If memory serves, the Trek 5200 is an aluminium bike?

Provided you haven't abused it, it should still be very safe. I still ride a cannondale CAAD 4 circa 2001-2, and it's still fine.

It may be worth looking into replacing cables, chain, and servicing the bike if it hasn't been touched in awhile though.

I'd ride that bike, my dad still rides his.

It's plenty safe. Still riding my 1977 grandad Lejeune Nuovo record. I changed tire for safety and chain for quality. Everything was cleaned and properly lubed. It should work for the 'ext century no problem. Performance wise my speed concept is better lol. That said I've raced it in an almost flat drafting triathlon and im certain it did not affect my results.

Interested in these answers.

I heard some discussion once that carbon goes 'flat' i.e. loses its stiffness and both my carbon bikes (circa 6 years old) seem to be a bit like riding a noodle now, but I'm not sure if it's all in my head.

It should last awhile with regular maintenance.

Just be sure to inspect the frame for cracks every so often. I got lucky last year and noticed a crack in my head tube when I was doing a complete tear down of my bike. Needless to say I bought a new frame immediately.

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Strava

Take it to a bike shop get it overhauled. Check BB, headset. Replace chain, cables etc. And enjoy the fun of passing people on brand new bikes :D

Its always time to upgrade as soon as the spousal unit gives approval (or stops saying no and goes to maybe).

As an addendum to this question: How long would you expect Di2 to last?

I have a 2004 aluminium Lemond with ~40,000 miles on it. Still on original bottom bracket, cranks and rear derailleur, though pretty much everything else on it has changed. Still runs great. A friend still rides a 1998 Saeco Cannondale Caad2 which I bought secondhand in 2006 and gave to him in 2010. Not sure of the mileage on it, but pretty sure that one is still on original wheels, BB, cranks and derailleurs, might even have the original shifters on it.

Get a bike shop or somebody who knows what they're doing to give it a look over, but no reason it shouldn't be perfectly safe. Of course if you want to upgrade then that should never be discouraged either!

1995 Cannondale SR900 here. Bought new in 1995. I have no idea how many miles are on it at this point. I used it as my daily commuter year round, and training bike from 1995 to 2004. I don't bike to work anymore (too far now), but its still my ONLY bike. I keep it generally clean, and it lives inside except when riding.

So, as long as you don't actually DAMAGE it, it should last pretty much forever. As someone above said, inspect the frame for cracks every now and again. Especially if you've crashed. But, nothing about the frame is just going to "give out" with decent care.

I've replaced the headset bearings a couple of times, wheels and hubs ever few years, and I think I've been through 3-4 BBs. Cranks/RD/FD/STI levers are original.

My 2014 Speed Concept has over 45,000 miles on it. Only replaced the rear cassette, chain and 3 sets of pedals.

I don't know about Di2 specifically. But, my general experience with electronic stuff on the bike is around 5ish years of semi-daily use. Water+road grime, shock and vibration, heat/cold, plus getting put away wet/dirty-ish and small electrical contacts eventually results on corrosion somewhere which has a cascade of electrical and mechanical effects.

I'm an electrical engineer, and have designed a lot of aviation and industrial rugged products over the years---things designed and proven to last 10-20 years. Things can be made to last longer, but that comes at a price: cost, size, and/or weight---although those can be traded for each other to a degree. Even at a high-end pricepoint like Di2, ultimately its still consumer-ish grade.

     I still ride and race on a 2004 Trek Team Time Trial. It was my first, and only, tri bike. It's been repainted twice and every part has been changed multiple times. It's been in one crash, 2008 IM Wisconsin, but has been well taken care of and serves me well. You can partially see what it looks like now in one of my profile pics.

trav

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"As for "xxxxxx"...what can I say? You sound like a dick. If you don't want to answer the question, just shut up." AllezPappa

If carbon were to lose its stiffness imagine what would happen with all the airplanes in the sky - which usually last for around 20 years.

My road bike (Eddy Merckx 3XM) is now 14 years old, and it's still super solid. Frame / fork / headset / stem / handlebar are all still from when I bought the bike; everything else has been upgraded or replaced over time. I'm looking at getting a new bike in a few months - really only because I want something new with more modern day technology (more aero frame, internal cable routing, etc).

The very first carbon bikes, like bikes made in the 1980s, were constructed by bonding carbon tubes to aluminium lugs. Over time the epoxy used in the lugs would break down and the bike would effectively become unglued resulting in a loss of stiffness. The issue is so profuse that you will not see very many of these bikes around today. However this design was fazed out decades ago so any bike made in the past 20-years or so will be fine. Carbon itself does not degrade over time so in principal a carbon frame will last much longer than a steel or allow frame.

it would be fun if bikes came with car-like ODOs...what a fun stat you have there!

That bike is running Shimano 600 Ultegra components - 8 speed. Probably a 53-39 paired with a 12-23 rear. Not for the faint of heart when it comes to working on hills.

As other have said the frame is probably fine if it has been taken care of. Replacing worn mechanicals with OEM is going to be a challenge, but certainly not impossible, you'll just have to look around.

I have a 1984 Panasonic Deluxe 4000 running a mix of Sun Tour and Shimano 600 Dura-Ace AX that I bought new and still ride once in a while in club rides. Finding replacement parts for that bike is really tough.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

Nice backdoor brag!

Mine does. A Garmin 510. Bike also has Dura Ace Di2 with zero issues.

What about replacements is tough?

Japanese bikes from that era usually use standards that have endured extremely well, like 68mm BSA bottom bracket shells. Not to mention that it sounds like your drivetrain is friction, so anything ought to be compatible with anything. And ebay is still packed with good period-correct components.

Hi NAB777,


This article might interest you. It's a fatigue test including a Trek OCLV frame that did very well.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/...ame_fatigue_test.htm


Cheers,
Damon

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Damon Rinard
Engineering Manager,
CSG Road Engineering Department
Cannondale & GT Bicycles
(ex-Cervelo, ex-Trek, ex-Velomax, ex-Kestrel)

Thanks all.

I have upgraded the groupset, and the last time I rode it, it was moving nicely... I might do as someone suggested & get a once over, then we're good to go.

Thanks for that.

I've found that road components last basically indefinitely if you do some basic maintenance and don't crash it too much. I have 10 speed 2006 Ultegra 6600 on my road bike that has been on three different frames. I can't bear to get rid of it as 6600 is awesome.

For carbon frames, there's a guy around here who's still riding his 1987 Kestral 4000, the white one with a steel fork. I know another guy who owns and occasionally rides a first gen Trek 2500 of similar age. I think if you take care of stuff and don't crash it, it will last indefinitely.