Help me understand the 90s Trek 920

[Frankengoose]

I know this here is for bikes before 1997, but the 1998 Trek 920 seems to misplaced in time somehow. I checked the Trek catalogues available here and it is a full rigid chromoly bike and seems to have only been produced in 1998 (later Trek used 920 for a tracking/bike packing 29").
Trek didn't offer a 920 one two years before or after. The components are entry level, but it seems the frame is the same tripple butted steel as the better 930 to 970/90s.
So Trek in 1998 thought: We have these insane amount of chromo frames lying around and can't get enough suspension forks, so let's offer a good old full rigid like a couple of years ago?
This bike is nothing to drool about, still I find it interesting that Trek went against the norm and released a "retro bike" in 1998. It's not like they didn't have rigid aluminium bikes to sell.

 

[fearfactoryüberalles]

Yeah, by the late '90s pretty much all big players jumped on the stupid alloy/carbon bandwagon, so offering fine steel bikes as discount models weren't unusual at all. Sad story indeed (I'm pointing at you, Scott/Specialized!). The numbering -920- indicated its supposed "value for money, budget" image, hence the low level stuff on it. In 1999 they still offered a 930 with mid-range parts, but there's no evidence of their steel range after that year. Maybe some Gary Fisher bikes were built as steel mtbs in the early noughties, and of course the halo Bontrager bikes.

 

[joglo]

you're right, also Vintage-trek is listing the 920 just for two years
94, ice violet with gold decals, also Black Forest green with gold decals
98, ice inkwell with silver decals, also bright silver with mango decals

Trek Bike Models by Year and Color

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www.vintage-trek.com

but looking to the 1998 catalog, still also the 950 and 930 had been available too.

With regards to the naming convention, there are a lot of exceptions, but in general there are a few rule of thumps helping to use the Trek model number to understand positioning of that model.
4 digits mean aluminium, 3 digits Cro-Mo
The first digit shows quality of the frame itself, 9xx was the best cro-mo frame series
and the second digit is the equipment level, a low number means a cheap group a high number a better group.

Last but not least, typical showing pictures of the bike may help as well to get other users here excited to contribute.

 

[Steelinist]

Hi (my first post in the forum )
I am thinking of buying a 920 Trek in order to build it up as commuter. It is the 98th version. According to @joglo it would be top-notch frame? The low-standart components would be okay for me.

Thanks for any answer in advance

 

[Steelinist]

I correct myself: it is the 94 version

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Hi (my first post in the forum )
I am thinking of buying a 920 Trek in order to build it up as commuter. It is the 98th version. According to @joglo it would be top-notch frame? The low-standart components would be okay for me.

Thanks for any answer in advance

9xx series would be the top level steel frame of the year. Mid level components will still function well on a commuter. That would be a good choice in my opinion