Trek 930 resto mod

Ride_Revive

Old School Hero
This may well be frowned upon, but I’ll take people’s views…

Spoiler: It’s a 1999 trek 930, but I figured everything about it is more aligned to the pre ‘97 category on this forum, which is why I’ve posted it here.

The back story:
I was a young teen in the late 90s, with a then out dated Raleigh Outland (I would actually love to own another).

My mates from wealthier backgrounds started getting some pretty decent mountain bikes that I was of course envious of, there was a few that stood out… Mainly Trek’s and Kona’s paired with a rockshox fork. But when a few of them starting to learn trials moves, I was convinced it was the bike that gave them the ability. (Turns out it wasn’t, who knew? 😂)

One in particular I always wanted but couldn’t have afforded at the time was a blue Trek 930. I remember the blue always looking shinny, almost sparkly, with grey and red decals contrasting the stunning base colour. A few local guys had them, one much older than me, but boy could he ride it. He had put a red set of forks on it. I can’t remember exactly which rockshox it was but it was an upgrade from the standard jet fork it shipped with.

Fast forward to 2022 and I start getting the bug for a retro ride, I can’t even recall the model of trek I loved all those years ago, and despite looking I could never find anything for sale in the colour scheme I wanted. I settled for a Kona, which I (in my opinion) rescued/restored/improved. The Kona has ultimately had led me down a path of N+1 for retro bikes.

Between now and then I have kept my eye out for what I eventually found out to be a 1999 trek 930 singletrack.

Finally one showed up on eBay in the colour I was after, I’d love to say it was in time machine condition, but it actually looked like this one lived outside since 1999 🤦🏻‍♂️

IMG_5320.jpeg
IMG_5321.jpeg
IMG_5324.jpeg


Problems:
- the mahoosive bike lock key had been lost
- frame bolts were seized
- forks seized
- BB seized
- frame was scuffed, chipped, rusty and grimey
- drive gear… all terrible condition (although the cranks did actually clean up nicely)

I think the only thing it had going for it is that the seat post was free. So of course I decided to buy it 😂

A test clean on the frame worked quite well:

IMG_5325.jpeg

I decided not to mess with the original paint work and embrace the scars it had. This would be an appropriate foundation for a front suspension mud capable bike.

Many hours later:

I welded a disc tab on the frame and fitted the parts I I fancied for the build…

IMG_6241.jpeg
IMG_6317.jpeg
IMG_6353.jpeg
IMG_6356.jpeg

The forks intended are some black Sid’s I have, but I need to have a longer steerer pressed in as this frame is rather large! The red dukes are growing on me though and I can’t actually fault them. I think the red clashes with the anodized headset though so May swap that out until the Sid’s are sorted.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top