2011 Best of the Bay Winner

Retro-Refitting a Classic Trek

July 31, 2009 // 1 Comment »

Last week one of our Franklin Street neighbors brough by this 20+ year old custom frame Trek bicycle.  I believe the seat tube was at least 34″ long (the average length seat tube for an adult, 6ft male is 20-21″).   This was a BIG bike!

Before Images:

What he was interested in was being able to ride it again, but also shedding some weight from the bike by removing the derailleurs, shifters and non-essential sprockets / chain rings.  After gaining a little more insight as to how and where he was planning to use the bike we worked out a plan to retro-fit into the single speed rig pictured below.

Because he was as interested in comfort as he was in riding efficiency, we went with a large comfort seat, rather than something a little lighter, sportier and aerodynamic.  Also, since speed wasn’t much of an issue, we went with a very popular touring tire from Vittoria as opposed to a thinner, slicker road racing type tire.  Everything non-essential to his riding experience in urban Tampa’s flat downtown terrain was sent to the recycle bin.

Check out the final results…

After Images:

“Retro-fitting” older bikes with new parts (wheelsets, cranks, tires, brake levers, cables, seats, pedals, grips, bar tape,  etc.) is a great way to bring a well-built classic frame into the 21st century.  It also gives the rider / owner something unique to take pride in while spinning around town.  Not to mention breaking the monotony of riding the same brands and styles that just about every other rider around town is sporting these days.

If you’re interested in seeing what City Bike Tampa can do with your old frame & fork sets, come see us, give us a call (813-225-1777) or drop us an email.  We love to hearing from our fans!

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Posted in Ride Blog