IceTee2

Folks,
I'm hoping that someone here can help me with this. I need a set of wheels to complete a rebuild of a 2005 Trek 520. I saw a set of MatrixTitan 36 spoke wheels laced to Maillard hubs and advertised as a Vintage Trek wheelset. I asked if the hubs would accept a 9-speed cassette (original equipment on this bike) and he responded that it would. Should I have asked if the rear is 130 mm spacing? Am I missing something here? The seller is asking >$200 for the pair and we live far enough apart to require shipping. I am building this bike as a learning experience in retirement so budget is important and I don't want to buy wheels that won't fit. Thanks in advance for your help on this...

dsbrantjr

I would go back to the seller and ask for the OLD spacing and for the length of the cassette splines. From this link: https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...patiblity.html
"7 speed have splines which measure about 32mm from the raised (taller)spline outer edge, to the outer edge of the freehub body where the cassette retainer ring screws into the hub...8-9-10 speed freehubs measure 35mm"

bboy314

I would get more info on that wheelset, maybe some pictures. As far as I know Maillard hubs were only made in a freewheel or helicomatic cassette version, neither of which would work with a 9 speed cassette. There may be more modern Maillard hubs I’m not familiar with though. The price of that wheelset seems high to me too but it’s hard to say without more details.

HillRider

"Vintage Trek" probably means a freewheel hub (or Helicomatic as noted) and it won't accept any modern cassette, never mind 9-speed. It may also be 120mm or 126mm OLD. Unless you insist on having "Trek" parts find something more up to date.

Measure the dropout spacing of your frame to determine if it's 130mm or 135mm and buy suitable newer wheels. Be sure the freehub takes 8-speed or higher cassettes. Anything up to 11-speed will take a 9-speed cassette but will need a spacer if the hub is 11-speed capable.

jimc101

2005 is not vintage, just a bit old, and anything that is sold as 'vintage' is unlikely to fit (that goes for pretty much any part).

The 'Maillard ' brand is from the pre-freehub era, you may see items sold as 10 speed, this would relate to the old description of 10 speed, which is 5x2, not a 10 speed cassette as is understood today, Maillard is long gone as a company, going in 1988, being bought by Sachs, when then became part of SRAM The Helicomatic Museum (borgercompagnie.com)

Looking at the spec of the bike, it had LX hubs as standard, these are 135mm OLD MTB hubs, check this by measuring your frame, and then look for a wheelset which is the same spec, your probably need to go to a wheel builder, as 135mm (MTB wheelset and 700c rim brake combinations) wheels weren't a common thing back in 2005, and are even less to today, although look around and you may find what you need

https://archive.trekbikes.com/us/en/2005/trek/520

HillRider

One more thing. Those Vintage wheels may be 27" (ISO 630). Your bike requires 700c (ISO 622) rims.

I agree that 2005 is not at all vintage. I have a bike from 1996 which I don't consider vintage.

EDIT: Here is a suitable low cost candidate from REI: 700c, 135mm OLD, quick release, 36 spokes. https://www.rei.com/product/202024/e...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

And another from Jenson but 32 spokes: https://www.jensonusa.com/Quality-Wh...4aAvPyEALw_wcB

Iride01 

Trek has a pretty decent archive for it's bike models. https://archive.trekbikes.com/ca/en/...ek/520/details

So let's just go with 700C . New 520's are 135 OLD on the hub. But for that old a bike I'd just measure and see to be certain.

For 200 bucks or a little more you ought to be able to find brand new wheels if you aren't too picky about the brand.

veganbikes

Find a good wheel builder and have them build you a set of wheels if you have the money, they are likely to last for a long time and be built to your specs. Otherwise your local shop will have wheels as well.

tFUnK

I would stay away from that vintage sounding wheelset and look for something more modern (mid 2000s). If you aren't planning to tour then you don't even need heavy duty 36h wheels.

70sSanO

Don’t buy those wheels. Maillard was a French company that was bought by Sachs a German company. Sachs produced great freewheels and in the 90’s offered both freewheels and cassettes and re-branded Campy Ergo shifters. In the late 90’s they were purchased by SRAM. I don’t recall Maillard ever making Shimano compatible freehubs. You are throwing away $200 and those are not even that desirable for resale.

You need to measure your dropout width. Velomine offers decent wheels at decent prices. Their site is a little tough to navigate these days but you can used the search for 130mm or 135mm wheelsets.

Make sure you get rim brake compatible wheels.

John

etherhuffer 

The 520 is a touring bike. Will you tour on it or do lightly loaded touring? Are you heavy or light?
If you are on a budget and just want to tool around on the bike, pre made wheels that are not costly are just fine
If you intend to tour or are heavier or both, get good wheels. With the huge price inflation since the pandemic, wheels can be sort of spendy, more than the bike itself.
For a good decent set look at Deore hubs, touring rims of any brand. Most will have 2.0mm straight gauge spokes.
For a long term good wheel, Deore hubs, touring rims, butted spokes.
Have fun with the project, you have a nice frame to work with.

dedhed

https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...4gtn1sjk2oplt3

​​​​​​https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...4gtn1sjk2oplt3

davidad

The 520 has 135 spacing in the rear dropouts. Get or build a wheel with a shimano hub for long life and reliability.

ClydeClydeson

All great advice here...

To reiterate:

-Maillard hubs would be from a much much older bike and will not be compatible with a 2005 model
-You need a rear 8, 9, 10 speed cassette hub (all use the same spacing) with 135mm spacing

Andrew R Stewart 

While rear hubs with a cassette/freehub are, IMO, better WRT axle bending issues there's no mechanical reason to not be able to use a freewheel hub on a bike with a 135mm drop out width. Before I moved onto current Phil cassette hubs I did this on my own bikes that then were Campy NR hubbed. Andy (who is selling a 2012 520 over in the BF classifieds)

70sSanO

An issue with freewheels today, are the freewheels that are made today.

I have one 7 speed freewheel bike for around town with a Sachs Aris 12-32. I am fortunate to have a few Sachs Aris and a Shimano 7400.

Outside of IRD, I don’t think anyone makes a good freewheel anymore.

John