1993 Trek 1200 Restoration

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete

A couple of days ago I started work on a 1993 Trek 1200 restoration.  It might be slightly less then a restoration but a lot more then just an overhaul, kind of a grey area like the bicycle itself.

This is the first 1993 Trek 1200 I have worked on, I have worked on all the other years for the 1200 so I guess I just hit for the cycle.  I like the Trek aluminum frames from the late 1980's to early 1990's, the only aluminum frames I really like.

The Trek 1200 is in pretty good shape, it is dirty and dull and needs a good overhaul of the bearings but the grey with black splash paint is in very good shape, no chips and one small scuff.  The Trek 1200 will receive a complete overhaul/restoration along with new tires and tubes, new cables and cable housings, new saddle and new handlebar tape.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before - Handlebars

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before
Front Brake

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before - Front Wheel Hub

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before - Shift levers

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before
Crank

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before - Front Derailleur

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before
Rear Brake

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before
Rear Derailleur

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before - Rear Wheel hub

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Before - Wheel Rim

The frame was dirty and the paint was dull and full of swirl marks.  I cleaned and polished the frame, the frame took a few different compounds but it turned out really nice.  The paint has a nice shine to it.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Before
Head Tube

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Before - Bottom Bracket

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Before - Bottom Bracket

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Before
Drop Outs

Trek 1200 Restoration - Fork Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Polished - Bottom Bracket

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Polished
Rear Brake Bridge

Trek 1200 Restoration - Frame Polished
Drop Outs

Trek 1200 Restoration - Fork Polished

The headset is a really nice headset and the stem is nice quality and polished to a very high luster.  The bottom bracket is a cartridge type.  The bottom bracket was loose so I removed it, cleaned it and added some Teflon tape to help it from coming loose again.  The bottom bracket spins very nice.  The headset looks great and spins great and the stem and handlebars looks beautiful.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Headset and Bottom Bracket - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Handlebars - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Headset & Stem - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Handlebars - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Headset Bearing Cups
Pressed

Trek 1200 Restoration - Headset Bearings - Packed

Trek 1200 Restoration - Headset Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Stem - Installed

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bottom Bracket With Teflon Tape

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bottom Bracket - Complete

The crank is in descent shape, the chain rings are in good shape and took only a good cleaning and a light polishing.  the crank arms where dull and scratched, they polished very nice on the power buffer.  Overall the crank turned out beautiful, I am very happy.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Crank - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Crank Exploded

Trek 1200 Restoration - Crank Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Crank - Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Crank
Installed

The brake calipers where next, they are very nice dual pivot brake calipers.  The calipers where however where not working well before, they would not open easily.  It took a lot of flushing and lubricating to get them to work perfectly which they now do.  I hand polished the brake calipers because they where not to bad and I did not want to loose the decals.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Brakes - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Brakes - Exploded

Trek 1200 Restoration - Brakes - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Brakes - Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Front Brake
Installed

Trek 1200 Restoration - Rear Brake
Installed

The derailleurs are very nice derailleurs, they turned out beautiful and after tuning the bike shift very crisp and fast.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Derailleurs - Before
 

Trek 1200 Restoration - Derailleurs - Exploded

Trek 1200 Restoration - Derailleurs - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Derailleurs - Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Front Derailleur - Installed

Trek 1200 Restoration - Rear Derailleur
Installed

The shift levers are also nice, the are seven speed index shift levers, the finish is a little rough, they polished okay, I wanted to keep the decals on the shift levers so I did not power polish them.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Shift Levers - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Shift Levers - Complete

I like the wheels, they are very nice and I have always liked the Matrix satin black rims.  The grease was pretty dirty in the wheels and the bearing cones where set way to tight.  I cleaned and polished the wheel hubs and they have a high shine.  The rims cleaned up nice and only need a little polishing.  New black wall tires and tubes where installed.  The wheels look fantastic with the black walls and rims against the gray of the frame.  I like it a lot!!

Trek 1200 Restoration - Rear Wheel
Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Rear Wheel Hub - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Rear Wheel - Old Grease

Trek 1200 Restoration - Rear Wheel Hub - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - New Tires - 700 x 23

Trek 1200 Restoration - Rear Wheel Hub - Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Front Wheel
Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Front Wheel Hub - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Front Wheel Hub - Old Grease

Trek 1200 Restoration - Front Wheel Hub - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Front Wheel Hub - Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Wheels Complete

The seat post is light, it polished nice, it did not need much polishing.  The new saddle fits the look and style of the Trek 1200 very nice.  I like the little decal on the back of the seat post.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Seat Post - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Seat Post & Saddle
Complete

The brake levers are extremely nice!  This era, just before integrated shift/brake levers became standard was when brake levers really became refined.  The action and feel of the brake levers is perfect and these levers polished very nice and the hoods cleaned and look new.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Brake Levers - Before

Trek 1200 Restoration - Brake Levers - Polished

Trek 1200 Restoration - Brake Levers
Installed

The last thing to do is wire the Trek 1200 and install the new handlebar tape.  I used a trick I came up with using an old brake cable to thread the new cable housing through the top tube.  I like a lot when cables are thread through the tubes instead of the outside, it has a really clean look and I like the clean look the best.

Trek 1200 Restoration - New Cables, Housings & Handlebar Tape

Trek 1200 Restoration - Cables - Installed

The Trek 1200 turned out beautifully.  This era of aluminum frames are the only aluminum frames I like.  The Trek 1200 tuned perfectly, shifts are fast and crisp, the brakes work very well and the bike rides very solid.  I got to test ride the Trek now that the snow is almost gone, it rides fast and smooth, it feels very nimble but tight at the same time.  Restoring this Trek 1200 really makes me want to restore my old Trek 1100 I got back after sometime recently.

I also finally got to take final photos outdoors with the snow melting.

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle - Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete - Handlebars

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete
Front Half

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete
Stem

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete
Front Brake

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete - Front Wheel

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete - Drive Train

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete
Rear Brake

Trek 1200 Restoration - Bicycle Complete