(Photos: Will Vanlue)
The latest edition of Locked Up is a blast from the past.
These days when you hear the name “Trek” what probably comes to mind are sleek, light weight, aluminum and carbon fiber frames.
However, there was a time not too long ago when those materials weren’t available to bike builders and frames were all made from steel.
I’m a big fan of steel framed bicycles personally so it was a treat to find a steel Trek road bike locked up on the corner of SW 2nd and Ash, just outside Captain Ankeny’s Well.
The bike featured downtube shifters…
And some original components, including a vintage Trek headbadge…
If you had any doubts the frame is made of steel, the original True Temper sticker was still intact…
It was great to see this bicycle out on the streets in good working order.
Have you found an interesting bike locked up? Let me know by sending pictures to will[at]bikeportland.org and we might just feature them in the next edition of Locked Up.
Thanks for reading.
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Quick release on the front wheel and no lock connecting it to the frame. Stolen wheel in 3…2…
I never lock my wheels… but I also never leave it locked and alone longer than a trip into the bar for a couple hours… bike parking at work is secure…
It takes approximately 7 seconds to disconnect a quick-release front wheel.
yeah but it generally takes 7 seconds at 3 in the morning downtown… i never locked my wheels and the one time they got stolen, so was the entire bike.
Maybe it’s my weird luck, or maybe it’s Portland, or maybe it’s the specific places I frequent in Portland, but I seem to see old Treks like this (and other classic bikes) fairly often.
Yeah, aren’t that a lot of bikes like these around? Especially Univegas.
I have a 1980s steel Bianchi touring bike locked into my garage. Does that count? 🙂
steel nice.
lugged steel sublime.
Love the old-school Zephal pump clip. Brings back memories of bike touring in my teens. I am going to call 86 or 87, ridden for a few years and the parked for 2 decades.
J- might be a good idea to be a bit more obscure in reporting location. Readers appreciate the bike, thieves want location
Thanks Wake,
I’ll pass that on to Will and we’ll keep that in mind.
Good thought Wake. I’ll obfuscate more next time.
Great looking bike!
Yuck!
seconded.
The Apel years I believe. Lovely.
Appel.
And it hasn’t been turned into a single-gear bike either.
That’s not my bike, because if it was, it wouldn’t be left on the street out of my sight, locked or not.
New, quality steel production bikes are still made, but they’re not as common as aluminum and carbon fiber.
Cap’t Ankeny’s is wrapped in windows. The bike would only be out of your sight if you were to visit the restroom.
good mix of Components 600 was a great groupo
whoa is that a nice old flight saddle? touring rims too 🙂
Ah, memories… I had a steel-frame Trek in the 1980s and early 90s. But I loved it to death… putting so many miles on it that the frame turned all mushy.
If I remember correctly the 80’s Treks were painted with DuPont Imron, which wears like iron. I’ve used my ’83 Trek 620 continuously since I bought it new and the paint is still shiny. These old Treks, especially the touring versions (the ’83 Trek catalog offered four touring bikes) make great commuters and utility bikes with their easy ride and good carrying capacity. My 620 rides almost as good as my custom Co-Motion Nor’wester (also steel, of course) and is more stable under load, much to my chagrin. Steel is easier to upgrade than aluminum or carbon. I had the rear triangle spread and aligned to fit a 7-speed cassette (from the original 6-speed Maillard Helicomatic) and over the years have migrated from down-tube friction to down-tube index, to SIS to bar-end shifters as each previous version wore out. It is still possible to get good 27″ tires as well, though not with the same selection available as 700C.
Shimano 600, post-Arabesque, makes it 1983 or later, if I recall. Non-aero brake levers make it 1986 or earlier, if I haven’t gone senile. I’ll guess 1984 or 1985.
A nice bike, for sure. I wanted a Trek, but ended up with a Fuji.
Nice Trek…pre ’86 vintage but it is still under warranty!
Nooooo! Non drive-side photos!
the angle of that saddle is giving me symapthy pains.
http://vintage-trek.com/
’85 Trek 420 in “taupe” is my best guess.
these keep getting more and more ridiculous. low end model trek with a clapped out, mismatched 600 gruppo? really?
Do yourself a favor and STOP trying to emulate John Prolly. Or at the very least don’t bother going for the “Portland aesthetic” of jank and disrepair. there are plenty of worthwhile bikes to photograph around town. not to mention MUCH better looking vintage treks around town. just don’t bother with those alu/carbon travesties held together by 20 year old krazy glue.
also, j.a. saddle angle = j.a. with boner problems.