AdventureManCO 

I hit up a local estate sale and found this magnificent bicycle. Based on the wonderful resource at vintage-trek.com, it looks like the bike is a 959 or 957 from around 1981 or 1982, based on the information I found about the bottom bracket, the cable routing, serial number, headbadge, etc. Feel free to correct or improve on that info! I can't quite tell it if it 1981 (based on the over-the-BB cable routing) or the serial number which indicated 1982. In any case, I can't believe I found this bicycle. I'm so used to finding cool bikes, but not in my size, and definitely not of this caliber. I have tried (and currently own) several vintage steeds. I had wanted to try a Trek road bike for a long time now since I've had a bit of a hankering for bikes made in USA, but I was thinking more like a 400 Elance or something. Certainly not something on this level.

Here is what I think I found from the 1980 price list for this package -




Could this really be what I found?

I feel like such a poser. I mean, I don't even own a pair of cycling shorts. I don't have one of those flip brim cycling caps. I'm just a casual cyclist that enjoys vintage steel. I've got a Peugeot PX-10 (incredible), a '73 Super Course (beautiful), a Gitan TdF (working on it...), an '87 Ironman (sharp), but this one is different. Tubulars? Never rode them. Campy derailleurs? Never even shifted one.

If anything, I'm happy this one has the Campy dropouts so I don't have to worry about the cracking issues.

Immediate plan is to air up the tubulars and see if they hold air. If the bearings all spin smooth, then tighten up bolts and take it for a test ride. Eventually every bearing surface will be repacked. Other than maybe new consumables, I have no plans to change anything (which is completely unlike me - I'm a non-purist mixmaster project bike kind of guy).

I just picked it up this morning, so these are all pictures from the back of the truck. Better pictures will be forthcoming when I can put it all together. What am I even going to do with a bike like this?

AdventureManCO 

AdventureManCO 

smd4

I'm gray with envy.

stardognine

Major congrats!!! 👍 And I'm jealous too, lol, but I don't REALLY want one that nice. I'm hard on paint. 😉

Drillium Dude 

Cool bike, and good for you for wanting to keep it as-is. Looking forward to more pics - especially of that saddle. Wtf is that - the rail system looks like nothing I've ever seen.

Think you'll like shifting those Campy derailleurs, despite what some here might say about their performance.

Prediction: as long as it fits, this might just become your favorite daily rider

DD

Mad Honk 

Great find! You will be surprised at the ride of this classic mount. Smiles, MH

AdventureManCO 

After a little more research, it sounds like the '957' is the model that came with the Campy Super Record. Mods, any way to edit the title?

Thanks!

smd4

A little elbow grease and polishing and a lot of those parts look like they will be near mint.

cb400bill

Thread title changed.

Congrats. I had a Super Record equipped 1985 Trek 770. Great bikes and I had no issues with how the bike shifted.

AdventureManCO 

Thank you sir!

RiddleOfSteel

Yup, 1982 957, dual TREK panels and all. Wonderful find!

My dream is to find one of these in white with the blue panels. It will need to be a 64cm, so, you know, that will be easy.

clubman 

It's a bike that can see you all the way out...

P!N20

Ride far, ride often.

shoota 

Wow what a find!

Wildwood 

Go buy a cap with the flippy brim,
leather cycling shoes, slotted cleats
leather hairnet racing helmet
wool shorts & jersey
Silica pump

a chain guard that says - Your Bike Sucks

for tubulars my recommendation would be VeloFlex for tan walls, Specialized for black. Or the best ones On Sale.

AdventureManCO 

Okay! Had to get the kids to bed, but finally got it out and moved to the garage. Aired up the tubulars and so far so good. Wow this thing is crazy light. Worst of the wear is the seat tube cluster. Is there an Imron silver sparkle paint match that is close? I feel like some sympathetic touch up would be a good idea.


flat tubulars

All aired up!


Campy everywhere


The paint will clean up nicely!

AdventureManCO 

Drillium Dude Asked about that seat. I think it is a Selle Italia. Here is a closer shot of the rails -




While I was there, this old thing was hanging off the railing next to the 957...


Rescued, of course!


...and it was funny, because it wasn't till I was on my way home at the end of the day from work that I had an epiphany...I actually had a wheelset for it! I've got a Dura-Ace front and a Sansin sealed bearing rear, both on matching Mavic rims, so I threw those on and I think it is a great match -



The stance is pretty aggressive on this one...just look at that front tire clearance! It should be fun to ride both and compare.

Yune_Garage 

That is an INCREDIBLE find! Its absolutely beautiful. The bonus is it sounds like it went to the perfect home! Cheers.

PS. Btw Don’t beat yourself up too much feeling like a “poser” lol I also don’t own any cycling shorts or jerseys or caps. I ride my ‘62 and 80’s steel bikes in pretty much anything but always with a stupid grin plastered on my face.

AdventureManCO 

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and comments! I have yet to try out the bike, but hopefully I'll get some nice daytime photos outside for you all to see.

I just checked and it appears as though Velocals has some of the decals I was looking for, which is awesome. I am going to remove the computer wire from the front end, and start cleaning things up.

I'm pretty tubular illiterate, btw. Is there a way to tell if the tape or glue is still good? I hear there is a danger of the tube coming off rolling around fast corners? I'm not planning any fast cornering, but would rather know what I'm getting into before I'm actually in the middle of it.

Any idea what an original type of bar tape would have been? I'm really open to suggestions on cleaning up and fine tuning everything with this one.

due ruote 

There are two ways a tubular can roll. One is loss of adhesion to the rim; the other is loss of adhesion between the tire and the backing tape that covers the stitching. The second is the one I would actually be more wary of with tires that old, not that I am ruling out the first. I would pump them up to 1/2 pressure, grab the rim with both hands, and use your thumbs to try to push the tire off the rim. Repeat at several points around the rim. See what happens. If they seem solid, a test ride should be fine, but I would be inclined still to keep it fairly short and don't rip around corners. But people ride on spares all the time that, while they may/should have been prepped with a layer of glue, aren't really glued on to normal standards.
I am pretty frugal, but I'd be circumspect about riding tires that old for very long. If they seem sound, keep them for spares, but it would be worth it to invest a pair of something pretty nice for that caliber of bike. You want to be able to put it through its paces without a nagging voice in your head telling you to slow down; remember those tires.

Beautiful bike, great find.

xiaoman1 

Thats a really beautiful bicycle and you were very lucky indeed....be sure to check out the alignment of everything before its maiden voyage...rear stay and front fork.
Enjoy the ride...once again, a nice find.
Best, Ben

kroozer 

Super score! Don't go feeling like it's too much bike or anything, you'll adjust soon enough.

kroozer 

I was kind of surprised looking at the prices on the spec sheet. $385 strikes me as kind of high for a bare Trek frame in 1980, I remember buying my Trek 710 frame (Reynolds 531) in 1982 for $225. And $1200 for components? You could get a complete Campy-equipped bike for considerably less than that back then. Am I missing something here?

due ruote 

I figured the $1199 package was frame + components.
I bought my Moto Team Champion with NR group in 1979 for $500 on a last year’s model 1/2 off sale. So the 1199 price doesn’t seem far off to me.