Most of a Trek 520….
 

….. found its way to my house today. Looks to be a 1990, the year Trek tried to cheap out by passing off one frame as two different models.

That’s right, the infamous Multitrack 750/Touring 520 ole switcheroo. Slap some gear lever mounts on the downtube and hey presto! A touring bike!

Don’t want a touring bike? We’ll put cable housing stops in place of the gear lever mounts and call it a hybrid….

I jest, I jest. Lots o’ folks round here hold both the 520 and the 750 in high regard and I can see why. It looks to be a nice, versatile frame that can be set up to do most anything. Even if that anything includes having one of those stupid gas engine kits bolted onto it with a 26” mountain bike rear wheel and the back brakes removed entirely because they don’t line up.
Thank heaven I came along to rescue this poor orphan from a miserable petrol fuelled demise at the hands of John Q. Dumba$$.

So what did I get? Here’s a pic to start off:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9f60e8f1a.jpeg

Not so bad. I’ll spare you the carnage of the gas engine kit because it’s just too horrifying. Missing a shifter, handlebars, front derailleur, and a few other bits. So really, let’s say approximately half of a Trek 520 found its way to my house today.

More to come!

Alright. So we can see what we didn’t get, let’s take an inventory of what we did get:

1990 Trek 520/750 frame and fork
no name cantilever brakes front non original
headset original
right side bar end shifter original non functioning
gear lever cable housing stops original
Shimano Deore crankset original
Shimano bottom bracket original
steel Matrix(?) seatpost original(?)
Vetta saddle missing its cover original(?)
Shimano Deore rear derailleur original
Bontrager front wheel not pictured non original

and some bonus items: a healthy dent on the bottom of the down tube non original:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2bfadfbb5.jpeg


metallic rose spray paint non original and incomplete:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...538e42280.jpeg

Fortunately the paint comes off pretty easily with a judicious application of acetone. Unfortunately, the dent doesn’t come out no matter how much acetone I rub on it. It’s not creased anywhere; the bends appear smooth and rounded so maybe it’s not going to explode on me the first time I swing a leg over for a ride?

Assure me, please, that this frame will not suffer immediate, catastrophic failure because it’s got a sweet bonus dent hiding on the bottom of the downtube? Please?

In the meantime, I’ll be blissfuly, ignorantly ravaging my parts stash for suitable bits n’ bobs to make this into a rideable bike…

Doubt it. Looks like a good candidate to be rolled out if you wanted to go to the trouble. But if not, I don't see why it couldn't be put into service as a casual gravel grinder.

Disclaimer: not an engineer.

I’d ride it.

I think rolling would get that to a pretty nice spot. Plus white paint isn't too bad for touch up. Cool score. I have a free welded 730 frameset I wish someone needed. It's really quite nice but with a basement full of excellent 531, I don't see myself building it.

I'd like it rolled out but it's ridable as is in my book.

The downtube is in tension when riding, so the dent should not be an issue. Slingshot bikes didn't even have a tube, just a cable.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...055aa387b4.jpg
Slingshot bike from the interwebs

Alright then,
I'll ride it for now as is, and we'll see how the two of us get along. Mocking it up with the wheels I plan to use, rocking some Specialized Nimbus 700 x 38C tires, gives a standover height right at 34". That's pretty close to an "interference" fit, but the top tube is right in the correct ballpark for my liking.
Little more time with some acetone ought to clear out the last remaining bits of spray paint, then time to build a bike!

Thanks everyone for your input!

I'll keep this thread updated as things progress so if you're interested please stop back in.

What size is your 730? I'm always in the market for a nice Multitrack!

23"

D’oh! Same as this 520…