Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Trek 620 on 700x48 Tires??? A $10 New School Frame Shows The Way

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Trek 620 on 700x48 Tires??? A $10 New School Frame Shows The Way

Old 09-08-21, 01:38 PM
  #126  
shoota 
Senior Member
 
shoota's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Stillwater, OK
Posts: 8,128
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1871 Post(s)
Liked 689 Times in 467 Posts
Just sped skimmed through the thread. Awesome work, thanks for taking the time to put it all together. Like someone else said, I miss the Trek blue. There's just something about those era Trek's paint. I was also going to ask about going tubeless. Do you ever ride off the pavement. like proper gravel roads?

Also, good call on the DA 9000, best looking Shimano group ever made and that long cage hack is amazing, I'll remember that one for future use!
__________________
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
shoota is offline  
Likes For shoota:
Old 09-08-21, 02:17 PM
  #127  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Originally Posted by canopus
I keep thinking about a tubeless setup then I start adding it all up vs the cost of tubes and just think, I’m old and slow, rubber does just fine.
That has been my thinking as well (messy, a hassle, inner tubes work fine). Even more so when, to properly true wheels, like these DT Swiss ones, I needed to pierce the tubeless-ready tape to get the Squorx nipple tool (aluminum nipples just melt with a normal tool, as I already experienced) seated on the nipple head. I put two layers of electrical tape as a "patch" but I, in my tubeless ignorance, am disinclined to consider that "patch" good enough for tubeless sealing.

Originally Posted by shoota
Just sped skimmed through the thread. Awesome work, thanks for taking the time to put it all together. Like someone else said, I miss the Trek blue. There's just something about those era Trek's paint. I was also going to ask about going tubeless. Do you ever ride off the pavement. like proper gravel roads?

Also, good call on the DA 9000, best looking Shimano group ever made and that long cage hack is amazing, I'll remember that one for future use!
Thanks! The blue is/was very nice, albeit with considerable issue when I got it (and rehab'ed it). Again, given the new (to me) components' aesthetic and my overall desired attitude for the bike, among other things, a color change was warranted. I'd want a wet paint job to replicate that blue, not powder coat personally. Satin black remains the perfect choice in this build, and even if I went to all polished silver components, it would look just as good.

As I've built the 620 for on-road supremacy, gravel has been a distant second for riding. I'd have to drive to it and do it. I still want to, and I've picked up some used gravel tires (for $10 each) in case I want to swap, just after I get all the tubeless goo off the insides of them... My first ride will be with the smooth treaded Somas though, just aired down.

For derailleur hacks, the R9100, R8000, and R7000 generations of Dura-Ace, Ultegra, and 105 use a different outer cage-to-RD-body/pivot interface. I watched a video of a guy that just ho-hummed the same 6800 GS cage pieces onto a 6700 SS derailleur and it worked fine. I'd normally stick with the same generation of component, and if Ultegra or Dura-Ace, just Ultegra or Dura-Ace as Shimano has seen fit to nearly "twin" them in many ways, leaving 105 buy itself (or maybe more "compatible" with Tiagra component?). Either way, if one pays attention, there is some flexibility in options for replacements and hacks/upgrades.

Originally Posted by tricky
I've been considering carbon bars for a while, but it scared me a little bit with it being such a vital part. I guess if the considerably taller and higher mileage @RiddleOfSteel can honk on them and be fine then so should I. I could probably drop a half a pound or more by swapping out the giant flared gravel bars I have on my Lemond Poprad. You're splashing out for parts is contagious!
Those Zipp bars did well and I didn't really feel any flex when going at it. Maybe another 2cm would make a difference, but since I like not breaking things and do have mechanical sympathy, I'll choose the "smarter, not harder" method of riding and ease up. I have no stage-end sprint to win. Funnily enough, with wider bars, I am actually fully in sync with my bike when out of the saddle (climbing or accelerating) that I don't need to put nearly as much effort into working with the bike as I did when I had the 40cm carbon Zipps. Big flared alloy gravel bars will weigh a lot naturally. In general, a decent quality but "average" weight modern (31.8mm clamp) alloy road bar is going to be around 300g. A light alloy one will be around 250g, which is impressive. Carbon is around 200g +/-. Nitto Noodles, M151s, or M176s are all 331-333g in 42cm size.

All that spent money on many bikes being concentrated into one do-it-all bike means, after selling all of them, I allow myself to spend a little more on (mostly) used components. Of course, pay to play the 11-speed anything and carbon games. You could lop off a huge chunk of money by going 5800 Shimano 105, more generic 11-speed wheels, $20 mini-V brakes, Pasela tires (or just used 700x38s) and alloy bars and seatpost. And no Innicycle headset. It wouldn't weigh 22.25 lbs, but you'd get to the same places I would, and since we wouldn't be racing, we'd get there at the same time.

Originally Posted by 52telecaster
Your build is killer and inspiring. I have an 83 620 taking shape in 650b. Nowhere near as cool as yours but u inspire me.
Thanks! Anybody that can do a good 650B build out of these old Treks gets a thumbs up from me. Takes some investment in the 650B infrastructure to do so!
RiddleOfSteel is offline  
Old 09-08-21, 10:20 PM
  #128  
ThermionicScott 
working on my sandal tan
 
ThermionicScott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,625

Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)

Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3868 Post(s)
Liked 2,560 Times in 1,574 Posts
Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
That has been my thinking as well (messy, a hassle, inner tubes work fine). Even more so when, to properly true wheels, like these DT Swiss ones, I needed to pierce the tubeless-ready tape to get the Squorx nipple tool (aluminum nipples just melt with a normal tool, as I already experienced) seated on the nipple head. I put two layers of electrical tape as a "patch" but I, in my tubeless ignorance, am disinclined to consider that "patch" good enough for tubeless sealing.
One thing to consider/try: If your spoke tension drops considerably with tires mounted and inflated, you can use that to your advantage when truing. Simply oil the nipples well before starting, leave the tires on and at full pressure, and you won't have to apply as much force to them when touching up the true.
__________________
Originally Posted by chandltp
There's no such thing as too far.. just lack of time
Originally Posted by noglider
People in this forum are not typical.
RUSA #7498
ThermionicScott is offline  
Old 09-11-21, 12:56 PM
  #129  
JaccoW
Overdoing projects
 
JaccoW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Rotterdam, former republic of the Netherlands
Posts: 2,443

Bikes: Batavus Randonneur GL, Gazelle Orange Excellent, Gazelle Super Licht, Gazelle Grand Tourist, Gazelle Lausanne, Gazelle Tandem, Koga-Miyata SilverAce, Koga-Miyata WorldTraveller

Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 783 Post(s)
Liked 1,215 Times in 677 Posts
Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
As I've built the 620 for on-road supremacy, gravel has been a distant second for riding. I'd have to drive to it and do it. I still want to, and I've picked up some used gravel tires (for $10 each) in case I want to swap, just after I get all the tubeless goo off the insides of them... My first ride will be with the smooth treaded Somas though, just aired down.
As someone who has now put close to 1000km (~620 miles) on the Somas over a terrain varying from tarmac, gravel, sand, singletrack and whatever some of the trails I rode on in Spain were I can tell they can absolutely fly over the rougher terrain at times. Leaving my road bike friend on his 28mm tyres in the dust.
I did get 3 flats over that period though. 1 snakebite on a rough gravel route and two slow leaks after I rode through some glass near a city, one of which left a sizeable hole in the outer tyre. But they have held up well all things considered.

I have found 3 bar to be the perfect pressure for me. 3.5 bar would sometimes feel harsh and 2.5 bar made the sidewalls wrinkle like a top fuel dragster when braking on tarmac. 2 bar almost made me go over the handlebar when the tyre buckled while braking in a corner on tarmac but that was when I had sprung a leak and was carrying a load.
I'll post a proper review with pictures of the tyre soon.




Not much you can do when the hole gets this big. Even with Schwalbe Aerothans on the inside.


Last edited by JaccoW; 09-11-21 at 01:00 PM.
JaccoW is online now  
Likes For JaccoW:
Old 09-11-21, 09:09 PM
  #130  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Originally Posted by JaccoW
As someone who has now put close to 1000km (~620 miles) on the Somas over a terrain varying from tarmac, gravel, sand, singletrack and whatever some of the trails I rode on in Spain were I can tell they can absolutely fly over the rougher terrain at times. Leaving my road bike friend on his 28mm tyres in the dust.
I did get 3 flats over that period though. 1 snakebite on a rough gravel route and two slow leaks after I rode through some glass near a city, one of which left a sizeable hole in the outer tyre. But they have held up well all things considered.

I have found 3 bar to be the perfect pressure for me. 3.5 bar would sometimes feel harsh and 2.5 bar made the sidewalls wrinkle like a top fuel dragster when braking on tarmac. 2 bar almost made me go over the handlebar when the tyre buckled while braking in a corner on tarmac but that was when I had sprung a leak and was carrying a load.
I'll post a proper review with pictures of the tyre soon.
Awesome all-surface ride report! That makes sense that 3 bar (44.1 PSI for PSI readers, including me) with you and the bike loaded would do well. 2.5 bar for unloaded has worked well for me, but I can see it being soggy or dangerous with an extra 15-20 kg.

I continue to put miles on my 620, now with its lighter latex tubes that drop about 3 PSI a day (at least with these tires), and it continues to be a great bike. Even got to do a ride employing all three water bottles. Felt super legit right there. Definitely notice the extra sway with all of them full and going out of the saddle. Want to get it on some gravel soon before rain comes.
RiddleOfSteel is offline  
Likes For RiddleOfSteel:
Old 09-25-21, 11:10 PM
  #131  
mountaindave 
tantum vehi
 
mountaindave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Flathead Valley, MT
Posts: 4,550

Bikes: More than I care to admit

Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1166 Post(s)
Liked 965 Times in 483 Posts
Keep the reports coming. Quite the build with a classic Trek!
mountaindave is offline  
Likes For mountaindave:
Old 09-26-21, 11:04 AM
  #132  
zimmy65
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Toronto
Posts: 11

Bikes: 1985 Specialized Sequioa, 1984 Trek 720, Specialized Stumpjumper, Urbane Cyclist fixie, mid 1980s Nishiki Continental, Brompton M6L

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Thanks for the great thread. I read it beginning to end this morning. Gave me lots of ideas for the rebuild I'm doing with my 1984 Trek 720 frameset. I also appreciated that you gave yourself the freedom to powder coat a different color. I'm getting work done on the frame and fork too and have been wondering what to do about repainting.
zimmy65 is offline  
Likes For zimmy65:
Old 09-26-21, 10:17 PM
  #133  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Originally Posted by mountaindave
Keep the reports coming. Quite the build with a classic Trek!
Thanks! It's my only rider at this point, after selling the Fuji, and briefly riding the 720/728 as-bought before disassembling it and doing all the work. We have rain for the next handful of days, so either it's complete the one-bike-to-rule-them-all supremacy and put fenders on it (room is tighter under the V-brake cables than I'd like), or just wait to get the 720 rolling. I like my fancy pants newer Dura-Ace, and finding wide enough fenders that look decent with the bike is something I'm not super keen on, especially when I have fenders and a drivetrain setup ready to go for the 720/728.

I'm still trying to find carbon bars in 42cm width and not a million dollars (at least no more than what I paid for the 40cm ones), but am working with the alloy 42cm bars right now. I'm still annoyed at loose-pivot brakes (cantis, V's) and their proclivity towards vibration and thus noise when hooked to slender, road-buzz-absorbing tubing. Those things work brilliantly on Cannondale ST's and beefcake hybrids and MTBs because the tubing is thick enough. I bristle at the thought of doing such a thing to my 720 (putting canti/V mounts on it). Thus the 620 remains a 'loud' bike with buzz or squealing (if really clamping on it) under braking as well as a loud DT Swiss freewheel. I do like a fuss-free and low-noise bike (and car..), so those marks against the 620, which were things I did to it and thus made it that way, remain. It's performance, comfort, speed, and looks remain absolute tops. It loves speed and we both have a great time just locomoting in the big ring or powering out of the saddle for acceleration or climbing. It still rocks and will continue to do so. I honestly don't know what new-to-me frameset could pull those components away from that 620 frameset, and that's a very good "problem" to have.

Originally Posted by zimmy65
Thanks for the great thread. I read it beginning to end this morning. Gave me lots of ideas for the rebuild I'm doing with my 1984 Trek 720 frameset. I also appreciated that you gave yourself the freedom to powder coat a different color. I'm getting work done on the frame and fork too and have been wondering what to do about repainting.
You are welcome! The blue was very nice, though touched up enough to put things at 50/50. And with the bike/frameset proving itself to be as good as it did, the mission became to aim for the best of what it could be (in a very practical sense). A magnum opus type build. Knowing all the components I have on it now, I sometimes thing it would have been fun to do a loony color like fuchsia metallic or Spaceballs Rainbow Glow Metallic 9000 like a lot of modern bikes, and really rub it in the face of The Current Year bikes, but I went with--especially with the silver elements of the 9000-era Dura-Ace--a subtle, classy-yet-quietly-dominant countenance. There's always next time for a funky paint/powder coat job, right? Your 720's red is such a demure red in sunlight. It's really nice, but in any other light is so 'quiet'. Sometimes vintage Trek coloring is a little too quiet, and I opine that they weren't more like certain Fujis or Nishikis or Schwinns. It's the vintage Trek "charm" though. My 720/728 is flippin' taupe...metallic (who does that???), accented with a brown metallic head tube and seat tube panel. Whatever, Trek, you had me at beautiful minimal lugs and full, lightweight, double-butted 531 tubing that rides amazingly. I guess I'll just have to survive!
RiddleOfSteel is offline  
Old 09-27-21, 05:05 AM
  #134  
zimmy65
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Toronto
Posts: 11

Bikes: 1985 Specialized Sequioa, 1984 Trek 720, Specialized Stumpjumper, Urbane Cyclist fixie, mid 1980s Nishiki Continental, Brompton M6L

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
You are welcome! The blue was very nice, though touched up enough to put things at 50/50. And with the bike/frameset proving itself to be as good as it did, the mission became to aim for the best of what it could be (in a very practical sense). A magnum opus type build. Knowing all the components I have on it now, I sometimes thing it would have been fun to do a loony color like fuchsia metallic or Spaceballs Rainbow Glow Metallic 9000 like a lot of modern bikes, and really rub it in the face of The Current Year bikes, but I went with--especially with the silver elements of the 9000-era Dura-Ace--a subtle, classy-yet-quietly-dominant countenance. There's always next time for a funky paint/powder coat job, right? Your 720's red is such a demure red in sunlight. It's really nice, but in any other light is so 'quiet'. Sometimes vintage Trek coloring is a little too quiet, and I opine that they weren't more like certain Fujis or Nishikis or Schwinns. It's the vintage Trek "charm" though. My 720/728 is flippin' taupe...metallic (who does that???), accented with a brown metallic head tube and seat tube panel. Whatever, Trek, you had me at beautiful minimal lugs and full, lightweight, double-butted 531 tubing that rides amazingly. I guess I'll just have to survive!
I had the 720 frame sitting in the front hallway for a few weeks (much to my wife's chagrin). I'd imagine it looking kind of a boring red (not far off from my mid-80s Nishiki Continental) but then I'd look at it and be blown away by the subtle beauty of the deep metallic red and the contrasting blue decals. A previous owner had wrenched on a kickstand pretty tightly so the bottom of the chainstay are missing paint but otherwise the paint job looked pretty great. Then I decided to get the brake posts on the frame and fork as well as the funky seatpost clamp redone and suddenly the bike is going to be missing a lot of paint and a decision needs to be made. I've always wanted a bike in a British Racing Green type color. This may be the one. I love the matte look on your bike and hadn't considered that before. That may end up being part of the look too on my bike.
zimmy65 is offline  
Old 09-27-21, 12:37 PM
  #135  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Originally Posted by zimmy65
I had the 720 frame sitting in the front hallway for a few weeks (much to my wife's chagrin). I'd imagine it looking kind of a boring red (not far off from my mid-80s Nishiki Continental) but then I'd look at it and be blown away by the subtle beauty of the deep metallic red and the contrasting blue decals. A previous owner had wrenched on a kickstand pretty tightly so the bottom of the chainstay are missing paint but otherwise the paint job looked pretty great. Then I decided to get the brake posts on the frame and fork as well as the funky seatpost clamp redone and suddenly the bike is going to be missing a lot of paint and a decision needs to be made. I've always wanted a bike in a British Racing Green type color. This may be the one. I love the matte look on your bike and hadn't considered that before. That may end up being part of the look too on my bike.
Keep in mind that my 620 here is a satin and not matte--there's some sheen to it, and that matters (to me)! Again, I looked at my planned build and purpose for the frame/bike in conjunction with its personality that I had discovered so far. A dark metallic blue looks nice, but Trek's original blue combined with the components I wanted to put on, plus knowing what kind of character the bike/frame had when riding, said a different color would likely be more appropriate. Gloss level, saturation, hue, and any additional effect like metallic or pearl--all can be employed when searching for something that you like and that fits with the bike's character and componentry, should you decide to care that much to do so. Or you can simply like a color and build the bike around that. BRG is a great color. In matte form, it's a bit of a military vibe, and in gloss, it's just a classic. Silver/polished components and tan wall tires would look excellent on it, but so would some choice gloss black elements (like a stem and seatpost, perhaps even a rim like an Open Pro black with machined brake tracks and silver hubs/spokes). The classy black elements can give depth, allure, and even impart a bit of moodiness. Obviously I find this fun to do, composing a bike not only for the ride/performance, but for the aesthetic.
RiddleOfSteel is offline  
Old 09-27-21, 01:29 PM
  #136  
zimmy65
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Toronto
Posts: 11

Bikes: 1985 Specialized Sequioa, 1984 Trek 720, Specialized Stumpjumper, Urbane Cyclist fixie, mid 1980s Nishiki Continental, Brompton M6L

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
Keep in mind that my 620 here is a satin and not matte--there's some sheen to it, and that matters (to me)! Again, I looked at my planned build and purpose for the frame/bike in conjunction with its personality that I had discovered so far. A dark metallic blue looks nice, but Trek's original blue combined with the components I wanted to put on, plus knowing what kind of character the bike/frame had when riding, said a different color would likely be more appropriate. Gloss level, saturation, hue, and any additional effect like metallic or pearl--all can be employed when searching for something that you like and that fits with the bike's character and componentry, should you decide to care that much to do so. Or you can simply like a color and build the bike around that. BRG is a great color. In matte form, it's a bit of a military vibe, and in gloss, it's just a classic. Silver/polished components and tan wall tires would look excellent on it, but so would some choice gloss black elements (like a stem and seatpost, perhaps even a rim like an Open Pro black with machined brake tracks and silver hubs/spokes). The classy black elements can give depth, allure, and even impart a bit of moodiness. Obviously I find this fun to do, composing a bike not only for the ride/performance, but for the aesthetic.
Thanks for the thoughtful response! I actually misstated my point. I meant satin not matte. I don't think I've ever seen a bike with a matte finish! Can't imagine it would be very durable.

The decision around silver/polished vs gloss black is going to occupy a significant amount of time in the months ahead.

I don't have enough posts to put up a picture but I just received another frameset in the mail today that may jump to the head of the queue, mainly because I don't need to do anything to it to start a build! Once I get enough posts, maybe I'll start a thread.

You've set the bar high with this one and the one on the 720/728!
zimmy65 is offline  
Likes For zimmy65:
Old 09-27-21, 02:24 PM
  #137  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Originally Posted by zimmy65
Thanks for the thoughtful response! I actually misstated my point. I meant satin not matte. I don't think I've ever seen a bike with a matte finish! Can't imagine it would be very durable.

The decision around silver/polished vs gloss black is going to occupy a significant amount of time in the months ahead.

I don't have enough posts to put up a picture but I just received another frameset in the mail today that may jump to the head of the queue, mainly because I don't need to do anything to it to start a build! Once I get enough posts, maybe I'll start a thread.

You've set the bar high with this one and the one on the 720/728!
You're welcome! Thanks for clarifying the matte/satin thing. With powder coat being a very durable coating, matte to gloss doesn't matter. For wet paint, a good enamel will be durable as well, and you can get colors and clears in gloss or matte finish--they'll last the same.

Don't worry about giving you and your 720 some time to gel. It can either solidify your original intent with it, or take you to a different conclusion (even to the conclusion of not liking it enough to want to keep it, in spite of what many others say).
RiddleOfSteel is offline  
Old 10-18-21, 01:12 AM
  #138  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Just as a for-the-record update here, because the absurdity is strong with me and this build, I finally found a 42cm (CTC) carbon handlebar--my preferred width--to replace not only the originally-installed 40cm bar (too narrow), but also the interim 42cm aluminum bar I've had for a little bit. 222g of glossy finish FSA SL-K loveliness, at a lovely, used-component price (as opposed to the considerable-yet-still-used cost of the 40cm carbon bars--I am saving mad money here).

All that to say, this bike weighs a literal whisper over 10kg, and so, for all intensive porpoises, this bike is 10.0 kg or 22.0 lbs. Super stupid, but in a really good way. Carbon bars are legit when it comes to smoothing the road buzz and small bumps/hits out of things. If your roads are smooth or not too eventful, you'll be fine without carbon. If you rock the city road system or any surface that's a bit more 'communicative', then carbon handlebars are a really great friend to have. That is my honest assessment. It's good to be 'home'. My '82 720 will keep its Nitto Noodle bars for all the obvious reasons, but on this full feature, modern-component-adorned 620, it's carbon. It is my ultimate road bike.
RiddleOfSteel is offline  
Likes For RiddleOfSteel:
Old 08-31-23, 04:50 PM
  #139  
Chr0m0ly 
Senior Member
 
Chr0m0ly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Back in Lincoln Sq, Chicago...🙄
Posts: 1,683

Bikes: '84 Miyata 610 ‘91 Cannondale ST600,'83 Trek 720 ‘84 Trek 520, 620, ‘91 Miyata 1000LT, '79 Trek 514, '78 Trek 706, '73 Raleigh Int. frame.

Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 682 Post(s)
Liked 364 Times in 218 Posts
Riddle, I don't know how I missed this thread, but WOW, What a build up!! I LOVE this set up!

It's more than "an old frame with new components" it's its own new catagory, so nice it deserves this two year bump!
Chr0m0ly is online now  
Likes For Chr0m0ly:
Old 08-31-23, 07:55 PM
  #140  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Originally Posted by Chr0m0ly
Riddle, I don't know how I missed this thread, but WOW, What a build up!! I LOVE this set up!

It's more than "an old frame with new components" it's its own new catagory, so nice it deserves this two year bump!
Thanks!

Man, so much has happened since then. I've flirted with selling the 620 a few times, especially after picking up the '82 720 I have now, but I keep keeping it around. As it stands, it is going back to more or less its "Super 620" roots. The Chorus double crankset is tripleized, the rear cassette is 11-32, and although it's been sporting 9-speed downtube shifters, I am taking a pair of modern R3000 Sora 3x9 levers, sanding the paint off, and polishing them. It's also wearing 40mm Donnelly XPlor gravel tires with the brown side wall against TB14 rims. Rides really well, even corners well for a big tire bike. Really digging it!

I may hop back to Dura-Ace. Thinning the herd right now and parts are on a different frame (all $15 of it!).

Pre-R3000 STIs right now:

RiddleOfSteel is offline  
Likes For RiddleOfSteel:
Old 09-01-23, 04:34 PM
  #141  
jPrichard10 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Portland, Cascadia
Posts: 518
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 219 Post(s)
Liked 244 Times in 106 Posts
Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
Thanks!

Man, so much has happened since then. I've flirted with selling the 620 a few times, especially after picking up the '82 720 I have now, but I keep keeping it around. As it stands, it is going back to more or less its "Super 620" roots. The Chorus double crankset is tripleized, the rear cassette is 11-32, and although it's been sporting 9-speed downtube shifters, I am taking a pair of modern R3000 Sora 3x9 levers, sanding the paint off, and polishing them. It's also wearing 40mm Donnelly XPlor gravel tires with the brown side wall against TB14 rims. Rides really well, even corners well for a big tire bike. Really digging it!

I may hop back to Dura-Ace. Thinning the herd right now and parts are on a different frame (all $15 of it!).

Pre-R3000 STIs right now:

An '85 620 in my size in my neighborhood?

If I sell two bikes to buy one, that's still thinning the herd, right?
jPrichard10 is offline  
Old 09-01-23, 07:26 PM
  #142  
RiddleOfSteel
Master Parts Rearranger
Thread Starter
 
RiddleOfSteel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,680

Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present

Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1553 Post(s)
Liked 2,006 Times in 984 Posts
Originally Posted by jPrichard10
An '85 620 in my size in my neighborhood?

If I sell two bikes to buy one, that's still thinning the herd, right?
A few years ago it was in the neighborhood when it was still blue. It had been in Bellingham but was bought, which is how it got down south. These long chain stay bikes just work for me at my height. I didn't expect these heavier rims and heavier tires to be as fun to ride or as responsive as the much lighter DT Swiss wheels and Soma 42mm tires I had on here post-powder coat, but here I am. And now with the new-to-me Sora brifters going on it soon, it's even more staying with me. Even with the components sourced cost-effectively, it's not going to be a price anyone here wants to pay. The money I have into the frame purchase, canti boss work, powder coat, and decals would have to be eaten and it's proven itself plenty of times to be worth being one of just two bikes if I had to have things paired minimally again. At times I wonder why I bother with smaller tire stuff.

Selling two bikes to buy one, leaving you with one, would be both a gross thinning of the herd as well as a net thinning of the herd. There may be a few more tall bikes in your size in your neighborhood up for sale, but if you're looking for '85 620s, yeah, they're not very common. I've seen a few pop up on CL in other states and maybe 1 in the US. A super ragged one was at Recycled Cycles briefly as a frameset a year ago or so, but I already had a fully-invested-in 620 (seen here) and a second didn't make sense.
RiddleOfSteel is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.