View Single Post
Old 07-17-21, 08:24 PM
  #3  
canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times in 1,798 Posts
1993 Trek 5900 OCLV, as of May 2019. At the time it was wearing some non-factory OEM components -- derailleurs, shifters, handlebar, saddle -- but most original core components, including the titanium stuff: Ibis stem; Chris King headset; White Industries bottom bracket; American Classic Equipment seatpost.

In '93 it was Trek's top of the line road racing bike, built for minimum weight and intended for mountain stages. Of the various 5xxx series carbon fiber bikes, it was the only one still wearing downtube shifters, to save weight. Rather than spec Dura Ace for the entire bike, they used the lightest available premium components regardless of manufacture. Hence the mish mash of titanium goodies. Quirky bike, including the purple paint that tends to photograph as blue, but I enjoy riding it. The frame is labeled made in the USA by Trek, but if I'm recalling correctly Trek consulted with a Spanish or Italian frame maker while developing its monocoque carbon fiber frames after moving away from the carbon fiber tubes glued into lugs process.

Only reason I can play in this thread is because the 5900 OCLV was carbon fiber, which doesn't hold its value the same way as a top shelf steel bike. It helps that those bikes were cosmetically challenged, with some gawky graphics and colors. With luck you can buy an early 1990s Trek 5xxx OCLV for $200-$300. Can't touch a comparable steel bike for that money.

For awhile after this photo I rode it with an FSA Omega compact drop bar and FSA threadless stem in 1-1/8" with collet/shim to make up for the original 1" steerer tube. And I swapped from the Deore LX long cage steel RD shown here to an 8-speed 600 Tricolor short cage RD and matching front derailleur. Good setup but I really wanted to keep that original 1" Ibis titanium stem, so when the headset needed servicing I stripped the bike to start over.

It's currently disassembled, awaiting a rebuild with more Dura Ace components, different wheels and a Soma Highway One compact drop bar. I have everything except the rear wheel ready to go. Alas, both of my rear wheels from that era developed cracked rims the same month, so I have only period-appropriate low profile lightweight mountain stage rims on the front wheels. I had a non-period-correct Bontrager semi-aero wheel ready to go, but it also developed bad bearings. Yup, 2020 was a bad year for my rear wheels. I'm not heavy or rough on bikes, just a coincidence that all three older wheels needed servicing at the same time.


1993 Trek 5900 OCLV, as of May 2019. Currently disassembled and awaiting a rebuild.

Last edited by canklecat; 07-20-21 at 03:21 AM.
canklecat is offline  
Likes For canklecat: