Originally Posted by
Charles Wahl
For my own part, and being completely aware that there's a lot of love for them, Treks are one of those whistles I don't hear, like Colnagos. I've had a few pass through my doors, been very negatively impressed by the paint/corrosion protection of the 80s examples (unaccountable chipping and rusting), don't think their graphics are "all that". In that vein (Ford vs Chevy), I've always found Specialized models to be more attractive, and seemingly better made.
W
My. experience is different on 1980s Treks. I bought one from the early 1980s at Goodwill, had a tree limb growing through the rear wheel. Components were all rusty. But the frame and fork paint was near perfect. I have found Trek paint to be the best of any of that era bike. As I understood it, they used DuPont IMRON paint. Anyway, extremely durable IME. Components on the other hand were not Trek made, came from the suppliers everyone else used. They were subject to rust.
I'd guess I have had 75 to 100 pass through my hands over the years.
Generally, I favor the made in Japan brands from the 1980s: Miyatas, Panasonics, and a few others. In the world of Treks, I really like the early 1980s MTBs: 1983 and 1984 in particular, along with the late 1980s/early 1990s 9xx series with lugged steel frames.