650b Conversion - Trek 613b (1982)

[Joseph Kopera]

Hi All,

Finally finished converting an old 1982 Trek 613B frame to 650b-- a project I started this past winter and finally got done this summer while benched from riding. Many things on it aren't perfect, but good enough for now.  

Photos at:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkopera/28826290451/in/dateposted-public/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkopera/28826293831/in/dateposted-public/

Whole album, with previous iterations:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkopera/albums/72157664224158703

The original goal was for this to be my winter / salt bike-- and it still will be.  However, it occurred to me it will also be a good test between handling of a sportier, mid-trail, slightly more-flexy frame with 650b compared to a more urban-bike, low-trail geometry of my VO Polyvalent. Aside from the fork, the geometry is close-enough (for me) to frames that I want (Pelican, etc...) that I'm figuring this will be a good test-run.  If I wish to take this experiment further I'll order a low-trail fork from Soma.

Bike currently has Babyshoe's on it which come out at ~40mm wide on 25mm VO Diagonale rims.  Hetres don't fit between chainstays and I don't feel like dimpling them.  Intention is to put Pari-motos on this bike, as fenders are a bit snug with the Babyshoes.

Cheers,

Joe

Western Massachusetts

[Max]

Nicely done. Love the "aero" shifters :-) 

- Max

[Nick Favicchio]

Without touching a torch, I'll bet that's as sweet a ride as you'll get from an old Trek :). I kitted my similar Trek for a test ride and really liked the feel of the frame. Stiffer than ideal but well suited for a winter bike like you're doing. Or a great city lockup or touring bike.

How's the stopping with the (looks like) Weinmann and Shimano style pad holder with... are they Kool Stops?

A rather light tweek to the front fork should get you into upper 30 trail territory and it looks like you've got loads of room at the fork crown. And I'd not be shy about dimpling the chainstays. But that's me :).

[Joey Kopera]

Nick and Max- Thanks!

Yes-- the aero shifters came from Jason Gibbs' spare parts box. They're
a hoot.

Nick- thanks! For some reason this frame "feels" more flex-y than my
other one, but I have no real way of quantifying that.

The stopping with the Weinmann and Shimano pads + Kool Stops (they are
indeed) is... more aggressive... than I thought it would be. It's
wonderful, but I have to apply a lighter touch than I'm used to with
canti's on my other bike (which is weird), especially when using the
rear brake. There's a lot of spongy-ness in this brake setup between
the cable stops, housing, and cheap calipers, but I don't see the need
to remediate that on this bike.

Thank you for the tip on the fork! I have a friend with a fork jig and
such a tweak could be made. I have no reservations about dimpling in
concept, I'm just not set up to do it well at home with regards to tools
/ workspace. However, said friend could also help me on that as well...
but then I'd have to re-mount new fenders on this thing, and that was a
PITA. Although the bike would look wonderful with some old hammered
Lefols or Honjos...

Joe

[Andrew Patteson]

Joe, it looks fantastic.  I had an '83 that rode so beautifully, but it had a sad encounter with a curb.  These are great bikes to convert.  I'd vote for dimpling the stays and rolling the Babyshoes!  I have moved all the parts over to a different frame but I hope to find a 25.5" 600 series again someday.

Enjoy that sweet ride.
Andrew in SLC

[Tony DeFilippo]

Great conversion and all around build! I had a 600 series in the same gorgeous imron grey that I converted and rode for about a year as well and really enjoyed but was slightly to large.

I've got another 600 series that is just my size waiting for a similar project. Congrats and enjoy the ride!

[Peter Latner]

Nice.  Here's my '82 trek 613 conversion.  Separated at birth?

[Joey Kopera]

Very possibly!  They're twins! 

It turns out mine's a 1982, not 1983. So yes... they very well could be!

-Joe

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[Peter Latner]

Mine's maybe the most comfortable bike I've ever had--a joy to ride.  I originally had Babyshoes on it, but there was barely enough clearance, so I switched to 38s.  Still a great ride.

On Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at 8:18:00 PM UTC-5, Joseph Kopera wrote:

[Joe Bunik]

And here's an (I think an '82) 613 that passed through my garage,
which I did up with my neighbor/friend:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_bunik/16257985765

... *just* enough clearance for the 650 x 42 Paselas - the
reinforcement tangs on the fork are what make things real tight.

Having ridden 520's, 620's, and this 613 - all from the same '82/'83
era - I feel the 613 has a more road-oriented, while the X20's a
slightly lower trail/stable handling.
=- Joe Bunik
Walnut Creek, CA

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[Ed Braley]

Nice conversion! Makes me wish I hadn't sold that 614 years ago... But, that was before 650B had returned to the scene.

 

Nice photos on your flickr account, Joe. I really enjoyed looking through them the other evening! 

 

Ed.

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[Joseph Kopera]

Thanks Everyone!

And thank you for the photo compliment, Ed!  Photography (and a decent camera) became a hobby at about the same time as 650b bicycles for me.

Yes... there's some kind of magic to 1980's Japanese steel, as they say.  Have been putting more miles on it and am thoroughly enjoying the bike.

Joe

On Friday, August 12, 2016 at 5:19:26 PM UTC-4, EdBraley wrote:

Nice conversion! Makes me wish I hadn't sold that 614 years ago... But, that was before 650B had returned to the scene.

 

Nice photos on your flickr account, Joe. I really enjoyed looking through them the other evening! 

 

Ed.

[ilter]

Not a 650b, yet, but a relative for sure :) Here's a photo of my 83 vintage 620. A very fun bike.

ilter in chicago

On Monday, August 15, 2016 at 5:03:56 PM UTC-5, Joseph Kopera wroted:

[Joseph Kopera]

Wonderful!  I love the two-tone head-tube-- was that original or was it re-painted?

-Joe

[ilter]

That's original, consistent with the '83 catalog at vintage-trek.com.

ilter in chicago

[Joseph Kopera]

Was reading some older threads on here and someone (Nick Bull?) had mentioned the fork on 1982 600 series Treks was a big safety concern due to issues with the lugs-- I'm on an iPad so can't copy the original post, but was wondering what people thought of that? Was thinking of re-raking the fork, but if that's the case I may just replace it with a Soma low-trail fork.

Thanks,
Joe.

[olli.pi...@gmail.com]

Which cranks are those?

[Joseph Kopera]

The cranks are Suginos that originally came with the bike, I'm guessing. The chainrings are FSA Gossamers (anodizing stripped) I had lying around, as the original chainrings were just too big.