c0rbin9

Lugged Multitrack frames can fit up to 48mm tires I believe. I am running 43mm GravelKings on my 1990 750 21" frame with no issues.

bh85

Does anyone know what clamp size to use for FD on 92 750?

DorkDisk

Lugged frames use 28.6, welded frames uses 31.8

ecovelo

I have been thoroughly enjoying this thread! While I've never owned an MT, I have ridden them and currently have a visitor in my stable that is a Trek 730.



A long time fan of the Trek steel genre (particularly the early 90's), I had great fun determining the year of this particular bike. It is welded so I knew it was after 93-94"ish" - so I first tried to narrow the production year by the color and graphics on the Vintage Trek site. I was thrown off a bit when I found the exact bike on "bike index" - and the owner of the bike/photo posted that it was a 96'.




Then I learned from this thread... about the moving of the model number graphic from the seat tube to the top tube - and figured it could not then be a 96'. I then felt brave enough to delve into the abyss that is vintage Trek serial numbers... and was convinced I had a 97' - and now I can't even remember why I thought that ; (but maybe it had to do with the letter "N"?). Since there seems to be much variability in SNs, I went back to the color/graphics table (there are a lot of "greens") and finally landed upon 1998 - "Cactus with Silver decals". Most cacti I'm familiar with are green I have seen posts and pics of the same model/year, 98', with the Mediterranean Blue/Inkwell fade with white graphics (beautiful, imho) - and the graphics are definitely the same.





Anyway... this beauty will likely be up for sale by the end of the summer - I wanted to give the owner (my mom) an opportunity to feel really sure that she is ok with parting with it; she is a long-time rider and I know each of her bikes over the years, hold great sentimental value... and the apple does not fall far.

ViaBike

Here is my 2001 blue Trek 7300 copy with XS 13" frame - Outgrown and now on the market

Rooney 

I got this '92 790 off of FB marketplace on Friday for my cousin. I've been trying to sell various friends-looking-for-bikes on Multitracks for the last year now, and this was the first person I've been able to convince. I ran new cables, switched the y-yokes for standard hangers, put on a new chain, and gave it a general cleaning. He's eager to change the grip shifters and swap out the stem, which has a fair bit of rust (this bike lived down the Jersey shore). It didn't need much to run well.

Sprucing up this 790 has reignited my desire for one of these. I've thought about a 23" 750 or 790 for some time, and now I can't stop looking. I've already got two great bikes, and I don't necessarily have room for a third (you can see the packed wall in the back), but if I found one at the right price, I can't say I'd be strong enough to turn away. Looking at the geo charts, the '89 Singletracks seem to have very similar measurements aside from seat and top tube lengths — in the largest size at least, I didn't look at the others. But I think my dreams are firmly of a 700x45c shredder.

Rooney 

My second convert in a week. This time, it was my sister. I saw a 750 on FB marketplace for $50 and went on and on about how great these are to my sister and she figured, at $50, why not? But the seller never responded. Then I saw this frame listed and asked if she'd wanna build a bike. So now we're building a bike. I already had the racks and cages, so I threw them on because they were just sitting around.

(The clamp isn't pressing down on the top tube, just cradling it.)

Anemic

Nice work, Rooney! I like the sweet racks on your sister's future Multitrack. The 790 you found is amazing.

Can anyone confirm the seat post collar size which would be specified to replace the quick release seat post clamp on the 1992 790?

I sent my son to his college town trek shop for this mission and they told him to go to a hardware store. Terrible advice.

The saddle and post are waiting to be snatched. Thanks!

Rooney 

Thanks! It's a full set of matching Jim Blackburn labeled racks and bottle cages (I have a third cage) that I'd tracked down for my touring bike. That 790's paint was in great condition, especially for something that had lived down the shore. The component's finishes have all suffered, but nothing that negatively affected performance.

The seatpost collar on that 750 is smooth the whole way through. I didn't check my cousin's before handing it off, but he also wants to replace the quick-release. I would assume your 790's collar is smooth inside too. I was able to slide an M6 bolt through with a little room to spare. A standard seatpost binder bolt is both too short and too wide to fit the 750. I'd imagine something like this is what would be required. A Pitlock/Pinhead/etc. security bolt might be a good idea if you want to be extra preventative about theft.

Korina

Nice bike, but terrible photos; can you get some that are level with the bike? It'll look much better in the ad, and less condescending. Or something.

Taking a pic from eye height is a common practice that drives me bonkers.

Korina

Very nice bikes Rooney, and good on you for sucking others into vintage steel, but if you want us to talk you down from a third bike, you've come to the wrong place; N+1, baby. N. +. 1.

anx

My 2002 Trek 7100 Mulitrack. Still going strong through the Boston suburbs.

Rooney 

Apparently, I've lied some. I found a good condition '89/'90 Trek 950 (blue with white graphics and pink shadow) on FB Marketplace last night, and my sister liked the idea of having a bike to ride now rather than waiting to build one up. Unfortunately, that means the 750 is gonna be moved on. The 950 is pretty similar, and the smaller 26" wheels sort of make more sense proportionally.

Korina — It wasn't really a request to be talked out of finding another bike. There's a 950 in my size I'm eyeing up, but I'm not sure if I should hold out for a 750/790 instead.

Kobe 

Nice job on the rehab! The paint looks to be in great shape. Your Matrix stem looks to be in similar condition to mine, it must be a problem with their paint. I plan to just repaint it black and mask off the Matrix to keep it as original as possible.

I was going to get rid of the Grip Shifters too, but after a 10 mile test ride I kinda like them and they still function great even with the original rusty cables. If it isn't broken.....

I have a feeling we both have been chasing after the same bikes. My 790 is a 23" and I had been looking for years for one until I found it last month and it was defiantly worth the wait. Good luck on your search!

prairiepedaler

I like the Multi-track, and other old hybrids like it. Now they're called "fitness bikes", am I right?

If I decide to bag a Multi-track, which model would be the one to go with? Usually, a 23-24" frame with a 23" tt works well.

ksryder

Any of the steel ones from the 90s. Under the Trek naming conventions of that era they were all 700-series, with the higher quality models being higher numbered. So there was a 700, 730, 750, 790, etc. I had a 750 that was amazing. You rarely see the 790s.

In later years they became aluminum and had a 7000-series naming convention. I don't know much about them except that seems to be when they started being fitness bikes instead of hybrid bikes.

(Disclaimer I'm going off memory and might have some details wrong but I'm fairly sure that's the gist of it.)

hokiefyd 

To add to what ksryder said above, the geometry of the various 7xx series frames does change a little bit with model year and with specific model line (730 vs. 750, etc.). The Vintage Trek website has a lot of great information about these older bikes, including catalogs and technical information from the era from which you can get geometry data.

For example, I have a 1997 750 and its geometry is relatively "square", meaning the effective top tube and seat tube measurements are usually pretty close. A 23" frame has a 22.8" effective top tube. The frames themselves had the same relative measurements in 1997, but the 730/750 forks have a 50mm offset whereas the 700/720 forks have a 40mm offset (so the 730/750 have less mechanical trail than the 700/720 do).

You can pour through the Retail Tech Manuals available on the Vintage Trek website to see what model years and sizes you may be interested in. You can also study up on how to identify the bikes through the years based on color and graphics styles.

John Valuk

To add a little bit to what others have already offered...

When you look at different years and models of the steel 7XX bikes, you will see differences of welded vs. lugged construction (and associated differences in the tubing used). You may also see differences for some models, based on the year of manufacture, for where the frames were built. In addition to frame differences, higher models usually had higher-end components. If you have (or can get) the parts, of course, these bikes offer lots of opportunity to "make it your own".

I would love to try out a lugged-construction Multitrack, and I'm always looking for interesting bikes, but my local market is really, really thin. For the indefinite future, I plan to keep riding my '95 730 (welded, purportedly U.S.-built frame; low-to-mid-range components) for all it's worth.

prairiepedaler

Ah ok... thank y'all for the input on which MT direction to take. Doubtful one will show up for a while, let alone in the proper size. Model 750 and up is the way to go then if anything. I like the large diameter tire size capability on these, and the mid-fork blade braze-on too. I'd probably also be happy with any similar calibre hybrid of the era too. Seems there were quite a few out there. The Trek does seem nice though I gotta say.

Korina

I just discovered your post. I hope you grabbed that 950; you can ride it for awhile, and if it doesn't suit you, or you find that 750, you can always pass it on to someone who will appreciate it.

Korina

Dangit, I should have stayed away from this thread. I just found this on CL 300 miles south of me. I need another bike like I need another hole in my head, but I've been looking for a good step through bike, and this is nigh perfect. The price is right too. Blast it! I'd have to take a Greyhound to get there. {le sigh}

hokiefyd 

Wow -- it looks like a '97 750 step-through model. It's probably a pretty rare bird.

katsup

That wouldn't last by me. You've been looking for a step thru, hope you are already talking to the seller. Maybe he'll ship or drop off at a bike shop to ship.

Rooney 

The 950 escaped me just as I decided to go after it. Ultimately, it's fine; I realized I'm much more interested in the 750/790. Unfortunately, the only ones (in my size) I can currently find online are the incredibly overpriced eBay offerings. Patience, I suppose. It finally gives me a chance to finish up my Schwinn Voyageur SP 700c conversion.

Korina

It kills me, but my husband pointed out that it's one size too small. ::muffles cries of anguish::