Identify this model year of Trek 1500

Triathlon Forum
1

I’m cross posting this for a friend from a different forum:

I have a problem.

My father wants to sell his bike, which he does not ride. It’s a Trek 1500, 54cm. A nice bike, he bought it on Ebay awhile back, but he just doesn’t ride it.

The problem is, I have no idea what model year it is. So when I sell it (be it on Ebay, Agora, whatever), I won’t have a model year. And that just looks awkward and bad.

Google-fu hasn’t helped: I really can’t find a picture of a specefic model year of Trek 1500, mostly just random pictures. And most of the sites I’ve seen just talk about reviews of new ones, stuff like that.

First off: The Pictures

Some of the pictures focus in on the “aftermarket” wheels and tires, which came from the previous owner, but whatever. I figure if someone is very familiar with Trek 1500s, the pictures will scream “omg model year XXXX”.

Anyhoogle, any help would be much appreciated. That, and if you know anyone who needs a bike… http://episteme.arstechnica.com/images/biggrin_old.gif

Thanks!

2

This bike is only a few years younger than I am…

The components scream ‘early 90s’, and the frame, being welded like it is, suggests sometime after Trek purchased Klein. Ballpark '94 maybe? Someone else have a better idea?

If it comes to it, try e-mailing the serial # to Trek. They might be able to pin it down for you.

3

Basing my guess on the STD shifters and stem, I estimate somewhere around 1995.

When your father bought the bike, what was the age description on eBay?

4

I’m gonna say it’s an '86, '87 or '88.

http://www.vintage-trek.com/TrekBrochures.htm

Look here to see what you can piece together.

5

I’d second 94-95 with the introduction of STI…but the Shimano 600…which became Ultegra…I thought that was gone by 95…Wasn’t Klein purchase 93?

6

Klein and Fisher were both bought in '93 is my understanding. That’s why I guessed '94…cuz they started implementing Klein’s welding almost right away.

'86 sounds too early, because as I’ve been told, Trek bikes (even aluminum) before the Klein purchase were adhesive bonded.

7

I have a 1990 Trek 1400 Downtube shifters (indexed woo woo :slight_smile: and 7 speeds. (His is 8 speed) Which also speaks to early 90’s

8

Hmmm…I just assumed the STI shifters were add-ons. Did STI pre-date dual pivot brakes? I stopped working in the bicycle retail world (my shop sold the Trek line) in '89 so the early 90’s are a blank spot for me though.

9
10

Nope. It’s a 1990 frameset, orig. brakes, crank, derailleurs; maybe orig. stem and bars.

The other stuff is from all over the place.

The ladies are in the living room watching some chick flick; I have time to kill on this one.

11

When was 8 speed introduced? That actually required a wdier back stay set-up than anything prior as far as I understand

12

8s was the first generation of your 130mm rear spacing. That’s why all current hubs are 8/9/10 compatible (except in 10s specific spline depth).