The Chainlink

I'm in the market for an old steel hybrid (or just a frame) for my 2 speed project. After wasting a lot of time trying to unseize a seat post on an old Trek 800 Mountain Track, my dear brother suggested a 700c instead of a 26". That suggestion makes a ton of sense as my 3 speed rolls 700c and therefore I'd have spare wheels and I could swap the tires, just stock one size of spare tubes etc.

What I need help with, dear Chainlinkers, is finding examples of what I'm looking for so when I post to the Marketplace and Craig's I can cite those names as the kinds of bike/frame I'm looking for.

Also, if you have a tall version of a bike or frame that meets the requirements we can cut the process short by just selling me the bike or frame. :)

Must have:

- horizontal dropouts 

- 700 c 

- tall enough for a 6' 3" rider. (22"+)

Nice to have:

- canti brake bosses

- lots of braze-ons for racks and fenders

- rigid fork

So help me refine the search. I'm also happy to entertain suggestions about the list of requirements. My goal is to build a 2 speed, year-round commuter/utility bike. The initial build might be a SS/fixed that I'll ride while I'm building the rear wheel.

I've had a load of trouble with fender clearance using an old road bike frame for my 3 speed build, so to avoid that, and so that I'd have more room to experiment with different tires I'd like the extra room afforded by a hybrid frame. 

EDIT: per this discussion http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-713011.html the 7XX series Trek Multi-Tracks sound like the kind of thing I'm looking for.

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You want a Trek 750 or 790 from around 1989 to 1993.  They used the same frame as the 520 touring bike, with a stiffer fork angle.  Not sure about horizontal dropouts though-- that may be a tall order. 

I believe they went to Alu around mid-90s, and the 700/720/730 are heavier Tiawanese made bikes.

Well lookee here... it may even be your size:

http://for-sale.yakaz.com/trek-750-bike#lo=4&docid=000cl6g3mlv6...

Nice find! thanks Howard. It seems a bit too nice to hack up into a frankentility bike though. $265 seems crazy high for that bike - although if it really is near mint then I suppose it may be worth that much to a collector. It would be kind of awesome to start the project with a made in Wisconsin frame, but my current budget would rules out dropping any more than $100 or so on the donor.

h' said:

Well lookee here... it may even be your size:

http://for-sale.yakaz.com/trek-750-bike#lo=4&docid=000cl6g3mlv6...

looking for a frame?  Here is a bunch of new frames at a good price, my last 4 bikes were build ups from a frame from here. lotsa choices

 

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10052&st...=

 

Jerry

Disagree strongly. $265 is a very good price for that bike, and not just for someone interested in the collectability. It's barely ridden, US made butted cro-moly. Original retail probably $600, and well worth it at the time. If it's got the original wheels, which I presume it does, they're basically bomb-proof.

Anyways... good to know about the $100 ceiling.  Definitely a needle in a haystack you're looking for.



Tony Adams said:

Nice find! thanks Howard. It seems a bit too nice to hack up into a frankentility bike though. $265 seems crazy high for that bike - although if it really is near mint then I suppose it may be worth that much to a collector. It would be kind of awesome to start the project with a made in Wisconsin frame, but my current budget would rules out dropping any more than $100 or so on the donor.

h' said:

Well lookee here... it may even be your size:

http://for-sale.yakaz.com/trek-750-bike#lo=4&docid=000cl6g3mlv6...

I can't think offhand of anyone besides Trek who made a steel hybrid frame...if Specialized ever did, it's going to be of the heavy foreign-made variety.  Univega maybe? I wouldn't want one (even though they are typically credited with 'inventing' the hybrid.)

Specialized did make a couple of hybrid-type frames in the 90s. They were welded frames and probably Taiwanese-made. One nicer than the other, but I am forgetting their names at the moment. Univega did make a really nice 700c hybrid for a couple of years in the early 90s called the Via de Oro that was specced with Suntour XC Pro. I had one until it was stolen a few years ago, and it was a nice all-rounder. Later versions got things like STX RC and grip shifters. 750s like the one in the link above are nice bikes, though I am not personally a fan of how they feel (I picked one up for a winter bike a couple of years ago), and the price for the above example looks good to me.

You could always go with an older steel Schwinn frame and go from there. I did one for the GF and was fairly inexpensive and had clearance for some good sized tires. Below is about $325  total and has 700x38c

Univega made an Activa Trail hybrid with horizontal drops, canti's and a hanger..........

 

Thanks David and Howard. The price for the above example may be good, but for my purposes it isn't practical to spend that much. I'm looking at... I dunno $150 or so to build a rear wheel and if I add that to the $265, I think I'm getting into the range of a new 2 speed. I fergit what it was, but Blue City had a pretty cool two speed for sale last summer.


David P. said:

Specialized did make a couple of hybrid-type frames in the 90s. They were welded frames and probably Taiwanese-made. One nicer than the other, but I am forgetting their names at the moment. Univega did make a really nice 700c hybrid for a couple of years in the early 90s called the Via de Oro that was specced with Suntour XC Pro. I had one until it was stolen a few years ago, and it was a nice all-rounder. Later versions got things like STX RC and grip shifters. 750s like the one in the link above are nice bikes, though I am not personally a fan of how they feel (I picked one up for a winter bike a couple of years ago), and the price for the above example looks good to me.

Good to know, I'll add that to the list. Thanks Todd.


Todd Boring said:

Univega made an Activa Trail hybrid with horizontal drops, canti's and a hanger..........

THanks Jerry. Given the uh, challenge of finding what h' probably accurately describes as a needle in a haystack, I may end up going this route. I had no idea I could get a new frame for $40! While I prefer steel, given my price limits I might end up going with aluminum - but I'm not seeing anything there in a 700c with horizontal drops. I guessing the inventory changes over time so I'll try to remember to keep an eye on it.

As a last resort I may end up going this route as there are lots of old Schwinns available. 

Joe Willis said:

You could always go with an older steel Schwinn frame and go from there. I did one for the GF and was fairly inexpensive and had clearance for some good sized tires. Below is about $325  total and has 700x38c



Jerry Lee said:

looking for a frame?  Here is a bunch of new frames at a good price, my last 4 bikes were build ups from a frame from here. lotsa choices

 

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10052&st...=

Also it looks like those are not horizontal dropouts?

http://www.reachoo.com/ads/76244596?utm_source=yakaz

h' said:

Disagree strongly. $265 is a very good price for that bike, and not just for someone interested in the collectability. It's barely ridden, US made butted cro-moly. Original retail probably $600, and well worth it at the time. If it's got the original wheels, which I presume it does, they're basically bomb-proof.

Anyways... good to know about the $100 ceiling.  Definitely a needle in a haystack you're looking for.



Tony Adams said:

Nice find! thanks Howard. It seems a bit too nice to hack up into a frankentility bike though. $265 seems crazy high for that bike - although if it really is near mint then I suppose it may be worth that much to a collector. It would be kind of awesome to start the project with a made in Wisconsin frame, but my current budget would rules out dropping any more than $100 or so on the donor.

h' said:

Well lookee here... it may even be your size:

http://for-sale.yakaz.com/trek-750-bike#lo=4&docid=000cl6g3mlv6...

A Surly CrossCheck frameset is worth a look as well..................a frame that will hold some substantial value down the road and offers several build options. Bonus if you can find a used one your size

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