old trek 2200 carbon, can you tell me anything about it?

supernova87a

Hi all,

I am thinking about buying a cheap trek 2200 frame for a low price to build up myself, but have some reservations about it. Can you help me with any information? here is a picture of it:

http://i15.ebayimg.com/02/i/01/15/10/88_1.JPG

In particular:

this is the old 2200 model where there were carbon tubes and aluminum joints, correct? how long ago was that possibly made?

Do you know of any unreliable issues with a frame like that?

In the picture you can see downtube shifters on the frame -- how much would it cost to get rid of those and just get the frame ready for sti shifters?

thanks for any advice you can give!

oneradtec

I used to own this frame set back in the early 90's. I believe Trek produced them perhaps until '96 or '97. So this frame is probably a '96 model...but could possibly be a '95 or '97..although it doesn't matter because there is no signifigant differences.

Most important consideration for this frame is perhaps crash history. Make sure there were no serious crashes that may have caused any of the carbon tubes to crack. Make sure you trust the seller...and hopefully you can inspect the bike first unless you are buying by mail. Be certain that there is no excessive 'chipping away' of the carbon at the ends of the tubes where the tubes tie into the aluminum joints. Ask the owner if the gloss still covers the nude carbon. Over time the gloss will fade off the carbon and leave it exposed. This is not major problem..but if the gloss(like clear paint) is still on the frames surface..then this is a great sign that the bike is in exceptional condition and has been well cared for.

Just be certain that this frame is in good condition and that it has been well cared for and garage kept. Low mileage is a plus. Also...if the owner was not a racer himself..then this is a plus also. One final plus would be that you are buying from original owner.

All in all this was a very pleasant frame to own..and I did put many enjoyable miles on it. The frame was very comfortable..and should be capable of club rides, training, touring, and yes even racing. The only negative on the frame is that it was a bit heavier than some other frames available...but not much more so. You should be able to build it up at 19-22 lbs depending on your choice of components.

You should be able to get this frame at a good price. No reason to over pay for it. They pop up on ebay quite often..and some of them are in fine condition.

If you are looking for a solid frame at a great price..then go for it.

supernova87a

thanks for the very helpful reply!

Any thoughts on how much it will cost to remove the downtube shifters and get it ready for STI shifting?