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    My family’s Trek Multitrack 790 has quite a story — pulling it out of storage after 15 years

    During the Bosnian War in the 1990s, a family from my neighborhood fled to Germany as refugees. When the deportations of Bosnian refugees from Germany began in 1998–1999, they returned home — and brought everything they owned with them, including this Trek.

    My father, 21 years old at the time, bought it for 100 KM (roughly $50) and rode it to work for the next 5–6 years. Then in 2012, 12-year-old me found it and rode it for another 4–5 years before it ended up forgotten in the shed.

    Last night I randomly stumbled on a YouTube video of someone restoring a Trek into a gravel build — and here we are.

    What I know so far:

    -Trek Multitrack 790

-True Temper AVR Chromoly double-butted frame, Made in USA

-Matrix 700c heat-treated rims, Made in USA

-Original Chain Reaction Bicycles sticker (Redwood City, CA) still on the frame

-Purchased new sometime in the early-to-mid 90s in Germany

    The bike is dirty but the frame looks solid. Planning a full restore — any advice welcome. Drop pics of your 790s in the comments.

    by osmanisic

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    10 Comments

    1. biosfearmag on

      From the San Francisco Bay Area to a shed in Bosnia is quite the journey.

    2. Spirit-S65 on

      I have a 790 too, but someone knob tried to steal it. It’s all beat up and the downtube needs to be replaced.

    3. b1-bi on

      It’s a year 1990 Trek – you can tell by the seat lug and decal.

      Quill stem looks dangerously far out.

    4. primitive_lover on

      One of these in my size popped up on my local Craigslist about a year ago, and I responded immediately, but it was already too late. Someone else snagged it for $150.

      Sick bike. V jealous.

    7. Zacupunk on

      Nice! That bike is not rare as someone else implied, but it is a solid and capable bike. Check out the Multitrack sub for inspiration.

    8. sa547ph on

      This is perfect. About time to build your great dream ride. Doesn’t have to be all vintage, as you want to ride with confidence, so I’d go for a restomod.

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