This Old Trek (Part 1: Introduction)

3 weeks ago 7

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Always searching for another project, Lucas picked up a beautiful 1984 Trek 830 yesterday, and he’s seeking input on how to rebuild it as a commuter ATB. Peek at his latest time capsule find, share your photos, and weigh in on the first installment of This Old Trek here…

Try as I might, even as someone who’s lived a largely clutter-free lifestyle for a couple of decades now, one thing I have a hard time resisting is a cheap and tall old 26-inch mountain bike. I’ve bought, tinkered with, and sold many over the years and currently have a few too many in my basement workshop.

The original listing photo as spotted on Facebook Marketplace

Yesterday, I stumbled upon a lugged, Wisconsin-built 1984 Trek 830 from a nearby seller on Facebook Marketplace, and seeing its condition, coupled with the fact that it came with a whole collection of retro accessories, I decided to pick it up for the fair price of $125. I bought it from the original owner’s family, and from what I can tell, other than the upgraded pedals, it’s bone stock, just as he would have purchased it in the mid-1980s. The frame and components are in great shape, and most of the wear was caused by time, not use. Even the brittle original tires have a generous amount of tread left.

Having sold my chrome 1986 Diamondback Ascent after submitting it as my entry to the Budget Bikepacking Build-Off and regretting it almost immediately, I’m again in the mood for something I can use to commute, cruise green trails, and take up mountain roads. Rather than building it all in the background, I’ll document it in a few parts as part of this ongoing This Old Trek series.

I’ll start by stripping the bike down to the bare frame and fork to give it a good inspection and cleaning and will rebuild it from there. My initial thought is to cold set the frame so I can fit in a 10-speed rear cassette and spec a 1×10 drivetrain, small front rack and basket, V-brakes, and something slightly swept back for handlebars. With quite a deep parts bin, I have many interesting options that I’ll present later, but I’m also seeking reader feedback. What would you leave or change if building it up as a commuter ATB? What does this frame need, and what should I avoid? Note that I’m not even remotely tied to the idea of keeping it period correct, so anything goes.

If you’ve rebuilt an old Trek, I’d also love to see some visual inspiration in the conversation below. Stay tuned for a handful of updates as I strip and rebuild it over the summer, eventually getting it out for a proper shakedown ride. Pearl Pass is calling!