Wednesday, May 14, 2014

My 1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul/Upgrade - $450.00

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle After
This is my 1990 Trek 1100, because of the bicycle posted above i am selling this Trek 1100.  I sold the Trek 1100 a few years back to a friend, I think it was the spring of 2009, right at the start of "The Great Recessions". (I don't really think we are out of the Great Recession yet but that's not here.)  My friend had a full carbon rig but because of the recession he need a bike for daily transportation, something a little more versatile, reliable and tough. (And a bike that was not $4,000 and locked up out side of the grocery store!)  He parked his car in the garage and started riding every where and even parked his carbon rig way more often.  He learned that cycling is not just for Saturday morning group rides or after work training rides but can be a life style.  He learned the ins and outs of commuting, carrying groceries, and navigating the best routes by bike. He became a 90% bicycle transportation rider and has been going strong ever since.

My friend learned all the benefits of riding as transportation, the cost savings of not using a car as often, gas savings, maintenance savings, car lasting longer because of less use, health improvements, fresh air, warm sun, cold winter days (Wait, is that a benefit?) and many more I can list.

Not to long ago my friend did some changes to his fleet of bicycles, he decided he would make a few changes to suite is riding, the first is the Carbon Fiber rig is long gone and replaced with a Surly Long Haul Trucker, second for his commuting and transportation he had me convert an old steel frame into a fixed gear for him and that is all he needs.  With the changes he offered me back my old Trek 1100.

I had the Trek 1100 for a few years, I rode it some but not a lot, it was my third bike which is why I rarely go over two personal bikes, one hardly gets ridden.  I liked the trek 1100 a lot but I liked my other two bicycles better.  When I go the Trek 1100 it was in rough shape but I did a total restoration and it was a fast, light Sports Touring bike with 21 gears and index shifting.

When I recently got the Trek 1100 back from my friend it definitely showed that it was well loved and used but the good thing was the paint was still in fantastic shape under the dirt and dullness.  The paint is the important thing because all the other components can come back, at a certain point paint can not be brought back and repaint is called for.  Another nice feature was that a few months before I go the Trek back from my friend I laced a new front rim and spokes to the original hub for him after a bad incident with a large SUV and a road side curb.

My plan was to restore and upgrade the Trek 1100 and ride it again as my third bicycle, well after a little while I have not ridden it much because I usually ride my fixed gear bicycle and now mostly my Poor Man's Rivendell Project which I totally love, click here for the Poor Man's Rivendell Project.  I do not like to go over three personal bikes and really like to stay at two and because of the bicycle in the post above I feel the Trek 1100 needs a new home where it will get lots of use.

The plan was and has been done is to update the cock pit area some and give the Trek a complete overhaul/restoration.  The cock pit update will include new brake elvers, new cross levers, a new stem and new handlebar tape.  Because the Trek 1100 is a Sports Touring bicycle I want to make it as comfortable as possible so I decided to go with gel pads and two layers of handlebar tape to really give cushion feel.

I did not take as many photos as I normally do because I was overhauling the Trek for myself and when I am doing work for myself I can not take as much time for things like photos.  Below are the few before photos I took outside.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle - Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle - Before
Handlebars

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle - Before
Front Wheel

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Before
Front Wheel Rim

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Before - Crank

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Before
Rear Wheel

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Before
I tore the bicycle down and go to work cleaning and polishing the frame, the frame was dirty and dull but now scratches or chips.  The frame polished very nice, a nice deep finish to the paint.  I do not have photos of the frame before cleaning but the after photos are very nice.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Frame After

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Frame After - Seat Lug

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Frame After - Seat Tube

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Frame Polished
 Bottom Bracket
While I worked on the frame I had the headset and bottom bracket soaking in the crock pot.  After cleaning I polished the components and installed new bearings.  Both the headset and bottom bracket turn spin very smooth and look great against the blue color.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Headset - Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Headset - Polished

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Headset - Complete

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bottom Bracket - Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bottom Bracket
Bearings Packed

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Bottom Bracket - Complete
Of course this is where i should have taken a photo but at this point I polished the handlebars and installed a threaded quill that a threadless stem connects to.  The original stem on the Trek is a rare case where I do not like the threaded stem, it is ugly first of all, second the stretch is way to long and third there was not enough rise.  The threadless stem solves all of these.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Stem - Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Stem Can be Seen in Photo

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Converted to Threadless Stem
The crank is a very nice triple chain ring crank.  I cleaned and polished it and it looks great installed.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Crank Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Crank - Complete
 
1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Crank - Installed
The derailleurs are very nice Deore derailleurs.they work great with the triple drive train.  I restored both derailleurs and lubricated all the pivot points and they work great.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Rear Derailleur - Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Rear Derailleur - Polished

I replaced the original brake elvers with better Tektro brake elvers, I like these levers because they fit in he hand very nice and just feel solid.  I also installed the cross brake levers, I think the cross levers will be a very nice addition to the Trek 1100, they will add to comfort which will make a really nice all day riding bike, also if the Trek is used for commuting again it will allow for an upright braking positing allowing a better view of traffic.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - New Brake Levers & New
Cross Brake Levers
1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Brake & Cross Levers
Installed
The wheels are very nice with a few things that need to be taken care of.  First the rear wheel axle was broken.  I replaced the rear axle with a nice chromoly axle, the original was a soft steel, I then replaced the rear wheel bearings.  The front wheel I rebuilt months before or my friend, I replaced the original rim and spokes and kept the original wheel hub, the rim is a Mavic rim and matched the original rear rim.

The Trek 1100 has new Continental Gator Skin tires that my friend used for the last month he used the bicycle, the tires are still in great condition.  Gator Skins are great tires for commuting, city riding, or any riding, hey are very tough and puncture resistance, they are also not cheap!

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Rear Wheel - Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Rear Wheel Hub - Before

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Rear Wheel Axle - Broken

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - New Rear Wheel Axle

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Rear Wheel - Old Grease

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Gator Skin Tire

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Rear Wheel - Complete

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Front Wheel

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Front Wheel - Old Grease

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Front Wheel - New Bearings
& Grease

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - New Front Wheel Rim

The brake calipers where overhauled and look and function perfect, I do not have photos of that process.  At this point it was time to wire the Trek 1100.  New cable and cable housings where installed along with a new chain.  I choose new white Jagwire cable housing, I think it is a good look with the blue and red.

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Brakes Wired

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Wired

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - New Chain - Installed
 I decided to install gel handlebar pads under the handlebar tape and also the original handlebar tape because it was fairly new with a new red handlebar tape over it.  This makes for a super comfortable feel, very soft and cushioned.  this will make the Trek 1100 a great day touring bike.  I love the red handlebar tape, it's Super Man's bike!

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - New Gel Pads - New Handlebar
Tape & Original Handlebar Tape

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Gel Pads & Original Tape
Installed

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - New Handlebar Tape Layer
That completes the Trek 1100, I am super happy with the results, it rides fantastic, with the upgrades it is so comfortable.  i wish I could keep it but it deserves to be ridden and I have not been ridding it.  My friend gave me the rear rack trunk bag and handlebar bag with it, I cleaned both, the drunk bag is in great condition and the handlebar bag is also good but faded.  I am including both with the Trek 1100.


1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle - Complete

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Complete

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Bicycle Complete - Front

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Complete
Handlebars - Brake Levers

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Complete
Front Wheel

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update
Bicycle Complete - Front Half

1990 Trek 1100 Overhaul / Update - Bicycle Complete


1 comment:

  1. i loved your post , i wish buy one similar here in brazil , it also needs some repairs , it cost 498 dollar , is it expensive?

    ReplyDelete