.

Thanks.

Tourist in MSN

Photo?

Sjtaylor

I posted a photo of the 520 with what is labeled “ MTB Rack”. My experience is with a low rider rack and I haven’t ever done bikepacking.

Tourist in MSN

I see the photos now. The 720 has indexed modern gearing with 700c wheels. I suspect you are quite tall from the frame sizes and amount of seatpost showing. Without more detailed questions, hard to comment other than to say that the 720 frame looks very good for the age.

I have not done any bikepacking either, all of my bike travels were with bike racks and panniers, except a few trips where there was van support hauling our luggage for us.

The Blackburn low rider rack might not work with some of the panniers that have upper hooks that are designed with a clamp, such as Ortlieb panniers.

Sjtaylor

I’m 6’3” with longish legs. The 720 was in original condition almost like new old stock. Not sure how I happened to get it off CL for significantly less than I would have been willing to pay. The seller was at his vacation home at Lake Tahoe and obviously didn’t need the money. The 720 hadn’t been ridden in several years. The donor bike was a 2013 Trek 520. The build was a really fun project.

My panniers have the clamps you mentioned and clamp onto the 520 racks no problem. The Ortlieb clamps have inserts that can be changed out to match the diameter of the frame tubes or rods. A nice feature. The clamps will be important to keep the panniers from bouncing off on the trail. A lowrider rack puts the front panniers several inches lower so I’m wondering how much difference the several inches higher will make. I haven’t put loaded panniers on the 520 yet.

One thing that concerns me with the cantilever brakes on the old touring bikes is my ability to stop quickly on a decent. I live in hill country. I’m using short pull brakes and have cables and shoes adjusted as well as I can. I should probably try try different pad material.

justslow

I have a Trek 730 MultiTrack with cantilever brakes. I put Kool Stop salmon brake pads on it and adjusted everything. My brakes stop me reliably and firmly, so it's possible to make your brakes work better.

Best of luck on your adventures.

Cyclist0108

The main issue with low-riders and panniers vs. bikepacking bags is clearance. I didn't really get it until I tried riding with panniers on narrow single-track in Utah hugging a cliff.

If you will be on gravel roads or anything with decent clearance, the low riders and panniers will be fine, and likely a stability advantage.

Tourist in MSN

Sheldon might have some useful advice here:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html

and here
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/canti-trad.html

I have had very good luck with most of my bikes that had canti brakes, but the canti brakes are not that great on my rando bike. But after lots of fiddling and adjusting I finally concluded that since that bike would never haul a heavy load it was probably just fine the way it is, just takes a bit more muscle than the other bikes.

That said, any rim brakes are iffy when soaking wet on a really steep hill.

Yeah, I was going to say Salmon pads too, you beat me to it.

balto charlie

I say either bike is fine for tame gravel rides. I ride my Miyata 1000 on gravel all of the time, sometimes loaded. I do use Kool Stop Salmon. and Donnelly MSO, 36 tires. Cantilever brakesdo the job but I am not a going full tilt downhill. I try to gravel ride using my lightweight gear. Often gravel roads are fairly steep in sections and a heavily packed bike will be difficult on steep climbs.

A quick question to the OP, what size tires were you able to fit on the 720. I have a decent one I am rebuilding and am thinking about turning it into a gravel bike. Tire clearance will be important.

Sjtaylor

My 1984 Trek 720 is a 25” frame with 700c and Schwalbe Marathon Plus 32c tires. There is at least a 1/4” clearance between the tires and any frame component. I would say the limit is 35c with no fenders. I could remove the dropout adjust screws and slam the axel but then the limiting clearance would be the brake bridges (I guess that’s what they’re called or maybe the fender mount bridges).

The 720 in my size seems a little noodley but for making miles on pavement it feels real cushy. I suspect lots of frame flex if I’m wrenching on rough terrain.

Tourist in MSN

I think that is a function of larger frame sizes, very few manufacturers have used larger diameter or thicker tubing on the larger size frames, thus a bigger heavier person on a frame that had ideal tubing for a smaller lighter person is going to flex more.

balto charlie

thanks, sounds like my Miyata 1000. I can’t use fenders with Donnelly’s 36c. I does handle well on gravel.