Info on 1986 Trek 620

In article <[email hidden]>, Mark Traphagen

Quoted message said:

Knowing my growing frustration with attempting touring with my Trek mountain bike, my wife just
snapped up a 1986 Trek 620 for $200 on Ebay. It is supposedly mint condition, ridden only 20 miles
and hung in a garage until now. If any of you are familiar with this bike, I'd appreciate some
opinions/info.

Great classic touring bike.

Quoted message said:

First, sizing...I weigh about 160 lbs., and 5'6" tall and buy pants with a 30 length. The frame
specs are 47 c.m. seat tube, 52 c.m. top tube, and 45.5 c.m. chainstays. Should this fit me OK?

That is the 19" size, and I think that's probably a bit on the small side for you. My guess is you
really want the 21", and the
22.5" is probably too big for you.

Quoted message said:

Second, what components, if any, should I look first to upgrade...and will I be able to find newer
components that will fit?

That is an eminently servicable bike, easy to find parts for.

First of all, there does not appear to be a 620 listed in the 1986 catalog. If you have the 1985
model, then it is likely that the rear hub and cogs are Helicomatic. That would be the first thing
to change. My recommendation is to take the bike to a shop, have the rear triangle widened to 130 or
135mm, and replace the rear wheel with one that has a modern cassette hub. The Helicomatic cog
design was never any good even when new, and you would find it challenging to find parts for the
hub, or cogs.

If I'm mistaken and you actually have a hub with a threaded freewheel, then there is no urgent need
to replace anything on the bike if it's functioning properly (although a modern cassette would still
be a good idea, and required if you want to install a 9-speed drivetrain). In fact, other than basic
service to make sure that everything is adjusted properly, it's probably best to ride the bike for
at least a few weeks before spending lots of money on upgrades. If the bike doesn't fit you, you
should sell it as-is without sinking any money into it.

You can find out more about your bike here: vintage-trek.comvintage-trek.comOpen ↗

They have information on serial numbers which should help you date the bike more accurately, and
scanned catalogs.

--Paul

Thanks for the responses, guys. Mike, don't worry about my wife, she knows it was a crapshoot and
won't be disappointed if it doesn't work out.

As far as size, we'll wait and see. While I am 5'6", I have very short legs and usually feel more
comfortable on a bike a little smaller than other people my height would use.

mark t