mtb-timeline

Trek Overview

Trek was established in 1976 by Dick Burke and Bevil Hogg in Waterloo, Wisconsin, making handmade steel bicycle frames. ¹⁾ When the rest of the larger manufacturers were off-shoring to Taiwan and Japan, Trek committed to building high end bikes in the USA, which it continued to mostly do through the 1980s. ²⁾ Since then, Trek has acquired Bontrager, Gary Fisher, Klein, LeMond, Electra and grew its revenues from $6 million in 1983, the year it launched its first mountain bike, to $1B by 2015, selling over a million bikes a year. ³⁾

Bevil left Trek in 1985 and founded Kestrel, in Santa Cruz, and produced the first all carbon frame in 1986. ⁴⁾

Trek founders trekbikes

1983 Trek 850

A handsome selection of black components and lugs with red accents. Designed by Tim Isaac ⁵⁾. Note the quick release under the saddle to quickly move the seat forwards and backwards (for switching between uphill and downhill??)

Cost: $580 ⁶⁾

Catalog scans at: vintage trek and vintage trek.

1983 Trek 850 dahlquistcycleworks

1984 Trek 830

Trek added a slightly down market option with the 830, which used up the left over 1983 850 components, while the new 850 introduced the new Shimano XT group set.

Trek also briefly made an 890 ATB for the “urban canyon” with 26×1.5 tires, steeper geometry and higher gearing. ⁷⁾

1984 price list ⁸⁾

• 830 : $469
• 850 : $669
• 890 : $499

1984 Trek 830 mtbr

1985 Trek 870

Almost identical in specs to the 850 (exact same frame & components) except with the addition of narrower tires, perhaps to make up for the extra weight of added bottle cages and toe straps. A rare bicycle.

1985 Trek 870 vintage-trek