It's later than 1978, the frame is from a model 412, the fork was made by
Tange and reputedly Trek used to get prebrazed rear triangle halves and
braze the main and rear subassemblies together. The 412 and 613 models used
a one piece head tube assembly, a casting with fake lugs on it.
David Feldman
Vancouver, WA
>
> Need to borrow some brains from the CR list. What is the following Trek?
>
> http://ebay.com/
>
>
> According to the seller, who doesn't claim to be an expert, he was told
the
> bike is a '78 model 412. However, according to Skip Echert's Trek site
(the
> catalog sections), the 412 didn't debut until about 1980 or '81. The
> difference is fairly important, as all the old Trek bikes were double
butted
> quality tubing throughout, either Reynolds or Ishwata, while the later
entry
> level models like the 412 had double butted main triangles and hi tensile
> forks and stays.
>
> The only distinguishing marks I can see that might help are the central
> front points on the head tube lugs, that I don't recall seeing on the
later
> Trek frames. Were these points only seen on the very early Treks? If so,
> then this bike is probably not a 412, but likely a '78 and high quality
> tubing throughout. There doesn't appear to be any tubing stickers on the
> fork. Did all early, full tube set Treks have fork stickers? Any other
cues
> that might reveal the actual lineage of this bike? Time on the auction is
> running out, and I don't know if I have time to get the seller to answer
any
> other questions. Thanks
>
> Tom Adams, Kansas City