1981 Trek worth repairing?
12-24-20, 08:39 AM
#26
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12-26-20, 03:03 PM
#27
Slowfoot
Just curious: how big of a jolt would it take to cause a crack like that in steel? I would think the metal would have to be rusted through to crack rather than dent? If rusted through prob lots of other bad spots? No experience with it - no expert here.
12-26-20, 03:56 PM
#28
Senior Member
Stress crack, no single event needed to cause them. Just time, pressure, and repeated stressing.
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My bikes: '81 Trek 957, '83 Trek 720, '85 Trek 500, '85 Trek 770,'81 Merckx, '85 Centurion Cinelli, '85 Raleigh Portage, '92 RB-2, '09 Bianchi
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12-27-20, 12:36 PM
#29
Full Member
I have a 79 Trek that has the small vent holes inside the head tube indicating traditional construction. Then there's an '88 330 that although it has a head badge and frame sticker proclaiming "Handbuilt in the USA" the serial number indicates the frame was probably made in Taiwan. On this one the holes are bigger, maybe 5/16" X 1/2" with rounded ends. It does look like separate lugs and not like the cast one piece head I remember from an '87 520 I once had. (also visible inside is a seamed head tube) Would this be what you referred to as "bulge-formed" or were the off-shore contractors doing their own thing?
12-27-20, 01:38 PM
#30
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Unless it has sentimental value, I wouldn't. There might not be that many 910's out there, but there are plenty of other Trek 531 frames from that era.
12-27-20, 02:14 PM
#31
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I have a 79 Trek that has the small vent holes inside the head tube indicating traditional construction. Then there's an '88 330 that although it has a head badge and frame sticker proclaiming "Handbuilt in the USA" the serial number indicates the frame was probably made in Taiwan. On this one the holes are bigger, maybe 5/16" X 1/2" with rounded ends. It does look like separate lugs and not like the cast one piece head I remember from an '87 520 I once had. (also visible inside is a seamed head tube) Would this be what you referred to as "bulge-formed" or were the off-shore contractors doing their own thing?
12-27-20, 02:41 PM
#32
Full Member
I left Trek in 1986, so I'm not as familiar with frame construction after that. I suspect a "made in USA" 1988 frame would use the one-piece cast head tube/head lug, but I can't be certain. The bulge-formed one piece head tube/head lugs had been phased out by 1986.
Perhaps some of the production was augmented. According to the brochure this was supposed to be DB True Temper RC-1 but no sticker is on the frame other than an American flag with Manufactured in the USA at the bottom.
