Show your Trek Multitrack!
#876
[MENTION=556296]Hi_c[/MENTION]
Look forward to seeing your 750 and 520 too. I'm curious how different your 520 is from the 750. The 520 I have is from the last year or two of lugged 520s and is pretty much identical to the lugged 750/790 framesets from what I can tell. My early 80s 614 is pretty different and more of a "sport touring" / lighter frame though it rides great in it's own way. Does your 84 520 share a lot with the 750 you picked up?
Look forward to seeing your 750 and 520 too. I'm curious how different your 520 is from the 750. The 520 I have is from the last year or two of lugged 520s and is pretty much identical to the lugged 750/790 framesets from what I can tell. My early 80s 614 is pretty different and more of a "sport touring" / lighter frame though it rides great in it's own way. Does your 84 520 share a lot with the 750 you picked up?
#877
1991 Trek 750
1984 Trek 520
Here is my 1981 Trek Multi Track 750 and my 1984 Trek 520 Touring bike. I love the 520, but get annoyed on longer rides by its single bottle cage mount. So considering that the early 750s share frames with the same years of 520, I built up a similar 750. So far the 750 has been a great ride, slightly stiffer and heavier, but feels great!
#878
Great looking rides Hi_C! How do you like the 1by setups? I assume the simplicity is nice.
From what I see your 520 looks a lot like my '82 613. I was able to dimple the chainstays and run 42's front and rear with reasonable space. Really fun bike for unloaded, mixed surface rides but wouldn't be the best bike with a lot of weight I don't think. It's also a Reynolds 531 frame (maybe just main frame tubes?) but looks like it's got a different fork and shorter chainstays.
I think my 520 is a '92 but am not totally sure. I don't have a 750/790 in the same size to take measurements for comparison but this era 520 and the 750/790 frames do look very similar when compared. This bike keeps going through revisions but none have stuck yet. Frame has a great feel and drop bar touring, including mixed surfaces, is probably where it will end up build wise.
From what I see your 520 looks a lot like my '82 613. I was able to dimple the chainstays and run 42's front and rear with reasonable space. Really fun bike for unloaded, mixed surface rides but wouldn't be the best bike with a lot of weight I don't think. It's also a Reynolds 531 frame (maybe just main frame tubes?) but looks like it's got a different fork and shorter chainstays.
I think my 520 is a '92 but am not totally sure. I don't have a 750/790 in the same size to take measurements for comparison but this era 520 and the 750/790 frames do look very similar when compared. This bike keeps going through revisions but none have stuck yet. Frame has a great feel and drop bar touring, including mixed surfaces, is probably where it will end up build wise.
Last edited by jpbiking; 08-31-22 at 10:42 PM.
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#879
Btw, for anyone following along and looking for a 750: a pristine, all original 750 in the small size (like Hi_C's above) showed up on Facebook for a reasonable price in the last 24 hours here in South East TN. If it's around in a few days I may grab it though I'm out of room for more bikes...
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...3908486804956/
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...3908486804956/
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#880
I like 1x setups, mostly for the simplicity and considering that where I live in the Midwest is completely flat, they serve my purpose well. I’m partial to the setup on my 520, as it has a bigger front chain ring, but I’ll remedy that in time on the 750. I do like how much tire clearance the 750 has, I’m running 43mm Gravel kings on it and could still easily mount fenders. In contrast, I have 38mm on the 520 and that’s absolutely the largest tire that will fit inside the fork.
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#881
Member
I use this one:
https://www.astrotools.com/product/1...ut-assortment/
You may also find a right angle drill useful for getting between the down tube and seat tube to drill the holes for the rivnuts.
#882
Senior Member
Great looking rides Hi_C! How do you like the 1by setups? I assume the simplicity is nice.
From what I see your 520 looks a lot like my '82 613. I was able to dimple the chainstays and run 42's front and rear with reasonable space. Really fun bike for unloaded, mixed surface rides but wouldn't be the best bike with a lot of weight I don't think. It's also a Reynolds 531 frame (maybe just main frame tubes?) but looks like it's got a different fork and shorter chainstays.
I think my 520 is a '92 but am not totally sure. I don't have a 750/790 in the same size to take measurements for comparison but this era 520 and the 750/790 frames do look very similar when compared. This bike keeps going through revisions but none have stuck yet. Frame has a great feel and drop bar touring, including mixed surfaces, is probably where it will end up build wise.
From what I see your 520 looks a lot like my '82 613. I was able to dimple the chainstays and run 42's front and rear with reasonable space. Really fun bike for unloaded, mixed surface rides but wouldn't be the best bike with a lot of weight I don't think. It's also a Reynolds 531 frame (maybe just main frame tubes?) but looks like it's got a different fork and shorter chainstays.
I think my 520 is a '92 but am not totally sure. I don't have a 750/790 in the same size to take measurements for comparison but this era 520 and the 750/790 frames do look very similar when compared. This bike keeps going through revisions but none have stuck yet. Frame has a great feel and drop bar touring, including mixed surfaces, is probably where it will end up build wise.
#883
Very similar and a great deal at $40. I think they may have switched to tig welded frames, like yours, in 93 or so and also kept the green / gold color scheme for a few years around that time. I bet yours was just a year or two newer.
#884
Newbie
Picked this n720 up the other day
I picked up this baby the other day from FB marketplace. Only cost $20. Plus another $10 for a 2005 Multitrack 7000. Which I did not really want. This picture is of a 1993 720 multitrack. My guess from talking to the seller, is he wanted the bikes out of his garage. They were both his son's bikes that were stored under an open covered structure. There is some rust on the 720. The 7000 has 5 broken spokes on the front wheel. That means a new front wheel. I have to say, that the only reason I purchased the 720 was because of this thread. The 7000 was just an extra. You all got me hooked on the 720. Have a great holiday weekend.
#885
Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12
Bikes: Specialized diverge, trek multitrack 750
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Love the thread guys!!
Just picked up a multitrack 750 off of OfferUp $70. Everything seems to be original and in good condition minus the shifters and the brakes. Not sure the year but from pics I've seen, looks like it could either be a 95 or '97. It's midnight blue with gray decals, pic coming as soon as I'm able to
#886
Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12
Bikes: Specialized diverge, trek multitrack 750
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Any recommendations on tires? Main uses for the bike is running errands all paved roads and riding with the kids on bike paths. I have the gravel king SS on my gravel bike and they've been working out for me so I'm thinking of trying to gravel King slick plus for the multitrack
#887
Newbie
I have used Kenda Kross Plus for years on two different mountain bike's riding light trail's and street. Pretty fast on road and just drop some pressure for the trail's.
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#890
Newbie
#891
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Kips Bay, NY
Posts: 2,248
Bikes: Ritchey Swiss Cross | Teesdale Kona Hot | Haro Extreme | Specialized Stumpjumper Comp | Cannondale F1000 | Shogun 1000 | Cannondale M500 | Norco Charger | Marin Muirwoods 29er | Shogun Kaze | Breezer Lightning
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Im using Continental Speed Rides tires on my '94; I find them a great value for road and offroad. Cheap, light, and effective.
#892
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,859
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
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Any recommendations on tires? Main uses for the bike is running errands all paved roads and riding with the kids on bike paths. I have the gravel king SS on my gravel bike and they've been working out for me so I'm thinking of trying to gravel King slick plus for the multitrack
I'd stay away from any "Plus" tire (in GKs or Schwalbe) as they will give you better flat protection at the (heavy) price of much more weight and slow rolling. Unless you're in a very flat-prone area (goatheads, heavy urban glass...), "Plus" tires aren't needed. You lose a lot in terms of speed, for no real benefit.
#893
Newbie
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12
Bikes: Specialized diverge, trek multitrack 750
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GK slicks (in 38mm at least) will run well on your 750. I did a drop bar conversion on a '91 750 for my girlfriend. She uses the bike for touring. The GK semi-slicks are a good choice also. GKs are fast tires, I'd run the largest tire that will fit..I think GKs come in 40mm or 42mm(?). Comfort goes way up without having to pay a lack of speed price. For touring, she runs Schwalbe Big Ben tires(as do I, only in 26 in). I believe the 700c version of the Big Ben is call the Little Big Ben. They have more meat on them and are better on slick trail conditions, while still a very fast tire.
I'd stay away from any "Plus" tire (in GKs or Schwalbe) as they will give you better flat protection at the (heavy) price of much more weight and slow rolling. Unless you're in a very flat-prone area (goatheads, heavy urban glass...), "Plus" tires aren't needed. You lose a lot in terms of speed, for no real benefit.
I'd stay away from any "Plus" tire (in GKs or Schwalbe) as they will give you better flat protection at the (heavy) price of much more weight and slow rolling. Unless you're in a very flat-prone area (goatheads, heavy urban glass...), "Plus" tires aren't needed. You lose a lot in terms of speed, for no real benefit.
#894
Good advice on tires above and 38MM GK SS' are the next set of tires I'll put on my 750 with stock/matrix rims that is mostly used on pavement. That 750 is currently running 42mm Continental Speed Rides which have been great for the few years I've run them though they do better on a wider than stock rim.
Based on my experiments with different tig and lugged multitracks you should be able to run the GK 43mm tires on that 750 frame with sufficient clearance and could go a bit larger depending on the tire and your comfort with small clearances between frame/tires. Fenders, wheel true and wheel dish are factors that could impact how well larger tires fit on the frame and some fine-tuning may be needed.
While the multitrack frames can handle tires over 40mm in width, in my opinion the stock rims are too narrow for them unless you are just cruising and taking it easy. When I run larger tires on the stock matrix rims on my MultiTracks I experience fold-over of the tires when pushing them hard (cornering) unless I run them at a higher PSI than I would otherwise prefer. The loss of rear wheel traction when the tire folds over can be pretty dramatic and if you plan to ride the bike hard it needs to be avoided if possible.
I prefer to run tire pressures low enough to get good flex/traction but not so low that I risk pinch flats. On one multitrack I replaced the matrix rims with Rhyno Lites which are a good bit wider than the stock rims were. On that rebuilt wheelset I run 40+mm tires at lower pressures comfortably. Rhyno Lites laced up to the stock hubs/spokes easily and made for a cheap upgrade without larger changes.
On the stock rims 38mm may be a good max width to avoid the problems with a too-wide tire on a not wide enough rim. Of course actual inner rim widths vary a little through different years/models while different tires, conditions, personal preference and rider weights will lead to different results.
Based on my experiments with different tig and lugged multitracks you should be able to run the GK 43mm tires on that 750 frame with sufficient clearance and could go a bit larger depending on the tire and your comfort with small clearances between frame/tires. Fenders, wheel true and wheel dish are factors that could impact how well larger tires fit on the frame and some fine-tuning may be needed.
While the multitrack frames can handle tires over 40mm in width, in my opinion the stock rims are too narrow for them unless you are just cruising and taking it easy. When I run larger tires on the stock matrix rims on my MultiTracks I experience fold-over of the tires when pushing them hard (cornering) unless I run them at a higher PSI than I would otherwise prefer. The loss of rear wheel traction when the tire folds over can be pretty dramatic and if you plan to ride the bike hard it needs to be avoided if possible.
I prefer to run tire pressures low enough to get good flex/traction but not so low that I risk pinch flats. On one multitrack I replaced the matrix rims with Rhyno Lites which are a good bit wider than the stock rims were. On that rebuilt wheelset I run 40+mm tires at lower pressures comfortably. Rhyno Lites laced up to the stock hubs/spokes easily and made for a cheap upgrade without larger changes.
On the stock rims 38mm may be a good max width to avoid the problems with a too-wide tire on a not wide enough rim. Of course actual inner rim widths vary a little through different years/models while different tires, conditions, personal preference and rider weights will lead to different results.
#895
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,859
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
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I wish you posted this 3 days ago. I ordered a set of gk slicks in size 35, I would've at least went with the 38s. I agree with what you said about the gk ss, I run them on my diverge, great tire. Almost went with them for the track but since I'm only writing on paved streets I decided to go with the slicks. We'll see how they work out for me
Should have mentioned, the wheels on my GF's bike have been replaced and have 18mm internal diameter rims. The stock rims should be fine with 35mm or 38mm tires.
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#896
Full Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: NYC
Posts: 398
Bikes: '72 Raleigh Super Course; '90 Cannondale ST1000; 2022 Cannondale Topstone 2L
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I was able to dimple the chainstays and run 42's front and rear with reasonable space. Really fun bike for unloaded, mixed surface rides but wouldn't be the best bike with a lot of weight I don't think. It's also a Reynolds 531 frame (maybe just main frame tubes?) but looks like it's got a different fork and shorter chainstays.
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#897
Hey Rooney,
I don't have pictures close at hand and that bike is on loan for a while so I can't easily snap new ones. The good thing is that there are lots of discussions on "chainstay dimpling" if you search online including some tools you can purchase off the shelf and a lot of diy tool making options.
I used a pair of large vice grips with a half-tube on one side to prevent a dimple on that side and a metal rod on the other to focus effort where the dimple needed to be created. The chainstays were easy to deform and I was able to dimple them a little at a time and move from side to side until I had the clearance I wanted. Reinstalling the tire through the process helped me keep the dimples centered around the point where I needed more clearance. Because of the coarseness of my dimples I ended up fairing them out a little with thickened epoxy before paint. If I were to do this again I'd avoid that coarseness and the need for fairing. The original paint chipped off around the dimples in the process so I sanded/primed/painted with spray paint I had on hand when I was done.
Here's a discussion from this site that will give you a lot of ideas:
Extremely casual DIY chainstay dimpling -- Hey, it works!
I don't have pictures close at hand and that bike is on loan for a while so I can't easily snap new ones. The good thing is that there are lots of discussions on "chainstay dimpling" if you search online including some tools you can purchase off the shelf and a lot of diy tool making options.
I used a pair of large vice grips with a half-tube on one side to prevent a dimple on that side and a metal rod on the other to focus effort where the dimple needed to be created. The chainstays were easy to deform and I was able to dimple them a little at a time and move from side to side until I had the clearance I wanted. Reinstalling the tire through the process helped me keep the dimples centered around the point where I needed more clearance. Because of the coarseness of my dimples I ended up fairing them out a little with thickened epoxy before paint. If I were to do this again I'd avoid that coarseness and the need for fairing. The original paint chipped off around the dimples in the process so I sanded/primed/painted with spray paint I had on hand when I was done.
Here's a discussion from this site that will give you a lot of ideas:
Extremely casual DIY chainstay dimpling -- Hey, it works!
#898
Senior Member
Every year we go the the Jersey shore for a week and stay at a condo that only has outside parking for bikes. I picked this bike to fill the role of that beater. It was pretty dirty with a layer of grunge about 10 years old. Some newer tires and grease and I like it, especially considering what I paid for it, $75.
I have tried before to get Multitracks to fit and ended up giving them away because they were too small. I also added wider handlebars and that has made this one much more comfortable.
I have tried before to get Multitracks to fit and ended up giving them away because they were too small. I also added wider handlebars and that has made this one much more comfortable.
__________________
80 Mercian Olympic, 92 DB Overdrive, '07 Rivendell AHH, '16 Clockwork All-Rounder
80 Mercian Olympic, 92 DB Overdrive, '07 Rivendell AHH, '16 Clockwork All-Rounder
#900
nivekelyk Not sure where you are located but in many parts of the country you'll see a few nicer Multitracks popup up per year on Facebook marketplace and/or Craigslist. I occasionally have seen them in stores that carry used bikes as well. If you have the patience you can setup your search range to the distance you are willing to drive to get one and get in the habit of checking what's available every few days and you'll find one eventually. I wouldn't rule out the tig 750s as they are nice rides as well and some of the components are easier to mix with newer stuff since they run Shimano and not Suntour (the lugged 750s were mostly/all suntour I think).
Of course, someone watching this may have one that they are looking to get rid of as well so it's always worth asking like you did.
Of course, someone watching this may have one that they are looking to get rid of as well so it's always worth asking like you did.
Last edited by jpbiking; 10-18-22 at 08:32 AM.