Velopedia Bicycle Archive
Compare Bicycles
Compare published geometry, gearing and specifications for up to three bicycles.
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1 of 2 bicycles
At a glance
Key differences
Supported differences are shown below. Data limitations are labeled separately.
- Handling
1998 Trek 420 has a 0.5° slacker head-tube angle than 1997 Trek 420 in the archived geometry. Frame size is not identified for 1997 Trek 420 and 1998 Trek 420.
Fork offset, tire size and wheelbase also affect steering; head angle alone is not a handling verdict.
- Identity & price
1997 Trek 420 had an original MSRP $325 lower than 1998 Trek 420.
Original MSRP is the published list price when new, not today’s used-bike value.
Gearing comparison
Lower gears help on climbs. Higher gears suit higher speeds.
RPM
RPM = pedal turns per minute.
Lowest1.08:1Highest3.69:1Total range343%
Estimated speed at 90 RPMLowest gearHighest gear
Uses front tire 700C×25; rear size isn’t listed.
Lowest1.07:1Highest4.73:1Total range441%
Estimated speed at 90 RPMLowest gearHighest gear
Uses front tire 700C×23; rear size isn’t listed.
How it works
Ratio = front teeth ÷ rear teeth. Hub gears also include the hub’s internal ratio. A 400% range means the highest ratio is four times the lowest.
Speeds are estimates from tire size and pedal cadence. Actual speeds vary.
Complete specification tableShows different published values and gaps where a bicycle lacks data. Different wording reflects source language, not necessarily different components. Swipe for more columns.
Specification
1997 Trek 420
1998 Trek 420
Overview
Model Year
1997
1998
Brand
Trek
Trek
Model
420
420
Bicycle Type
Road/sport
Road/sport
Original MSRP
$424.99
$749.99
Colors
Dark blue
Titanium
Sizes
43 cm, 50 cm, 54 cm, 56 cm, 58 cm, 60 cm
43 cm, 50 cm, 54 cm, 56 cm, 58 cm, 60 cm
Weight
—
—
Frameset
Frame Construction
Welded
TIG-welded
Frame Material
Chromoly
Aluminum
Fork
Trek
Trek
Fork Material
Hi-tensile steel, unicrown crown
Chromoly, unicrown crown
Drivetrain
Component Group
Shimano
Road Mix
Shifters
Shimano 300EX down-tube
Shimano RSX down-tube
Front Derailleur
Shimano Tourney TY-30, bottom-pull/clamp-on 28.6 mm
Shimano RX-100 top-swing, top-pull
Rear Derailleur
Shimano AceraX
Shimano RSX GS
Crankset
SR aluminum, 28/38/48 teeth
Sugino RD5000, 30/42/52 teeth
Bottom Bracket
Shimano BB-LP26, 118 mm spindle
Shimano BB-LP27
BB Shell Width
68mm English
68mm English
Rear Cogs
7-speed, 13 - 26 teeth
7-speed, 11 - 28 teeth
Chain
Shimano CN-UG50, 1/2 x 3/32"
Shimano CN-UG50, 1/2 x 3/32"
Pedals
Victor VP-393 w/clips & straps
Resin w/clips & straps
Brakes
Brakes
Shimano 300EX brakes, Dia-Compe BL-07 levers
Shimano RSX Dual Pivot brakes, Shimano RSX levers
Cockpit & Contact Points
Headset
1" HP8002ES
1" Tange-Seiki
Handlebar
Hsin Lung aluminum
Aluminum
Stem
Chromoly
Chromoly
Saddle
Trek
Padded vinyl
Seatpost
Hsin Lung SP-51, 26.6 mm diameter
Aluminum micro-adjust, 27.2mm diameter
Wheels & Tires
Hubs
Front: aluminum quick release, Rear: Shimano R050, silent clutch
Shimano RSX
Rims
Weinmann 217, 36-hole
Rigida V-Argent, 36-hole
Spokes
Stainless steel, 2.0mm double butted
Stainless steel, 1.8mm straight gauge
Spoke Nipples
Brass nipples
Brass nipples
Front Tire
700 x 25c Trek Iso Tech II
700 x 23c Continental Super Sport
Wheel Size
700c wheels
700c wheels
Geometry · choose a size for each bicycle
Geometry size
Head-tube angle
73°
72.5°
Seat-tube angle
73°
75°
Chainstay / rear center
415 mm
414 mm
Wheelbase
986 mm
980.4 mm
Fork offset / rake
43 mm
—
Historical specifications are presented as an archival reference. Components may have varied by market, size, or production run. Legacy reference geometry is model-level historical data whose corresponding frame size is not identified; compare those dimensions as reference values rather than size-normalized fit data.