cdaniels

I am new to Trek bikes but found one that interested me. I have searched the internet including vintage-trek.com but can not find this head badge. Can someone tell me about this one, why is it so different and small. Sorry for the grainy picture.

Not sure what number designation it is yet. It has the wrap around seat tube decal and no down tube decal. It is a 531 frameset. It has pantographed seat stays. it also is full Campagnolo. I don't know if the campy parts are original or not. It is charcoal grey with the silver wrap around decal and shadows behind the lettering. I have not ridden it yet as it did not come with wheels but I should have it up and riding shortly.

Velikus

Did you look up the serial number on the bottom bracket? Should give you some info. Interesting headbadge for sure.

cdaniels

I tried to check the S/N but it didn't make any sense to me. My best guess is an 85, the crank arms are 85"s and the s/n starts with a 5. I amore interested in the head badge though. The attached pictures are from the guy I got it from.

bargainguy

I've seen that decal but never as a headbadge. Can't remember where I've seen it, but it might have been on a fork blade - and a steel one at that.

Edit: Just saw the above pix. Something is off. The seat panel Trek decal should be centered, not that high up like that. Is this a respray?

merziac

Just another one of the many that they used, seen plenty of them but no real info, maybe Mr. Thompson will chime in and enlighten us.

IMO, this one is from the right era but still not my thing.

cdaniels

I haven't seen anything yet that would indicate a respray. Most of the bikes I have dealt with are lower production quantities (smaller manufacturers) and the decals never seam to be in the same exact location as the next one. For example early 70's Peugeot PX10's seem to vary about an inch or more on the down tube decal placements.

I did forget to mention it has a third bottle mount underneath the down tube, odd?

Mad Honk 

It is a respray for sure! The tubing decals may be correct and are placed accordingly. The seat tube decal is not from an '85 though I let about six of those go out last year to folks here on BF and I don't think this is one of those. the double eyelets and rack braze ons look like a touring frame maybe a 620? But prior to 85 is my guess. Smiles, MH

cdaniels

You might be right about the respray, I found what looks like a match in a 83 720 Touring, it even has the 3rd bottle mount.

bikemig 

The 720s had 2, not 3, water bottle mounts. I don't know of any Trek from that era with 3 mounts.

Edit: the '82 and '83 had braze ons for 2 water bottles. Looks like the '84 had 3 and the '85 had 2 so my mistake on the '84.

cdaniels

OK, not trying to argue but a Google search shows several with 3 mounts.

bargainguy

Now I remember that headbadge decal. It's the seat tube decal just below the top tube on the '84 460 / 560 / 660:

https://www.vintage-trek.com/images/t...rek1Racing.pdf

Velikus

If the serial is 053586, as it appears to me, then, according to vintagetrek.com, it's a model 600, 22 inch frame, made 1983.

bikemig 

Looks like the '84 did have 3. Interesting.

The pic you posted is of a 1983 Trek 720 and that has 2. The 1982 had 2.

johnnyace 

This. The down tube decal is 1983 graphics, and the serial number confirms the size and model number. As to why that sticker is on the head tube, I have no idea. I don't think that graphic was around until later 80s.

johnnyace 

I agree with the respray assessment. Based on the serial number, the 1983 Trek 600 would have had a 2-color scheme: vermilion red with silver panel and head tube, or pewter with light blue panel and head tube.

madpogue 

I have that ^^^^^ logo on the seat tube of my '84 420. My '85 600 is missing the head badge, but it has a stickum outline of an oval head badge.

Is there another digit to the left of the first 5, drowned in paint? If not, and it's indeed an '83 600 as shown above, the frame has been worked on, or was ordered custom. A 1983 600 would have a 531c frame, but an unspecified-brand "manganese alloy" fork. It also wouldn't have had shifter braze-ons or bottle cage bosses on the seat tube. And I've never seen a Trek of that era with a pump peg on the back of the head tube.

Maybe it was custom ordered/built with the added frame bits, which would explain the expected seat tube panel, but located higher than "stock". Or maybe the frame went back to Trek for repair while in service, at which time the non-stock braze-ons were added and the bike was resprayd. Wouldn't be the first early-mid-'80s Trek we've seen with seemingly paradoxical features, and darn sure won't be the last. We do seem to love mysteries here.

SJX426 

Just to be repetitive but with a pic. This bike was rattle canned but he decals were masked off.
WP_20141102_004 on Flickr

beicster 

If it is an 83 600, then the tubing sticker is wrong. They had 531c main tubes but not in the fork and stays.

The Golden Boy 

Just hopping on- The “head badge” is the 1984 decal that was on either side of the seat tube just under the seat cluster.

The seat tube wrap is entirely too high- I don’t recall any bikes with that wrap having seat tube bottle bosses.

markk900

I hazard a guess the braze ons were added later and the bike repainted after that. Whoever did it used whatever decals they could easily find (though the 600 as stated never had Reynolds forks or stays so should have a “main tubes” sticker only). Still a nice bike….

oh and I don’t believe campy victory/triomphe (can’t remember which one the OP has) was ever spec’d on a trek.

bargainguy

'85 410 spec'd with Triomphe. It was new back then:

https://www.vintage-trek.com/images/trek/85TrekSport.pdf

madpogue 

Wasn't Trek still taking custom frame build orders in '83?

WRT the components, they're all a notch or two above what would have come stock on this model.

himespau 

1984 bike welded in late '83?

cdaniels

Thanks for all the information guys, I appreciate it.

madpogue 

^^^^^^^ I thought about that, but the serial number is pretty low to be considered "late" '83. In any event, it has "birthmarks" of both years ('83-ish seat tube panel, '84-ish logo mysteriously placed on the head tube).