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Dear Cyclofiend,

Note: This Trek 'Resurrectio' is an updated version of my Trek 420 (Current Classic #133)

Two years after my faithful 1984 Trek 420 (CC#133) was submerged in Hurricane Katrina, I shipped the frame to CyclArt in Vista, Calif. for a rust treatment and new paint job. While it was there, I had CyclArt add a pump peg, a second set of bottle bosses, a pair of downtube shifter bosses, and two thirds of a Rivendell Resurrectio decal set. I left off the seat tube decal because I thought it would be distracting. I'd have preferred a simple 'R' and the flame without the phoenix.

Phil Morison at The Spokesman in Mandeville, La. rebuilt the bike, using a mix of old and new parts. He also built a set of 700c Velocity AeroHead wheels to replace the old 27 x 1 1/4 Arayas. I've often regretted I didn't buy a higher-end Trek with cantilever brakes in 1984; however, the bottom-of-the-line 420's sidepull brakes made the conversion to 700c a snap. Also, the 420's relatively thick Tange 2001 frame tubes may have bought me some time in the fight against rust.

The Shimano crankset I bought in Japan in 1986 turned out to have the right bolt spacing for compact chainrings. That was a pleasant surprise. I also retained my old derailer and brakes, which kept costs down and preserved sentimental value.

I installed Mr. Tuffy tire strips against Phil's advice. I went on a ride last weekend with six other people. Two of the riders got flats, and I didn't. Like everything else, the Tuffies are a tradeoff: harsher ride, fewer flats.

The frame's unusual, non-Trek serial number, 404406796, may indicate Japanese origin, or so I read somewhere, maybe the Vintage Trek site. Trek apparently outsourced frames to meet demand in 1984.

For a long time, I resisted hanging a tweed anything on my bike. I finally gave up and ordered a Nigel Smythe Bar Tube. Now that I see it in the flesh, I love it.

ericnye@hotmail.com