Why did the other person sell? I guess I'm paronoid since I order a pilot 5. How did you find a used Pilot? I have been waiting for one for a while.
Does anyone know how to decode recent Trek serial numbers? Originally Posted by Rexx.
Of course, the serial numbers may not be coded but only sequential, and so a lookup would be involved rather than a decode. Answer from Trek Trek customer service, responding very quickly this morning, tells me that the frame is a 56 cm. I'm looking to buy a used Trek Pilot barely used! The measurements provided by Trek are too close and too odd to check. Officersĭecoding Trek serial numbers esp.
Thread: Decoding Trek serial numbers esp. Get the latest roadbike reviews, news, race results, and much more by signing up for the Roadbikereview Newsletter. Some of the other ones have been reverse-engineered by their rider communities.Forum Rules. Some of these manufacturers will provide their own serial number lookups on their websites. However, many bicycle manufacturers don't use date codes and so you can't easily decode their serial numbers.
Surly is another manufacturer who uses date codes, this time in their stamped frame numbers. Some manufacturers use a date-code as part of the serial number. Bicycles except children's bicycles are almost always required to have a frame or serial number. How much your bicycle is worth depends on the location of the buyer and seller, how much the buyer wants the bike, etc. These tend to have modern rims and brakes as a giveaway. Dutch bikes, trendy coffee cruisers, and beach cruisers may be modern but appear to be s styling. Low-end manufacturers may continue using technology that is severely outdated such as one-piece cranks, freewheels, or quill stems because it is cheaper to do so.Ī number of bikes are built in a Retro style, but with modern components. There is a delay between the introduction of a technology such as indexed shifting and when manufacturers start selling products that use it. By the 80's if it was clamp-on, it was a sign of very cheap models and most frames had braze-ons for all cables, with multiple bottle and accessory bosses depending on style and use.Ī previous owner could have replaced or upgraded components on a bicycle, so this guide only applies to original equipment. Race bikes tended have less braze-ons the earlier the year of manufacture. Most bikes lost their metal badges in the 60's and early 70's, although some brands still have actual badges to this day, but in general a real badge indicates an earlier model bike.Ĭassette vs. Headbadges: most early bikes had actual "badges", often quite detailed and fancy, made of metal, then plastic, and finally just using decals on the headtube. Earlier bikes tended to have less fancy, less colorful, less quantity of decals. This applies only if decals are original or have been replaced with the identical design. Reynolds tubing introduced aroundstill used today Reynolds tubing introduced around So a frame with an original decal can't be from the 70', decal doesn't help as much because of the range of years produced. Style of shifters brifters, triggers, etc. Cottered cranks vs square tapered or splined cranks and bottom brackets.
To some extent, these will also help you narrow down the model as well as it will tell you what distinguishing features to look at. Each "answer" should address a different way to determine the manufacturing year of a bicycle. This is a canonical question that will hopefully encompass all of the questions we get asking us to determine what year a bicycle was manufactured how old is my bike, how old is my frame, etc. Bicycles Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for people who build and repair bicycles, people who train cycling, or commute on bicycles. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie PolicyPrivacy Policyand our Terms of Service.