jjhabbs 

Hey guys. Found this only a few hundred feet way from the Garage! Ive wanted one forever! Check it out. Let me know what you think I should do with it.

You Tube

jjhabbs 

RiddleOfSteel

Wonderful! I had a 64cm one for a little bit. Ended up selling it several years ago to a guy semi-locally, who loves it.

jjhabbs 

WOW. retro-mod! Love it.

JJ

Kabuki12

I have never seen this model before. Very nice bike with some of the best of what was available in its day. The paint on the Trek bikes from that era is Imron if I remember and shines up even if it has not had any attention. This bike looks like it has been well cared for . Get out and ride it!

plonz 

So did the 970 bike exist in the same years as the 760/770? Seems like a crowded segment if it did. Great score nonetheless!

jjhabbs 

There was a 760 that year that was full Superbe. You can google old Trek catalogs. The 770 replaced the 970 in 1984. check out this link

1984 Trek Bicycle Brochure Part I - Racing Bikes

JJ

Ex Pres 

Need to replace that NR stuff with SR stuff and ride it.

Shrevvy 

Is that a 58? Mine is a 56. Would prefer a size larger, but you can't be too choosy. I vote for not replacing the decals. They don't look bad. Mine are in similar shape.

jjhabbs 

Yours is beautiful! Why does your red look darker? is yours repainted?

JJ

Shrevvy 

It is original paint and decals. It might be the lighting or background that makes it look darker. It was covered in grime when I got it, but it shined up pretty well. There are more photos here:


And a quick video of the Super Record shifting that 13-21 freewheel:

Shrevvy 

vintage-trek.com shows 133 of these bikes were built. However, if you add up the units listed in their serial number database, it comes to 455 units. Maybe not all units were manufactured within a serial number block? Regardless, not many 970s were made. The bike retailed for $1275 in 1983. This and the Trek 170 ($2045) from the same year were the first Treks to break $1000 at retail.

SJX426 

Gorgeous bikes! Lust!

I have a 1984 760 that is being rescued. Wrong fork replaced with '85 that was bent. Superbe Pro being applied.
It is really ugly!!
As purchased
1984 Trek 760 60cm as acquired on Flickr

More recent
P1040796 on Flickr

It is a very nice rider so far. More than likely it will be touched up with black over the existing rattle can black. I can't see the value in trying to restore it.
Unlike these beautiful examples, which I would ride on Sundays, mine will become more of a training bike or back up if other are not available. It is light and comparable to the De Rosa and Pinarello and slightly lighter (due to GL330 rims?).

Shrevvy 

OK, so I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to numbers...here is 970 production by size:

52 cm - 30
54 cm - 65
56 cm - 140
58 cm - 85
60 cm - 85
62 cm - 20
64 cm - 30

Not surprisingly, the 56 cm is the most common size. I wonder how many remain today.

Mr. 66

It looks as though I have 1 of the 20 in size 62. The one I have is different my 970 has over the bottom bracket gear cable routes braze on guides. As a complete bike the 970 weighed 23.5 lbs when purchased.

cb400bill

You guys are making me miss my 85 770...

JohnDThompson 

Yes, they were essentially the same frame, but different tubing. 7nn=Reynolds 531;9nn=Columbus SL/SP (depending on frame size).

Shrevvy 

My 56 cm without pedals weighs 19.5 pounds.

Mr. 66

19.5 wow that is is light, when I weighed mine it had some Mavic Open 4CD wheels. I'll have to swap some tubulars and check again.

USAZorro

I'd say clean it up, make it good for the road and give it a test ride.

While clearly well made, and lightweight, my experience with a 760 that I once owned led me to decide to pass it along (as I have with several others also). Not saying this to knock Treks, but rather that not every well-regarded bicycle is suited to every rider. Of course, you have a great set-up to make it an impressive display item if it isn't quite your favorite, but you definitely won't know what you really think of it until you try it.

OldCoot

I had a 1982 Trek 950, the bare frame option of the 957/959 bike. The bike had been hanging in the bike shop for some time, built up with Shimano 600 stuff. The 950 Similar to the bike posted by OP, with Columbus SL tubing. Nice, nice bike! Love the contrasting head tube and panels. The paint quality on mine stunk though, and it received a powder coat after many years of use. I sold it to friend cheap, as I wanted to move into the indexed world at the time, and decent grouppo was going to cost more than complete bike.... So I let it go to offset the next bike. Silly move. Great bike, the only bike I wish I had back!

TiHabanero

Always loved the 900 series from Trek. IF the bike were mine a full clean up and possibly restored to factory spec and hang it. No touch up, keep it real. Then once a year go out for 10 miles to remind yourself why you now ride a compact crank and wide spread rear sprockets!

jjhabbs 

Hey guys,
I learned more about the bicycle. I learned that Doug the original owner raced the bike for three years. He purchased it from Vitesse in Bloomington/Normal Illinois. He was on their team. He purchased it as a frameset and the selection was a few used parts that he had as well as new ones from the dealer. The gold brakes were purchased as a way to save money over the SuperRecord plus the dealer had them instock and sold them at a big discount. The damaged brake lever was from rolling a sew up at the Rockford Criterium. So. since it was built like this from the original owner I dont feel the need to bring it to True 970 spec. I'll have fun cleaning it up and riding it.

Also a quick note on this bike. It is a 58 C to T. But, the head tube is shorter by a half an inch compared to any other 58 I have. What gives!!! LOL

JJ

RiddleOfSteel

1982 75x and 95x models have been on my want list for a while. LOVE the white paint and contrasting panels. If they're anything like my 970, the yellow is actually painted, and the "TREK" is it's own lettering along with the red-to-yellow transitions being garnished with decals as well.

JohnDThompson 

A 62ccm 970 would be Columbus SP tubing; 56cm would be SL.