The
Trek 613 650b conversion I did for a customer just over two years ago has come back to our stable to find a new home. It has aged quite gracefully, and looks better now then it did at the start.
The Trek 613 frame is the backbone for this build. it was what Trek listed as a 23" frame, and has a 57cm seat tube and a 56cm top tube, It would best first riders with a
pubic bone height in the mid 80's
Everything about this build/restoration met or exceeded the original expectations. There were a few things that worked but need disclosure. The extra long reach brakes stop the bike, but will not induce a skid. This is not really a safety issue but sometimes the nature of these sort of conversions, the bike stops just fine when you need it to. There are some chips and scratches in the paint, no dents. The Suntour Symmetric shifter is gorgeous, but only pulls enough cable to shift through 7 of the 8 rear cogs. The stainless Berthoud fenders have a few small dents, but are solid and crack free. The HT AE-01 pedals are in need of a rebuild, they spin fine, but a rebuild would get you another decade out of them. The original front rack and basket were intended to be a temporary thing, that ended up going the whole time. I was not happy with the mounting and they are not included with this offering. I would recommend the Soma Porteur or Pass & Stowe as the best non-custom replacement option.
On the plus side this is an incredibly smooth and nimble riding bike. Everything is in fine working order to take it home and get riding. It has proven itself both around town and on more then a few mixed terrain short tours. The Brooks B17 Select has restored my faith in current Brooks production standards. There are a few top notch upgrades like the Nitto Technomic stem and Albatross bars, and Brooks Select saddle.
The serial Number, dates the bike to 80-81 an fit is in fantastic condition for a bike that age. It is rust free inside and out. All of the bearings are clean and free spinning.
I am offering the bike at
$1800 $1500 as seen in the pictures. I have a couple of interested parties, but I am starting a list of potential buyers. While I would prefer a local sale, we can facilitate packing and shipping at a reasonable fee. If the potential buyer would like too use this as a starting point for some other improvements, I would be willing to facilitate any thing you may want, like a new front rack etc. Contact me for a full re-build quote
General thoughts, Trek 650b conversions like this are intended to be ridden with a front load. The handling is great unloaded, but things really stay nice and neutral as you put a but up front. The big difference between this and the
Ramblers is all of the details for lighting, better performing brakes and rack mounts. These old Treks provides a fair amount of inspiration for the Ramblers.
I had the pleasure of adding a new chapter to a customers long-lived road bike. He has owned this 1999 LeMond Zurich since new. His interest was starting to head towards the rougher less traveled roads above Santa Barbara, and he wanted to get a bit more comfort out of the bike. We exchanged a few emails, met, I was able to take the needed measurements, discussed options, orders were placed, and today it all cam together.
This is where we started, 700x23mm:
The wheel set came from Anthony at Long Leaf, the new Velocity A23 rims laced to White Industry hubs. The clearance at the chain stays is pretty tight, and the widest, at 32mm, 650b tire that will fit is the Grand Bois Cypres. Tektro 559 brake calipers provided the extra reach, with KoolStop salmon pads to replace the stock. New cables and bar tape, finished out the build. The original drive train has been going strong and we decided to save any work there for another day. I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story:
As far as 650b conversions go, this one went perfectly. Detailed planing led to a smooth execution. Everything bolted right up the way you would hope. IMO the bike looks more balanced with the fatter tires. The only tight spot is at the chain stays, as expected. There is about 3mm on each side of the tire. That said, I was unable to get it to rub on the test ride, and I weigh about 40lbs more than the owner. The bottom bracket drop can sometimes be a problem with conversions. The Zurich has a drop around 65mm, with a finished height of 264mm to the center of BB after conversion. There is no real danger of pedal strike than with conventional road bike set ups.
This bike has already been on more local adventures than most, but I am pretty sure this new chapter is going to be a long and good one. Thanks M.K. for the chance to build this up.
The Trek 613 frame is the backbone for this build. it was what Trek listed as a 23" frame, and has a 57cm seat tube and a 56cm top tube, It would best first riders with a pubic bone height in the mid 80's
Everything about this build/restoration met or exceeded the original expectations. There were a few things that worked but need disclosure. The extra long reach brakes stop the bike, but will not induce a skid. This is not really a safety issue but sometimes the nature of these sort of conversions, the bike stops just fine when you need it to. There are some chips and scratches in the paint, no dents. The Suntour Symmetric shifter is gorgeous, but only pulls enough cable to shift through 7 of the 8 rear cogs. The stainless Berthoud fenders have a few small dents, but are solid and crack free. The HT AE-01 pedals are in need of a rebuild, they spin fine, but a rebuild would get you another decade out of them. The original front rack and basket were intended to be a temporary thing, that ended up going the whole time. I was not happy with the mounting and they are not included with this offering. I would recommend the Soma Porteur or Pass & Stowe as the best non-custom replacement option.
On the plus side this is an incredibly smooth and nimble riding bike. Everything is in fine working order to take it home and get riding. It has proven itself both around town and on more then a few mixed terrain short tours. The Brooks B17 Select has restored my faith in current Brooks production standards. There are a few top notch upgrades like the Nitto Technomic stem and Albatross bars, and Brooks Select saddle. The serial Number, dates the bike to 80-81 an fit is in fantastic condition for a bike that age. It is rust free inside and out. All of the bearings are clean and free spinning.
I am offering the bike at 
