This is my utility bike, on which I do almost all my utility travel, (school, shopping, etc.). As I'm writing this on 9/16/03, I've used my car perhaps ten days this year, so this bike gets a lot of short trip use, many times a day. Since it was so inexpensive and the parts are all "standard measurement" stuff, I'm not overly concerned about it getting dirty/ rained on /etc., and it's not as attractive to bike thieves as those suspension - equipped mountainbikes that are so popular these days.

This bike I first saw while it was sitting outside a local bike shop holding up a "for sale" sign. The dealer said it was sitting in their basement for quite a while, which seems believable since it has very little of the wear you would see from use -- it even has the original brake shoes, and the (original) tires had virtually no wear. It had some minor surface rust and marks, and is old enough that the tires were rotting, so they couldn't sell it as a used bike without putting some work and parts into it. They wanted 100 bucks for it, which was a great deal for someone who has a few extra bike parts sitting around, (that's me). The model year I don't know, the nearest I can place it is October 1993, going by the serial number. I checked on www.vintage-trek.com, and plan on looking further, of course.

It measures out to a 20" frame, and almost everything is stock, all I did was add pieces to make it a decent utility bike, which it is.

The modifications towards utililty are:
Replaced the quick - release skewers to regular skewers for security, put a bicycle drivetrain chain around the seat rails and seat stays thorn strip in the rear tire and a puncture resistant tire in the front. The rear rack is a Trek model that I removed from the 520. That rack seemed flimsy on the 520, but since the stays are very short when mounted on the 700 it seems stiff enough on this bike.

Gear inches: high of 92.5" to a low of 23.6".

Crank is Shimano 100GS Biopace 170mm, p/n FC-M102. Chainring sizes: 48/38/28.

I have a 7 speed 14 - 32 rear cogset on, (14-16-18-21-24-28-32), (replacing the stock 12 - 28, 7 speed cassette, (12-14-16-18-22-24-28), which gave a high of 108" to a low of 27"). Tires are both 700 x 35, (front Bontrager Inverted Hard case and rear Trek Multi - Track).

Fenders are the standard Esge- SKS plastic/ aluminum type.

Wheels are the stock 36 hole rims.

Derailers are Shimano 100 GS, both front and rear.

Seat is a Trico Gel.

Shifters are Grip Shift.

Brakes are Kool Stop Salmon in the front, the stock shimano brake shoes in the rear.

I usually use a Trek Grocery Bag (type of pannier) for all my utility riding.

Accessories: headlight is the Cygolite Nite Rover water bottle model that I use on all my bikes, the taillight is the standard Cateye red blinkie, generic plastic platform pedals, Topeak underseat wedge pack holds spare tube and tools, generic chainstay mounted kickstand, Zefal air pump.

Here's the drivetrain chain keeping the seatpost secure.