1995 Trek 2120

Here's a 1995 Trek 2120 with a 57cm frame (center-to-center). I acquired this bicycle on Craigslist along with a small 1987 Centurion Accordo RS (see last picture). Both of them together were posted at $120, but I had to offer $130 for the seller to hold it for me, and then drive about an hour to pick them up. I had planned from the start to trade the Centurion with my friend's bike which I had helped pick out earlier, because I felt that I wasn't able to get her that great of a deal. But I was planning to flip the Trek for some extra cash, until another friend of mine said her brother might be interested in it. So I will probably not ask for much more than $65, just to cover the gas fee and the time I put in to fix it up a little bit.

It's got bonded carbon tubes with aluminum stays, headtube, and fork. I was a little worried about its reliability after reading about older bonded carbon frames, but as you can see, this frame appears to be in a pretty good condition. There are no creaks or visible movement at the joints. Only parts that I put on was the saddle, cheap pedals, chains, and NOS tires. I couldn't get the shifting to be ask crisp and I wanted, and I didn't want  to spend too much time figuring out the problem. The left STI shifter had a loose spring that I had to put back into place, so hopefully that won't turn out to be a big problem either.

Here are the specs as seen on photos:

Frame: Trek design uni-directional carbon (internal cable routing through headlug and seatlug)

Stays: Easton tapered aluminum alloy

Fork: Trek epoxy bonded tapered aluminum alloy

Headset: Tange Seiki Levin CDS

Crankset: Shimano RX100T 30/42/52

Front derailleur: Shimano RX100T

Rear derailleur: Shimano RX100SGS

Shifters: Shimano RSX STI Dual Control

Cassette: 12-28 7-speed

Chain: KMC "Narrow"

Hubs: Shimano 105SC

Rims: Matrix Titan Tech

Tires: 700 x 23c Avenir Discovery (front); 700 x 28c Performance GT2K (rear)

Brakes: Shimano 105SC

Pedals: cheap Union resin pedals

Stem: Kalloy

Handlebar: System 1

Seatpost: System 1

Saddle: San Marco Ponza

Accessories: Bontrager bar tape; Trek water bottle cage in matching Ice Violet color

1995 Trek 2120 - Drive-side view (1/19/11)

1995 Trek 2120 - Front view (1/19/11)

1995 Trek 2120 - Seat lug and stamped seatstay (1/19/11)

1995 Trek 2120 - Seat tube & bottom bracket (1/19/11)

1995 Trek 2120 - Headtube (1/19/11)

1995 Trek 2120 - Aluminum fork (1/19/11)

1995 Trek 2120 - Top tube (1/19/11)

1995 Trek 2120 - Rear dropout & RX100 derailleur (1/19/11)

Here are a couple pictures of the Centurion Accordo RS. I've already given it to my friend a couple months ago, so the specs are from my memory. This one was also in pretty good condition, although the frame had a few spots of surface rust.

Also, they had put a 7-speed thumb shifter with 6 speed freewheel, and a 3 speed indexed thumb shifter for a non-indexed front derailleur. So I put a NOS Shimano 600 EX downtube shifters. 

Specs:

Frame: Tange Infinity double butted main frame, lugged

Derailleurs: Shimano Light Action

Shifters: Shimano 600 EX downtube (6 speed, indexed)

Stem/Handlebar/Seatpost: Delta, alloy

Brakes: Shimano SLR

Hubs: Maillard (front); Sovos (rear), 6-speed 12-28 freewheel

Rims: Mavic MA2 (front); Sun CR18 (rear)

Tires: Specialized Turbo 700 x 20c (front) 700 x 28c (rear)

Crank: Sugino, left and right didn't match, but both were 165mm; 38/50 chainrings

Saddle: Serfas

Accessories: Forte cork bartape; Forte in-line brake levers; Centurion bottle cage

1987 Centurion Accordo RS - Drive-side (12/7/10)

1987 Centurion Accordo RS - Front (12/7/10)

Morning ride

I took my Peugeot PH 501 with the new Mundialita saddle on a short test ride along the Historic Route 66, through parts of Arcadia, Monrovia, and Duarte. Despite having lived here for 10 years, I realized only recently that the Route 66 passed through this area. I've driven many times on what is now  Huntington Drive/Foothill Boulevard, but never really paid any attention to what "historical" things may lie along it. I wanted to document some of these sceneries today, but it got difficult with increasing traffic of people driving to work. I'll try this again soon on a weekend, and hopefully it'll be less crowded.
The Mundialita saddle wasn't so bad with my padded bike pants. I did start to feel a small uncomfortable pressure after about an hour of riding, but maybe playing with the saddle position will get rid of it. It's got a very different shape than my other saddles with the back raised much higher, so I wasn't quite sure how to set it up.

Santa Anita Race Track in the background; not part of the Route 66 (1/18/11)

Under the 210 Freeway (1/18/11)

In front of the Duarte City Hall (1/18/11)

Andres Avelino Duarte -- Supposedly a Mexican Corporal who owned a 7000-acre ranch in the area?? (1/18/11)

Westbound in Monrovia (1/18/11)

Westbound in Arcadia (1/18/11)

'New' saddles

I bought both of the saddles for $11.50 on ebay (although I had to drive out 30 minutes to pick them up). They obviously don't have the prestige or the quality of a Turbo or Rolls, but I think it was a pretty good buy for the price. (Although, I had come across a Turbo Triathlon saddle in the past, but I didn't like it very much and ended up selling it.)

I've read some good things about the Avocet Touring saddles online. I think I read somewhere that some were made in the U.S., but this one was made in Italy. They are supposed to have three levels, I, II, and III, in increasing quality. I am guessing this one is the (same as) Touring I, since it's got vinyl cover with a decent amount of foam padding. The II and III are supposed to have leather covers and less padding. 

It looks to be in good condition overall, although there are a few cosmetic blemishes. In the first picture, the little "bump" below the A in Avocet is caused by the long clamp bolt pushing against the plastic. (It's the old style seatpost clamp). I'm not sure if it can be fixed, but hopefully it won't cause any problems in the future. I am thinking of putting this one on my Schwinn Cimarron if I ever get to putting it back together.

Avocet Touring - Side View

Avocet Touring - Rear View

Avocet Touring - Front View

The seller said this Mundialita came off his Miele. I'm not sure if there are ways to tell the different qualities of Mundialita saddles, or if there were any difference in qualities in their saddles. There isn't too much information on these saddles online, but they seem like they were on upper entry level bikes or maybe some mid level  bikes. I thought they would look better on my Peugeot PH 501 than the WTB Speed V that's on it right now. 

The 1985 Peugeot catalog says the stock saddle is "Mondialita," and I couldn't figure out whether that was a typo or a different maker. (The 1986 catalog spells it Mondialita also). The saddle that came with the bike when I got it unfortunately had no markings other than that it was made in Italy. Hopefully that wasn't a Mundialita because it didn't fit me so well and I had to toss it. If it was, I hope this one has a more fitting shape.

It looks to be in great shape with minimal padding in the middle of the saddle. The back and the nose seem to have almost none. A bit heavy compared to the present day saddles, but I won't care as long as it's comfortable. I am a little worried about the cover material since I read one person complaining that it made him sweat.

Mundialita - Side View

Mudialita - Rear View

Mudialita - Top View

Sunday bike ride with my sister

I took my sister along on a 31-mile loop ride, mostly on the San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo bike trails.  I rode my Peugeot and my sister rode her "new" K2 Tradewind. It was a pretty relaxing Sunday afternoon ride for me, although my sister got pretty tired towards the end of the loop especially due to the bad fit of the Terry Liberator X saddle that I put on for her.

Entering San Gabriel River bike trail (1/9/11)

River to the left, forest of utility poles to the right (1/9/11)

(1/9/11)

(1/9/11)

The loop (traced on Google Earth)

Intro/1985 Peugeot PH 501

I am starting this blog to keep track of my endeavors in collecting and riding bicycles. I started fiddling around with bicycles in October, 2009 when I bought a Schwinn Tourist on eBay (originally sold at Target). After about a year and two months of buying/selling many used bicycles, I have become enamored of vintage bicycles. My collection as of now consists of:
1. 1989 Panasonic Team Custom (acquired April, 2010)
2. 1985 Peugeot PH 501 (acquired July, 2010)
3. 1987 Schwinn Cimarron LE (acquired December, 2010)
They're nothing spectacular, but they suit my needs for commute/recreation/exercise.

Since my Panasonic and Schwinn are disassembled for repair/overhaul, I will begin with my 1985 Peugeot PH 501. It came without the wheelset as part of a "bulk lot" of bicycles from a police auction. Once the other bikes/parts from the lot were fixed up and sold, this bike cost almost nothing. (I have time to do this because I'm currently an unemployed recent college graduate). The wheelset is a garage sale find for $40. Other parts have also been upgraded during the past months, and I hope to change the saddle, bar tape, and brake hoods in the near future. Find current specs below the pictures:

1985 Peugeot PH 501 - Drive-side (1/8/11)

1985 Peugeot PH 501 - With a cool vintage shade (1/8/11)

SPECS:
Frame: Reynolds 501 main tubes, internally brazed (no info on the materials of the stays, but probably hi-ten steel)
Fork: Peugeot Carbolite 103, chromed
Size: 54cm
Color: Metallic Black
Crankset: Sugino DGS 42 x 52
Shifters: Simplex Retrofriction
Derailleurs: Huret Sachs Rival, front and rear
Pedals: unknown brand, Christophe toe clips, leather toe straps
Chain: original Sedisport, black
Hubs: Shimano RSX, 7 speed cassette 11-28T
Rims: Mavic CXP 10 (not definite because the previous owner peeled off the stickers)
Tires: Specialized
Headset: Peugeot (according to the catalog)
Handlebar: Kusuki WinPista
Stem: CTA, aero
Brakes: Campagnolo 2040 Record, NOT period correct
Brake levers: Campagnolo Super Record
Saddle: WTB Speed V
Seatpost: J.P. Routens, micro-adjust
Accessories: Planet Bike rear light; Schwinn Voyageur handlebar bag; Zefal handlebar mirror; Zefal frame pump (not pictured)