Author Topic: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion  (Read 8329 times)

1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« on: 19 January, 2021, 09:56:17 pm »
So I'm in the process of solving the waning fork issue in much the same way as I dealt with the lowrider mounting issue and have just purchased a ye olde mountaine byke from a popular online auction site. Also, conveniently, from a mile or so away from where I live.

The intention is to get it built up to function as a commuter that'll also cope with my penchant for bridleways and towpaths and cobbled ginnels and also that bit with the potholes by the quayside.

Here's the starting point:


It's interesting comparing it to the Scott (which is also a bit too big for me and another factor for changing things up):



So slender! Standover height! Main triangle that's smaller if you measure it centre-to-centre but also bigger if you measure the space inside where a framebag would go! All that seatpost showing!

As far as I can make out, it's in close to original condition, which unfortunately includes the Shimano FC-CT90 cranks that were recalled in 1997. So that's an extra bit of faff, but no immediate need for a commuting bike atm, eh? Hat tip to this thread which gave me a good idea of what I was getting myself into.

Starting a thread here to continue the tradition and also to act as a repository for the inevitable questions and recommendation requests  ;D  :thumbsup:

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #1 on: 19 January, 2021, 09:57:02 pm »
Has anyone dealt with safety recalls before?

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #2 on: 19 January, 2021, 10:14:29 pm »
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/shimano-crank-recall-time-limit.74533/
Scroll down to replies 7 and 8 for possibly relevant recall info.

Is the QR seat post your gift to Lancaster's lazier bike thieves?

After thinking 'Wow, nikki has seat post showing' I noticed that actually some of the difference is due to the Trek predating the fashion for extending the seat tube above the top tube cluster.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #3 on: 19 January, 2021, 10:22:33 pm »
Not handled safety recalls in this country.

Contact the Shimano distributor (Madison, I think) with details of your crank (photo is a good idea) and a link to the USA voluntary recall. That should be enough to get them to point you in the right direction for a replacement. https://www.madison.co.uk/about

Drop that handlebar stem. It looks to be above the limit mark.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #4 on: 19 January, 2021, 10:29:17 pm »
Wow! I had a Trek 820. I bought it still unassembled in its box in the caravan park in Aberfoyle. They used to have an MTB shop. Great bike. Lots of adventures. Lots of trails down with the dog we had at the time.

I brought it down to London and it got stolen from the garage of the house I lived in. Long story - a policeman recovered it and gave it back to me. It ws then nicked again - I think the scrote decided he wanted it after all.

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #5 on: 19 January, 2021, 10:49:41 pm »
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/shimano-crank-recall-time-limit.74533/
Scroll down to replies 7 and 8 for possibly relevant recall info.

Is the QR seat post your gift to Lancaster's lazier bike thieves?

After thinking 'Wow, nikki has seat post showing' I noticed that actually some of the difference is due to the Trek predating the fashion for extending the seat tube above the top tube cluster.

I'm trying to figure out whether my best strategy is to approach Madison or LBS first.

There'll be no gifting of any sort to the bike thieves pleasethankyouverymuch! (QRs will get switched to allen socket skewers.)

The Scott's doing quite well in the seat tube extension game, although the Trek seems to be on a par with the other bikes I have to hand here. It's got a nice curve to the top edge, which is nice. (Mostly obscured by the QR lever though!)

Contact the Shimano distributor (Madison, I think) with details of your crank (photo is a good idea) and a link to the USA voluntary recall. That should be enough to get them to point you in the right direction for a replacement.

Seems like if I get through to the right person they'll be on board with the idea. Slightly blurry crank stamp photos prepped and ready to go!


Drop that handlebar stem. It looks to be above the limit mark.

It doesn't look very safe, does it! It's currently at half mast dangling from the replacement handlebars. The question of the replacement stem will be coming up later...

Wow! I had a Trek 820. I bought it still unassembled in its box in the caravan park in Aberfoyle. They used to have an MTB shop. Great bike. Lots of adventures. Lots of trails down with the dog we had at the time.

I brought it down to London and it got stolen from the garage of the house I lived in. Long story - a policeman recovered it and gave it back to me. It ws then nicked again - I think the scrote decided he wanted it after all.

Oof! That post was a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions! Glad you and your 820 had some good times together before it got nicked!

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #6 on: 20 January, 2021, 12:08:10 pm »
Has anyone dealt with safety recalls before?

I had a fork on a Kinesis that was subject to a recall.  I found the info online and contacted Kinesis, and a new one came in a box.  Very smooth.  It's all covered by insurance so they are keen to have it work out well to avoid reputational damage.

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #7 on: 20 January, 2021, 05:53:54 pm »
I've emailed Madison and switched the knobblies out for 1.5" slicks.
Disappointingly, there isn't quite enough space for a wine Rochester's bottle between the bottom of the rack and the top of the tyre.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #8 on: 20 January, 2021, 05:55:46 pm »
If the cranks haven't broken in the last 25 years, is there much chance of them breaking any time soon?

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #9 on: 20 January, 2021, 08:28:55 pm »
Other questions for the joint committee on ethics and statistics to consider include:

* If an Altus level crankset is still in use after 25 years without much sign of wear, is it likely to have had its structural integrity tested in a meaningful way?

* What does it mean to lend or sell someone a road-going vehicle when you know some of the components are subject to a safety recall?

* If a system is in place to replace the parts in question, why wouldn't you?


Perhaps related:

I've detached the original handlebars/stem now and, having cross-referenced with the photos from when I was walking(!) the bike home, I'm pretty confident the horizontal silvery line shows where it was inserted to.



I'm trying not to think about how long it had been ridden like that!

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #10 on: 20 January, 2021, 10:24:20 pm »
Holy moly. I once bought a second hand bike and, on the ride home, decided to raise the saddle a smidge. After 5mm the pin popped out. A previous owner had cut it down substantially. Min insert mark was gone.

I had quite an uncomfortable ride home.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #11 on: 21 January, 2021, 11:30:35 am »
Did the seller know there had been a recall? And were they the owner at the time of the recall? Noting the bike was two years old at the time of recall, I can think of a few scenarios why the then-owner wouldn't respond, but none of them are particularly good.

As to the longevity of the cranks, I'd guess that if they haven't broken in the last 25 years chances are they're okay – but also that you're likely to double their total use in a month, so they might not be okay. Can't see a reason not to take whatever replacement Madison offer, but if they don't offer anything I'd probably carry on using it (but not off road).
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Paul

  • L'enfer, c'est les autos.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #12 on: 21 January, 2021, 03:15:17 pm »
Drop that handlebar stem. It looks to be above the limit mark.

That was a good catch.
What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #13 on: 21 January, 2021, 05:54:40 pm »

Madison have said they'll replace the crankset (crankset only - others have received crankset, bottom bracket, front derailleur, and chain - because it was bought secondhand). I need to go via a local bike shop to action the warranty claim.

LBS asking me to cover postage and packing on the crankset, so I guess I'll check the sums when I can get it on the scales!

Current status:



In carrying the bike outside to take this photo I slid on the wet flagstones, landing on my arse and, judging by the red marks on my arm, on the big ring. So I can confirm this crankset is indeed a safety liability.  :facepalm:

I don't think the chap I bought it off knew about the recall. Or the minimum insertion line. Or the loose hub. Or... He said things along the lines of "It's in good condition and runs well" a few times. I think they were hoping to get about double what I ended up paying for it in the end, so I decided not to rain further on their parade with an "Actually..." retort. I'd been to try the bike for size a few days earlier and clocked the issues, so knew what I was getting into. It would have been interesting if I hadn't won the auction - I don't know if I'd have contacted them to let them know or not. Probably would.

Various components earmarked for this build are inaccessible in my studio until campus facilities open up again post lockdown, but in the meantime I plan to do some turbo time and try and identify what stem and what 26" tyres I might be aiming for. It's a looped bar (https://www.ergotec.de/en/products/lenker/sub/city-trekking-lenker/produkt/spacebugel-25-4.html), so will require a stem with a hinge or a faceplate. I'm hoping that turbo experiments might reveal I don't also need to get something really tall. Suggestions welcomed.

Tyres, I'm not sure about: most of my experience is with Marathons. The ones in the photo have been borrowed from another bike and haven't really seen much action yet. The basic commute involves quite a lot of wet chutney, some of it on a nice bendy slope... If I'm feeling spendy, I might go for some Panaracer Gravel Kings, on the basis that I can swap them and the Contis in the photo between two bikes they might be useful on. I don't think I'd want to go much more knobbly than that. Again, suggestions welcomed.


I once bought a second hand bike and [...]
:o ;D

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=82131.msg2584590#msg2584590 

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #14 on: 21 January, 2021, 08:03:36 pm »
Gravel Kings seem good to me in terms of grip, rolling and wear. Not cheap. Be aware there are at least two types: standard and small knob. The standard is a sort of herring bone or file pattern tread. And then some are tubeless compatible (but can still be used with tubes no prob). The choice between black or tan wall is – I think – purely aesthetic.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #15 on: 21 January, 2021, 09:49:48 pm »
I think I read somewhere there were a lot of varieties of the Gravel Kings. I'm starting to wonder if all the action is in the 650b range though, as there doesn't seem to be a lot on offer at 26". I'll keep an eye out for the different tread patterns though - thanks.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #16 on: 21 January, 2021, 10:32:17 pm »
Ah, I'd failed to take the '26-inch wheels are out of fashion' factor into account. Mine are 700s. So yeah, there might not be much in 26s. Shame.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #17 on: 22 January, 2021, 01:27:06 pm »
Gravelkings don't come in 26" unfortunately. They do now  :) - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-gravel-king-sk-folding-tyre

Marathons wouldn't be a bad idea, but if you're looking for something different, then Conti Contact Cruisers look big and comfy (if heavy) and are £6.99 on Chainreaction, Continental also do the Double fighter which seems a reasonable looking semi slick. By name, my favourite I've seen is the Schwable Billy Bonkers
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #18 on: 22 January, 2021, 10:15:21 pm »
So yeah, there might not be much in 26s.

It's ~almost~ funny when you click on the 26" checkbox and see the options dwindle.

Continental also do the Double fighter which seems a reasonable looking semi slick. By name, my favourite I've seen is the Schwable Billy Bonkers

Thanks mcshroom - looking at the Double Fighter has reminded me I've got some semi slicks on the Old Skool mtb-shaped object. I could try those for a bit and decide which direction to go in from there.

The Billy Bonkers are definitely winning on the silly name front so far!

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #19 on: 23 January, 2021, 03:13:53 pm »
You've got a lot of clearance there. Time to practice your wheelbuilding skills on a pair of 650s? By the time you've paid for rims, spokes and hubs (could reuse those but I don't suppose they're particularly good) it would ~almost~ be worth it.  :-\
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #20 on: 23 January, 2021, 03:34:16 pm »
Mating cantilever brakes positioned for 26” to 650B wheels is not trivial.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #21 on: 23 January, 2021, 05:56:14 pm »
Good point, hadn't thought of that. 12mm or so. How much vertical adjustment do you normally get on cantis? I'm not familiar with them, by the time I got a mountain bike they were on V-brakes. (The whole idea of changing wheel size is probably best ignored even without this, I think.)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #22 on: 23 January, 2021, 06:05:20 pm »
Same limited height adjustment problem with V-brakes.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #23 on: 23 January, 2021, 08:59:36 pm »
It'd be the V flavour of awkward in this case.

Getting the bike to fit me and then the commute are the first priorities; further jibbling to be determined by need, mojo and budget!

Re: 1995 Trek 820 to adventure commuter conversion
« Reply #24 on: 24 January, 2021, 03:00:41 pm »
Hey! Wouldn't it be hi.la.ri.ous if I broke a crank trying to remove this seized crank bolt!
 >:(