1984 Trek 850 MTB 24”
 

Just picked this up today. I thought all Trek 850’s were built out of Reynolds 531AT tubing but this one has a Tange Prestige decal.
Frame has one dent on top tube and lots of scratches…


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a6de432ca.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c063870bf.jpeg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2246d548a.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e434d7088.jpeg

Serial number 143488

i hadn’t noticed the surface rust on the inner chain stay.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d8f1d6e7f.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bc8087d16.jpeg
Small dent by seat lug.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...305a0bd9e.jpeg

That's apparently a 1985 model. The 1984 catalog says Reynolds, but the 1985 catalog lists Tange Prestige as the tubeset.

http://www.vintage-trek.com/images/t...ll-Terrain.pdf

Visually, they look very similar.

Hopefully the rust on the chainstay isn't too terrible. Sometimes it looks worse than it is. I'd give it an oxalic acid bath in any case.

As is there's not much value there -- $100-$150 tops on a good day. A tear down and rebuild replacing saddle, cables, worn out bits, cleaning and touching up the paint, adding tires and tubes, etc. perhaps $400+ to the right person. Nice bike, big, hard to find, but few out there who will fit or want it. If it's your size bring it back to life and ride it. If not, the parts plus labor might be a wash on value for a flip. Just IMHO.

So it must have been built in 1984 for the 1985 model year.

Paging mountaindave .

Seller has already graciously alerted me to the find and we have connected. Thanks, John. :thumb:

That's interesting as the number was assigned mid-August, but clearly built as a 1985 model. Not sure the flow of frames vs. assignment of serial numbers.

Thanks for the extra pictures.

You're welcome. Now I'm not tempted.

I don't know how they schedule production, but given they had a finite number of employees, they undoubtedly spend much of the year getting frames ready for the next. After all, that wasn't the only model, and they can't cram them all in towards the end of the year. I guess the only issue is where do they keep them!

Mind you, we’ve just connected, not negotiated. I’m staying out of the evaluation side of this to avoid conflict of interest.

this was an impulse buy as it is in my size. Originally I did think it was an 84 frame based on the serial number. But yeah, based on the decals, Tange tubing and components, this place’s it as a 1985 model. It’s mostly original, I’ll need to find a Deore long cage rear derailleur to complete it. An eval of $100 to $150 puts me at a loss if I’d were to sell. Oh well, guess it’s a keeper then.

Will need to scrape and clean up that rusty chain stay and see if there isn’t any real damage.

My opinion is just that, your results may vary, but....

A keeper is not a bad result, though, and presuming that chain stay is solid you can ride and enjoy without worrying about marring the finish! :)

Maybe have some fun with it by switching out to drop bars or perhaps moustache bars? Use it for experimentation.

If the estimate above is for the entire bike as pictured, it’s low. If it is the frameset, it’s close. All those early MTB components have value. Likely $300 to $400 in parts PLUS the frameset. I’ve owned and sold three 1984 Trek 850s.

The nice thing about black is it is super easy to touch up.