engineerbob

Yesterday, I bought a frame. No rust, and it's the correct size for me. However, the paint has had no love. Because it doesn't look like I can salvage/restore the paint, I'm leaning toward having the frame powder-coated.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Thanks.

Bob

bikemig 

This really isn't bad. I'd touch it up and ride it.

I have two vintage treks in the build queue: a 1983 Trek 720 and a 1978 TX 900. The paint job for both bikes is in significantly worse shape than your bike. I'm thinking of having one of the 2 repainted and touching up the other one. You'd be surprised how good a bike can look if you find (or mix) the right touch up paint.

Lazyass

I'm in the same boat with another frame. I'm most likely going to get it powdercoated and get some replacement decals and be done with it.

Pemetic2006

Touch up. That blue is great.

inkandsilver

If you want perfection, I could see painting it. I think that bike has some nice character.

Lascauxcaveman 

Ask your powder coat guy if he can do it without filling in the "Trek" embossed at the top of the seat stays. He should be able to.

Nothing rare or special about this frame, and it's pretty beat up, so I wouldn't hesitate to do it if it was mine and I wanted a nice looking, durable finish on it. If you like the original color, you can get a metalflake blue in PC pretty close to it, I'm sure.

Lazyass

It would look fine powdercoated.

engineerbob

The more I clean the frame, and see its imperfections up close, the more I like the idea of PC. Other than the "Trek" at the top of the seat stays, I don't need any identifiers: no "Reynolds" decals or even the "Trek" head tube badge. I know what the frame is, nobody else needs that information. Gloss black will work for me.

I talked to a shop in Boulder that can cold-set the rear triangle to 130mm from its current 127. It looks like I'll also need them to pull the BB's fixed cup.

Bob

markwesti

OK this is just me , I would get rid of those rack mnt. doughnuts . Then I would sand paper, Scotch Bright , putty filler , sand some more and paint your fav. color and clear coat . But that's just me . And be careful changing out those adjuster screws .

devinfan

I think the paint is beautiful. The reason it's chipped up is because it's an old bike that's seen a lot of use. I've built up frames in far worse shape than that and they still ended up looking nice with new bar tape, etc. Just my 2 cents I think it looks about 10x cooler now than with a generic black powdercoat. However it's your bike so do as you see fit.

lostarchitect 

I dunno. I think these older ones are not that common. Anyway, I have never seen a metal flake PC that looks even close to wet paint. I wouldn't PC it myself. It has a lot of character now and a new PC would reduce that to almost zero, in my opinion.

engineerbob

How would that go badly?

bikemig 

Agreed; the 700 series are not that common and were not made I believe for too many years.

Lascauxcaveman 

Originally Posted by markwesti
And be careful changing out those adjuster screws .




Pretty badly bent on the ends, very difficult to thread out that way. I've still got one in my Grandis that won't come out. Best bet is to try and run them back a bit, then drew the bent parts off, then back out forward. Hopefully the screw heads on the axle side aren't all smushed.

I've heard great things about them, I'm sure they're pretty great bikes but it seems they show up here quite a bit. Though I guess that may say more about here. But not so rare that you can't repaint it if you want.

SJX426 

700 series are not that common around these parts. I happened to come across one, 760, that was a project frame with rattle can paint job. The decals were masked off. Didn't have the original fork either.

WRT PC. There are good PC shops and hack PC shops. The good one around here is consumed with Military contracts and has effectively closed. He did great work of making sure the details didn't get buried in the thickness of the PC.

Your bike presents a challenge in deciding what to do about the paint. When I bought my Colnago, I was going to PC it. That was in 2009. It has not been touched as it is original only once and has tons of character, patina. From a distance, it looks pretty good. It will not be touched.

A Pinarello Tre Crime was picked up a couple of years ago. Not only were the decals missing but the pant was really shot. After stripping, the decision was deemed a good one. There was rust under the paint that was not visible. Having said that, we are not talking about Italian paint here but likely Imron. I stripped a 610 that was a super challenge. No rust under the paint. It too was a rattle canned to begin with and had rust under the rattle can paint but not the Imron.

My approach now is to leave well enough alone and determine if the bike is a keeper first. If it is, then I approach the question of "restoring" it wrt paint.

IMHO is that a 710 is worth restoring if you are going to keep it for a period of time. Don't remove any parts off the frame that are original regardless of what other say.

markwesti

Hey Bob , I said that because they appear to be bent with a mounged up thread , so if you were to just back it out it might get stuck and strip the i d thread . I would cut and file to get it all cleaned up before you back it out Also I didn't mean to say putty filler , I meant to say spot filler . spot filler is like a very thick primer and it comes in a tube (auto parts store should have it ) Glazing & Spot Putty 4.5 Oz at National Tool Warehouse to use it first give a good even sand then use the putty to fill the chipped areas , then lightly sand . I hope that helps . I like your frame .

The Golden Boy 

Why would you drew off the rack mounts on a touring frame?

The Golden Boy 

I disagree- pre 1980 700 series bikes are pretty special all the way around.

The Golden Boy 

If the bike isn't that special to you, I'll buy it from you. It seems a shame for it to have gone almost 40 years being an upper tier, Reynolds 531 Trek to just become a powdercoated nameless bike- with no prestige to it.

I'm proud to have old Treks. It's a global company that was started in a barn- this bike was made in that barn. There's an element of history to it, as well as being a cool, high end, functional bike.

lostarchitect 

Absolutely. One of these days I will find a late 70's 7XX or 9XX in my size, at a price I can afford.

engineerbob

I've opened up a can of worms.

I agree that it is cool, high end, and functional. Back in the late '70s and early '80s, I lusted after Treks but never took the plunge. Over the past few decades, the type of bicycle (responsive yet stable handling) that Trek sold has almost ceased to exist. Of course I would prefer to have found a 710 that had belonged to someone who valued it. But, a full 531 Trek in my size is elusive.

I've restored a few motorcycles, and I can appreciate the sentiment that something is original only once. So let's say that the bike retains its current finish. It still needs everything else. I intend to mount 700c wheels with a 9-speed cassette. The crank will almost certainly be a Sugino XD2. Although I haven't figured out the derailers, the current SunXCD looks promising. Drop bars, Dura Ace bar-end shifters, Brooks B17, Nitto stem. The brakes are a complete unknown. The result will appear period-correct, but it will not be original. It will, however, be very functional and fun to ride. Well, that's my hope.

If I lose interest in the project, I will PM you. FWIW, it is a 1981 710.

Bob

engineerbob

Removing them wasn't bad. The right side just needed to be straightened and then it backed out with no resistance. The left side was badly mangled, requiring a saw and some filing. Then, it too, came out easily.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Bob

markwesti

OK , I think I know what you mean GB . Like I said " it's just me " . Besides that they mock me .
Bob , I just put a set of Tektro double pivot brakes on my Centurion Ironman . Not period correct , but they look and work really good and they didn't break the bank .

rossiny

I think it is great what you are doing. I did that with a Raleigh super course with capella lugs. I built with some new and some new old stock. It has a 8 speed with brifters, dura ace. What I don't like personally is the fixxy craze. I just don't get it. Wouldn't u rather have gears?? make sure the guy u use for the powder coat is reputable. I had mind done by an ex body shop man {so he claimed ** and the clear coat is all peeling and never seemed to dry after weeks. so I may have to tear down again.. I am new to this vintage bike stuff, but the 710 is not too common. I have seen 400,311, never a 710

3speedslow

^^ Well personally, I get the Fixed Gear bike. They have been rolling on the roads for longer then most of us.

Try and find out what we are about.

Now, back to that great looking 710. I say run like you got it.