Determining the Year and Model of Your Steel Trek

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• Trek Bike Serial Number Lookup

Aug 08, 2006  I recently just purchased a Gary Fisher and I'm wonder which of the TWO numbers located on the bottom bracket shell is Actually the Serial number. I'd like to register my bike, but can't figure out which one it could be. I've seen some that say it is the one that starts with WTU. Can someone shed some light on this? Registration is a quick and easy way to protect your new-bike investment. It provides a record of your serial number in case your bike is ever lost or stolen, and will help us get in touch with you with important product information. Other serial number formats are described on the serial number page. Check the description of graphics by year in the timeline to match up your bike. Go to the brochures, the BikePedia.com web site (for 1993 and newer), the Trekbikes.com web site archives (for 2003.

One often has to be a bit of a detective to sort this out.
For Year:
If you know the model number, compare the colors of your bike against the Models/Years/Color listing. This works only for Treks from about 1982 onward. The earlier bikes models were available in numerous colors.
Check the serial number of the frame. If a 7 digit alphanumeric, see the results of the Serial Number Decoding Project. If it is 6 digit numeric, in the range 000000 to 270975, go to the serial number page to get the year and model number. If it is 6 digit numeric higher than 270975, the year may be able to be determined from the Table II on the serial number page. Other SN formats are described on the serial number page.
Check the description of graphics by year in the timeline to match up your bike. Go to the brochures, the BikePedia.com web site (for 1993 and newer), the Trekbikes.com web site archives (for 2003 and newer) and perhaps the gallery for more detail. For some years, (generally 1981 and newer) color is telling. For many models, two colors were available, but only one color is pictured. The other is listed on the model description page or in the separate specifications table. If your frame has been repainted, you may be able to find the original paint inside the bottom bracket shell, seat tube, or head tube. Occasionally, a frame was returned to Trek for repainting. Trek would use the then current colors and graphics, not the original ones. This means that color and graphics can (rarely) be misleading as to year.
If your bike has a model name or model number, look it up on the Models/Year/Colors table to find the years your bike was sold.
Compare the components on the bike with those described in the brochures, if you think they may be original. (BTW - This is tedious.) Cranks and brakes (and often seatposts), are more likely to be original than other components.(Note: Trek occasionally changed the components from what were described in the brochures. Improved parts became available during the year or specified parts became unavailable. In the case of unavailable parts, Trek invariably substituted better parts.)
Date the components on the bike (if you think they are original), guided by the component dates page. Dated components most likely to be original are brakes, handlebars, cranks and seatposts.
For Model:
For some years, the model number (in the form xxx) appears on the bike. Easy - even I often get this right.
If the serial number is a 7 digit alphanumeric, see the results of the Serial Number Decoding Project. If the number is a 6 digit numeral, check to see if your serial number is listed on one of the serial number years.
Racing? Touring? Sport? Measure the chainstay length, from the center of the crank to the center of the rear dropout. A length of 43.5, 44, 44.5, up to 47 cm (the Model 720 and 85 620) typically is a touring model, racing models are shorter at 41 to 41.5 cm or so. Sport versions are somewhere in between, at 43 cm or so.
Compare the components on the bike (and frame colors on 81 and newer) with those described in the brochures. or in the descriptions on the BikePedia.com (93 and newer) or the Trekbikes.com web site archives (for 2003 and newer) web sites.
For many models, two colors were available, but only one color is pictured. The other is listed on the model description page or in the separate specifications table.
Eyelets on dropouts? (for fenders or racks) - typically none on racing models (except for the first 4 or so years), yes on touring models, yes on most sport models.
Rear derailleur cable routed above or below bottom bracket? See 1982 Timeline page entry.
Rear derailleur cable routed through right chainstay? See 1985, 86, 87 Timeline page entries.
Cantilever Brakes? = Touring model. Centerpull Brakes = Touring (early 1982 720/728). Sidepull brakes? This only rules out models with Cantilever brakes above.
Fastback seatstays with no TREK stamped on seat lug =TX900. (See Chas. Porter's bike in the gallery.) Also, the TX900 has three holes, of increasing size, in the top of the seat lugs and head lugs.
A seatpost diameter of 27.4mm indicates a Model 170. The Model TX300 is 26.8mm. All other vintage Treks are 27.2mm.
See Is it Columbus Tubing?

Trek Frame Serial Numbers (Draft)

Prior to Late 1980 | Late 1980 to Late 1986 | Late 1986 to 1997+
Foreign Built 82 to 95 | Mid 90s 3-Part Numbers | Jazz by Trek
Missing Serial Numbers

Serial Number Location

Trek Bike Serial Number Chart

Trek frame serial numbers (SNs) are typically stamped into the bottom of the bottom bracket shell. In the case of some early 80s Treks, the number is under the plastic cable guide on the bottom of the shell. Just remove the plastic cable guide to see the number. The other place Trek (or their subcontractors) stamped the SN is at the lower end of the seat tube.

Note: The SN on your original sales receipt may not match the one on your bike. Sales persons sometimes had difficulty reading the numbers.

Many Trek bottom bracket shells have a one or two letter code stamped separately from the serial number. This was made by the individual framebuilder to mark his/her work. If you know which mark was used by a particular craftsman, please let me know.

Serialization Date

The dates coded in the serial numbers, or the dates inferred from the numbers, are dates on which the new frames were stamped with serial numbers (serialized). These dates are not necessarily the same as the model year of the frame. At some time late in each year (beginning generally September or October) the frames produced were created from designs, and painted with colors, for the next year.

Hard to read?

Trek serial numbers can be hard to read. Clean the area well, and use lots of light at various angles. A suggestion by J. Hansen can help you read a serial number:

Serial Number highlighted with red wax. Click on image to see an enlarged version. (Photo by J. Hansen)

'Rub the area with candle wax of a color that contrasts with your paint. Lightly wipe it off with a rag. The wax stays in the indented area of the S/N. Now you can easily read the number. I have included a photo of the results from my bike. In this case I used a red candle to make the serial number stand out. Note that even with the serial number filled with wax, the leading '0' is almost imperceptible.'

Serial Number Descriptions

The serial number descriptions are divided into five categories. Click on the link below to go to the appropriate category.

Trek Serial Number Decoder

Prior to Late 1980 | Late 1980 to Late 1986 | Late 1986 to 1997+
Foreign Built 82 to 95 | Mid 90s 3-Part Numbers | Jazz by Trek
Missing Serial Numbers

PRIOR TO LATE 1980

Before late 1980, Trek used an alphanumeric serial number scheme. Each seven-character number consists of three letters mixed with numerals. The serial number list and the code for the list are not available from Trek (but hope springs eternal). In the meantime, we have the results of the serial number decoding project:

Serial Number Decoding Project Nearly two hundred Trek owners submitted their frame's specifics to help decode the serial number system used from 1976 to late 1980. Our thanks to these generous cyclists. These serial numbers have seven characters, in the form L N L N L N N, where L is a letter and N is a number. Here are the results: The first letter is the model designation. The letter code indicates frame model, which would include bike models made from that model of frame. A = 210 (see note * below) B = TX200 (see note ** below), C = TX300, D = 530, E = TX500, F = 510, G = TX700 and TX770 (see note*** below) H = 710, I = 730, J = TX900. K = 910, L = 930, M = 412 and 414 (**** see year exception A below), N = 610, 613, and 614 (****see year exception A below), O = 950. The first number is the frame size, where 1 = 19.75', 2 = 21', 3 = 22.5', 4 = 24', 5 = 25.5', 6 = 57.5 cm (ctc) or indicates a custom size. (See Year Exception C.) 7 = 59 cm (ctc) or indicates a custom size. (See Year Exception C.) 9 = 63.5 cm (ctc) or indicates a custom size. (See Year Exception C.) The second letter represents the month the frame was serialized: B D F H J L Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec The second number is the last digit of the year, 6, 7, 8, 9 (for 197X) and 0 for 1980. See note below,****, for year exceptions. Again, this is the date of serializing, not necessarily model year. The last three characters - The final letter ranges from A to Z and the final two numbers go from 01 to 99. The last letter might be a run designation, with the last two numerals the frame number in that run? Alternatively, the letter extends the range of the character from 0 to 9 (if a number) to 1 to 26. This gives a range of 2600 for the 3 characters. Any other ideas for these last three characters? The rest of the code defines time to a month. Perhaps once Trek was nearing more than 2600 bikes/frames of a given model per month, a new serial number scheme needed to be developed. Hence the change to the sequential system started in late 1980. Notes: * There is no Model 210 in the brochures on the site; however, four frames have been reported with a SN leading with an 'A'. Two had Ishiwata high tensile double butted main tube stickers, the other two were unmarked. They have touring length chainstays (one was measured at 44.5 cm) and the rear dropouts are without adjusters. According the the SNs, they were made after the TX200 was no longer in the brochures. Another small mystery; for now we'll call it a 210. (Note: These frames previously were speculated to be 310s. However, without adjusters, as was the model TX200, they more likely were called 210s. ** One interesting variant of the SN code has been submitted. It has a leading B and has eight characters instead of the usual 7 (B4K6B109). It has SunTour dropouts, and had a partial tubing sticker that included the text 'TENSION BUTTED'. The date from the SN is Nov. 76. Probably a TX200 with an extra character in the SN. *** Several frames with a leading serial letter of G have been reported with Columbus tubing stickers. TX700 frames were available as special order, with Columbus tubing instead of the specified Reynolds 531. These bikes were designated as Model TX770. ****Year Exceptions: A. Serial numbers beginning with M or N (41X and 61X bikes or frames) seem to have a different meaning for what normally is the year digit. The year digit is the fourth character in the number. In the 50 M and N serial numbers that have been sent in by owners, the year numbers go from 0 through 9. The remaining part of the serial numbers seem normal. According to the brochures, Trek did not make 41X and 61X bikes or frames during 76, 77, 78, and 79 and also not in 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, or 89. These serial numbers apparently do not follow the year convention used for other Trek models. It is likely these frames, SNs beginning with M or N (Models 41x and 61X), were contracted out, and were given the old serial number form so as not to interfere with the sequential numbers being assigned by Trek in their shop, which began in late 1980. This variation to the SN system may have been done to extend the numbering system. By using the fourth character as an extension of the last three, the serial numbers could be extended from 2600 possible combinations to 26,000 for a given month. For M and N leading serial numbers, if the TREK letters on the seattube have no colorwrap behind, the bike is from 1980 or perhaps 1981. If it has a colorwrap, the bike is probably from 1982. B. One early TX700, an evaluation frame sent to a bike shop, had a 4 in the year digit. That 4 may signify an evaluation unit. C. Three 950 frames have been reported that contain unlikely year codes of 5, 6 and 7. It is very unlikely they were made in 1975, 76, or 77, more likely (from the brochures) 1980, 81, or 82. Another 950 frame was reported with a 0 in the year code, but was painted as a 1982. From the geometries, they probably were custom frames. Trek apparently used a different coding method for these frames, perhaps so as not to interfere with the production frame serial numbers. When a Trek frame was repainted by Trek, an additional set of numerals was often stamped into the bottom bracket to indicate the frame was repainted. These numbers were usually four digits, in the form NNNN.

LATE 1980 TO LATE 1986

Late in 1980, Trek changed to a new numbering system for their frames built in the U.S. The frames were numbered sequentially, beginning with number 000001. The record of the assembly runs was documented in a handwritten journal. Trek (Kevin Tita) graciously provided a copy of the journal for this web site. The list ended in November of 1986 with number 279975. This serial number system actually extended through at least 1997 (see Table II below).

The journal includes run number, model number, frame size, and serial number range. Incidental information, including dates and comments on the frames, appears sporadically through the journal. A 'run' was for a particular frame size and frame model.

We all owe thanks to Luker White who generously donated his time to convert much of the paper list to digital form.

Click on the date link in Table I below to go to the detailed serial number information for that year.

Table I - 1980 to 1986

Beginning Serial Number

Notes for Table I:

1. Table I contains dates of frame serializing, and are not necessarily model year. At some time late in each year (generally September or October) frames were built for (then painted with colors for) the next model year. This journal information is summarized by year in Table I. The year designations in the table are approximate; not all of the runs are sequential in time. This may be a result of subcontracting some frame fabrication.
2. For some years, the model number given may be the lowest number (or an X00 number) for a series of models that have the same frame. For example, a 1981 frame appearing on the list as a Model 610 could have been built into either a 613, 614, or 616 bike.
3. Some of the Model 170 serial numbers are 6 digits but do not follow the numerical sequence. A future task is to sort 170 numbers. Some of these are presented in the 83, 84 link at the bottom of the table.
4. Some early and mid 80s bottom brackets were marked with 58TSI or 60TSI. In the early 1980s Tim S. Isaac designed new lugs and a new bottom bracket shell for Trek. The new bottom bracket shell is typically marked with 58TSI (or more rarely, 60TSI). This designation is not part of the serial number but is a model number of the shell. The TSI are Tim's initials. The 58 or 60 refer to the angle between the seattube and the downtube.
5. Some frames in this period have a leading 'A' before the 6 digit number. This may be more prevalent on lower level models. The 'A' may not be part of the SN. Just disregard it when looking up the number in the tables below.
6. Frame Sizes in the SN list below are as given on the paper copy. For some entries, only a two-digit number was given, the extra 1/2 or 3/4 inch was dropped. So - an entry of 22 inches really means a 22.5' frame size, 19 means 19.75', 25 means 25.5'.
7. The list has two major gaps, corresponding to missing pages. Page 9 ends with SN 027870 and the next page starts with 029118. Page 61 ends with 210065 and the next page starts with 215226.
8. The SN list for 1986 has some serial number ranges with annotations about POs (purchase orders) to 'Merida'. These are for Model 800, 830 and 850 mountain bikes and Model 300 road bikes. These were made late in the year, so they probably were all 1987 models. At least some of these were provided to Trek as 'frames only'. One reported SN in these ranges, for an 850, was prefaced by the letters TML. From the serial number list, the number of Trek frames or bikes made by Merida late in 86 totaled at least 8251.
   Merida is a Taiwanese bike company that was established in 1972. It is currently a major, worldwide player in the bicycle business. See http://www.merida.com/ for information on this company.

   LATE 1986 to 1997+

This 6 digit (7 digit beginning in 1993) code extended into at least 1997, at least for some models (generally mid to upper level and made in the U.S.). The number may or may not have a leading zero, making the six digits into seven digits prior to 1993. The model is not available for these numbers but the year can be determined or estimated from Table II below. The information in the table is from serial numbers submitted by site visitors. Our thanks to them. In contrast to the serial number dates in Table I above, the years in Table II represent model years, not the date the serial number was applied.

Table II - Model Years 1987 to 1997

Serial Numbers Include
270821, 284237, 284335, 293788, 301294, 304445, 304940, 307880, 308292
309634, 316981, 319336, 335133, 346451, 347944, 356837, 360384
369203, 379079, 391236, 406793, 427402, 438108
513747, 532881, 563678
579529, 629426, 653761, 740528, 79xxxx
771408?, 840762, 873805, 883719, 900224
1035688, 1087?34, 1106529, 1109196, 1125523, 1125738
1164917, 1269067
1331934, 1406630, 1431480, 1439467, 1506862
1544446, 1878372, 1955570
1876296?, 1963294

FOREIGN-BUILT FRAMES AND BIKES 1982 to MID 90s

Three different serial number forms have been submitted for 1983 Trek Model 400 frames. One, marked 'made in Japan', begin with JS followed by six numerals. The SN was located on the bottom of the bottom bracket. A second serial number is 81765. According to the Trek-provided SN list, this corresponds to a 22' (22.5') Model 400 frame made in 1983. This SN form is for frames/bikes made in the U.S. The number was marked on the bottom of the bottom bracket. The third number is 403300950, which indicates foreign built, but the nation of origin sticker was missing. This number was marked at the bottom of the down tube. It is likely this 400 was made by the same manufacturer as the 1984 bikes described in the paragraph below. For the 1983 Model 400, it appears Trek used three sources for their frames or complete bikes.

Trek Serial Number Lookup

Several 1984 Trek 460s, 420s and 400s have been reported with 9 digit numeric serial numbers stamped on the lower seat tube instead of on the bottom of the bottom bracket. These frames, or complete bikes, apparently were made in Japan by an outside contractor. The numbers submitted are in the range of 401000000 to 440000000.

An 8 or 9 character alphanumeric code was used for mid- and low-level frames subcontracted in Taiwan. Most of these bikes were labeled 'Made in Taiwan'. This form of serial number appears to have been used during the period 1987 to 90. The number leads with a T (for Trek?) then a numeral, a letter, then five numerals. Sean Hickey suggested the first numeral is the year of manufacture, and the letter is the month of the year (A - L). This is confirmed by serial numbers that were submitted by other Trek owners.

A later 8 and then 9 character alphanumeric SN scheme, used beginning in about 1989, also begins with a T (for Trek?). These later T numbers were used on lower level subcontracted frames but do not follow the 2nd and 3rd or 3rd and 4th character date meanings above.

Beginning in about 1994, an 8 character alphanumeric code was used for some Trek bikes made in Taiwan. It begins with G and another letter (e.g. GQ, GR, GS, GV and GZ). These are followed either by: 6 numerals, or a number, a letter, followed by four numerals. The first numeral in the SN is likely the year of serialization.

MID 90s 3-PART SERIAL NUMBERS

During the mid to late 1990s, Trek used a three-part serial number and information code system on the bottom of bottom bracket shells. This scheme seems to have been used for bikes manufactured overseas and perhaps for bikes made in the USA by Trek. The scheme of the numbers varied, perhaps as a function of the actual foreign manufacturer. Examples are given below:

Example 1

Trek Bicycle Serial Number Database

14 066 71
990 18 31 9406

The first line is the actual serial number. The information on the left lower line is model number (990) and frame size (18 inches). On the right lower line the meaning of the 31 is unknown. The 94 is the manufacturing year (1994) and the month (06 or June)

Example 2

WTU 2054748N
750 17 B10407

The upper line is the serial number. The left lower line is model (750) and frame size (17 inches). The meaning of the B1 is unknown. This is from a 97 model bike, so likely the 7 is the year.

Example 3

For a 15' women's 1999 model 720, the numbers are:

T B1 0407 WTUD01330R A0199

Here the model number and frame size are absent. The center number is the actual serial number. The 99 is the year, and the 01 may indicate January.

Example 4

For a 18' 1997 Model 8000 mountain bike:

Trek Bicycles

WTU 1981461
M B1 0406 8000 18

Trek Bike Serial Number Lookup

The top line is the serial number. Interestingly, the 1981461 is probably within the realm of 1997 in Table II above. The 8000 and 18 are model and size in inches. The 0406 may not be a date code, since it does not corrspond with what I believe is the year of the bike.

If you have a serial number of this form, please send it along with information about your bike. Thanks to Arnold O' Sioléir, Wayne Snyder, Christine Flynn, and bidaci for the info above.

MODERN WTU NUMBERS

Trek has used the WTU designation in their serial numbers from the mid-90s to today. Trek has used these numbers not only for Trek bikes but also for their Klein, Gary Fischer and Lemond brand bikes.

In a Safety Recall Notice dated 1 May 2009, Trek describes some features of 2009 serial numbers. It states 'The first three digits after “WTU” represent the sequential date; the number of days from the beginning of the year. The letter at the end of the serial number represents the model year.' The notice states that a final leter D indicates 2009.

For the serial number WTU301D86571D, the framewas made on the 301st day of the year. The final D indicates the bike was made for the 2009 model year. Extending backwards from 2009 one gets the following last character meanings.

O	Q	S	U	W	Y
1993	1995	1997	1999	2001	2003	2005
M,N, M	P, P, P, P	R, R	S, S	T, T, T	U	X

B	D	F	G	H	I	J
2007	2009	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
A, A	B, B,	J, J, C	D	E, E	G	H	I	J

Trek 2002 4300 had no final letter in SN

JAZZ BY TREK

Jazz is a line of foreign-built, entry-level bicycles that Trek sold in the early 90s. (See the history page for a bit more info and the brochures page for a 93 catalog). There seems to be at least three serial number types:

1. A Flipside model had the serial number JT0116 stamped on the bottom bracket shell. The JT probably stands for 'Jazz' and 'Trek'. The numbers may be the sequential frame number, beginning at 0001.
2. The second type is a 10-character serial number. The first two characters are letters which are followed by eight numbers. Examples are JT09010099 and FI08003231.
3. A Latitude model has a 10-digit, all-numeric serial number: 1230707859. This number also was stamped on the bottom of the bottom bracket shell.

These three serial number forms may mean that Trek used at least three subcontractors for the Jazz line.

MISSING SERIAL NUMBERS

A few owners of early Treks, mostly, from 1976 through the early 80s, report their frames are not marked with serial numbers. A past Trek employee wrote that the police in the Madison and the surrounding area said TREK was famous for bikes with no serial numbers. Seems hundreds didn't get any numbers at all. The serial number guy just missed a few?

Three other possibilities: 1. In the early years Trek allowed, and even encouraged, their workers to use company equipment and materials to build personal frames after hours. These frames often were not serialized. The practice stopped after production was increased, resulting in little available down time for the equipment. 2. The serial number on a repainted frame that was not first stripped, may disappear under the new paint. 3. The number is under the plastic cable guide attached to the bottom of the bottom bracket shell.

Prior to Late 1980 | Late 1980 to Late 1986 | Late 1986 to 1997+
Foreign Built 82 to 95 | Mid 90s 3-Part Numbers | Jazz by Trek
Missing Serial Numbers

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