The Fleet (Part 7)

It took five months to complete this project. Earlier I wrote how this bike, a 1984 Trek 760, may change everything, and this seems to be the case. The fit is perfect, raising the bar on performance and comfort to a level my other bikes cannot seem to reach. The only thing I would have done different is my choice of a rear hub. It's fixed/free, and I wish I had chosen fixed/fixed. I had no idea I would enjoy a fixed gear this much.

Though the Blackbird is my last bike, just like my last two, I still look at frames in the many shops here in Portland, as well as ebay. Some of us are destined to build things, and I include myself in that category, but if the frame isn't a 57cm size and made from Reynolds tubing, I'm not interested. The size rules out a lot of Italian frame builders, although, thankfully, my beloved Somec is not one of them. This Trek brings up a question; can Columbus tubing match the feel of Reynolds steel? What about Ishiwata tubing? There's much to explore.

Below are the before and after shots of the Blackbird. It's hard to believe it's the same bike.

The Specs:

Project Name: Project Blackbird

Nickname: The Blackbird

Class: Strength and endurance trainer. Clear weather only.

Gearing: 46 x 16

Frame: 1984 Trek Model 760, 57cm. Reynolds 531 tubing, including fork and stays.

Crank and BB: Sugino

Pedals: Speedplay Light Action

Headset: Chris King

Wheels: Phil Wood hubs, 28 and 32 hole. Front laced radialy, rear 3x. Velocity non machined rims.

Tires: Bontrager Race Lite X. (Slow, but I never get a flat.)

Post: Oval Concepts.

Seat: Fizik Arione.

Stem: Thomson (I'm sold on Thomson, it's like the bar and stem are welded together!)

Bars: Syntace

Brake System: Cane Creek levers and Campagnolo Veloce Skeleton Brakes.

Not one Shimano part on the whole bike!

Tags: Trek Model 760, Fixed Gear, Fixed Gear Bike.