Trek Cruiser "JB Wild"

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G

Green P1

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This popped up on the local CL a couple days ago and sweet lady gave me what I feel was a pretty good deal on it. Its an attractive frame and being made out of aluminum, its feather light. Being that I'm 6'3 and its a 19 inch frame, I really only bought it for the 3speed alloy wheelset. Call me crazy, but I think I prefer the heaviness of the steel frame as well... I'll probably end up just throwing another set of wheels on and try to send her on down the line to someone in the market for a well built feather light cruise.

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Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

I ride a Trek Woody, daily and love it. Looks like the same frame. Give the aluminum frame a fair try. I'm 6"2" / 235 lbs. and have had no problems. I love the old steel stuff also, but sometimes light weight is good. Today it was 5 degrees on the way to work this morning. But the ride was awesome. I think my frame is a 20" so maybe Trek made different sizes.Thanks for posting the Trek. Gary
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

The look of the bike is really growing on me, but after riding it all day yesterday I just cant get over how light it is. I'm just used to riding heavy old scrap iron bikes.... not aircraft quality light weight aluminum. I'm really looking to build something I can throw a motor into down the road if i get the urge so... I think I'll just continue my search for a full size cantilever frame to swap wheels with this one and get her sold down the road.
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Good score!
I like mine a lot! Its a 21" so a little harder to find but it fits me better. It was 36 Lbs when I bought it, now 24.5lbs. Was able to gear it harder 38/14 and it's a lot of fun. Had to got through the hub though. One bearing was completely dry.
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Good Luck with whatever you do with yours.
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

CHAMPION123 said:
I ride a Trek Woody, daily and love it. Looks like the same frame. Give the aluminum frame a fair try. I'm 6"2" / 235 lbs. and have had no problems. I love the old steel stuff also, but sometimes light weight is good. Today it was 5 degrees on the way to work this morning. But the ride was awesome. I think my frame is a 20" so maybe Trek made different sizes.Thanks for posting the Trek. Gary
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more, I have a Del Sol hybrid bike that I love. Only a 7 speed but I could ride it for days. Came with a nice gel seat, and suspension seat post when I got it, Also put a triple tree suspension fork on it now. It's going to be re-done as a light weight rat.

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Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

MplsCoaster said:
Good score!
I like mine a lot! Its a 21" so a little harder to find but it fits me better. It was 36 Lbs when I bought it, now 24.5lbs. Was able to gear it harder 38/14 and it's a lot of fun. Had to got through the hub though. One bearing was completely dry.
IMG_3384II.jpg


Good Luck with whatever you do with yours.
Click to expand...
Yours looks super sweet!
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

The dang thang grew on me... Guess I'll have a go at making her over the way I like. Swapped out the handlebars and added some new grips.
Now I've decided to fill in one of the awkward gaps and add a little more heft to the light frame. I don't know much about welding sheet metal to aluminum... but I had quite a bit of JB weld sitting around at work... so we'll just see how that works out. The piece fits tight enough that It will stick in place during a short ride by itself, so maybe it'll hold. I've seen JB do some crazy things.

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I guess I need to start up a new thread in the build section or can I get this one moved?
 
Ratting out a Trek

Finished stripping today. Went the spray on aircraft stripper route this time and was a little underwhelmed with its effectiveness... but its still much easier than wire wheeling the whole dang thing. Pictures don't show it but I also got the little tabs that hold the shifter cable in place grinded off and a couple holes drilled to run the cable in frame.

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Hope to get it primed tomorrow, but still dont know what direction I'm going to go with paint. Leaning toward flat blacking it with the fake tank contrasting. I'm also looking for an adult version of the Huffy chain guard like the one on the Convertible I'm restoring to adapt to this build.
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Nice find..........I would have thought long and hard about just the alum. finish, like a racer aeroplane......but it aint my build :wink: .
Glad you kept it!
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

gcrank1 said:
Nice find..........I would have thought long and hard about just the alum. finish, like a racer aeroplane......but it aint my build :wink: .
Glad you kept it!
Click to expand...

I really liked the look of the bare aluminum but with the steel fake tank and forks I just cant leave it....
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

I'm glad yours grew on you. You beat me to the punch when you stripped it down. :D
That was going to be my summer project.
Now I know how cool it's going to look, I may have to get it done before I start my build off bike :lol:
Looking forward to seeing how you put it together. The tank insert helps the look of the modern frame
Good Luck!
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Got her primed this morning. I gotta say I'm impressed with how seamless the JB weld looks around the fake tank. There's nothing you cant do with that stuff!
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Question: Does anyone have a trick for removing 3 piece cranks without one of those fancy little threaded puller things? I've never messed with 3-piece before.
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Just bite the bullet and get one, Im sure there are a few other nice tools you would like to have which will help maximize your shipping cost, if you order, though Amazon has free shipping on a number of their items. The right tools make life so much easier and quicker. Short that, go down to your LBS and ask if they will just pop the crank arms off for you.
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Rain has halted my progress with paint so I decided to throw the wheels back on her just to see if I could work up some ideas.
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It worked in that I decided to trim off about half the rear fender...

Also came up with the headlight for this build in my dad's old lantern that I cant find a battery for. Not sure how I'll mount it yet but that will probably have to wait until I get the Monarch style springer I have planned for this thing.
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Questions:
I'm going to flat black this bike. Do people usually spray clear over their flat black paint or just leave it be? I've seen the flat and satin clear but never tried them out over flat black. With my murdered out Raleigh road bike I just spray on more black when I find a scratch... but I'd like this build to be a little too nice for that method. It'd be nice to add a little durability to the finish.
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Cool light, Im keeping my eyes open for one too.
I like the ease of touch up on flat black, its gonna get scratched somewhere, dont make it hard on yourself to tune it back up!
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Got a little more work done today, but the nasty humidity continues to prevent me from painting...

Chain guard to match the original on my early 50's Huffy Convertible I'm restoring arrived this week. (Big thanks to member abc services who is a pleasure to deal with.)
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Took a little cuttin and riggin to get it to fit and look right on the Trek. Ended up cutting about two inches off the end of the guard and flipping the original bracket that went around the axle backwards. It now attaches to the frame at the fender brace hole.

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Here's a picture mounted with along with the new bobbed fender. This thing is really starting to grow on me....

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And here a picture of Big and Little brother side by side. (The little guy has a tank and bobbed style rear fender awaiting paint to add to the similarity)

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I'd love a shiny brass RadRodBikes head badge to tie them together even more but my budget's not going to allow for such opulence any time soon....
 
Re: Trek Cruiser from CL

Like the way you mounted the chain guard. Installed it gives a stylish look. 8)
The 20" looks really great too! Can't wait to see it loaded.
 

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