Trek Bicycle turns 50: Three limited edition special models for the anniversary

Trek Bicycle, one of the world's leading bicycle manufacturers, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an exclusive anniversary collection. Founded in 1976 in a barn in Wisconsin, the company looks back on five decades of bicycle history and presents three special limited edition models that reflect both the company's history and Trek's vision for the future. The collection consists of "The First 50 Project One ICON", "The First 50 Replica" and "No. 76 Project One ICON". All three models can be pre-ordered now during a six-week order window until 13 April, with delivery starting in June 2026. After this deadline, the anniversary models will no longer be available, although "The First 50 ICON" model will still be available at the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes from the Lidl-Trek WorldTour-Team is ridden. The anniversary collection is intended to represent the development of the company from a small start-up to a global brand that has set itself the goal of changing the world through bicycles.

The history of Trek on the frame

The models "The First 50 ICON" and "The First 50 Replica" tell the story of Trek through a visual timeline on the frame. Each graphic element marks a significant chapter in the company's development. The iconography on the frame - the original barn, Trek's founders, NICA, Y-Bike, sustainability and more - paints a multi-layered picture of a company that has grown through innovation, evolution and bigger goals. "There are surprises everywhere on the frame," explains Micah Moran, art director at Trek and lead designer on the project. "Every graphic element represents something real that has shaped Trek and cycling. It's a bike you can ride and a story you can explore." The designs are intended to pique riders' curiosity, allowing them to discover the different layers of meaning at their own pace. A detailed account on the trekbikes.com/the-first-50 website guides you through the artwork with explanations for each illustration, and a 50th anniversary coffee-table book, to be published in June 2026, expands each graphic into a story.

Exclusive features of the anniversary models

The "The First 50 ICON" is available exclusively on the Madone SLR 9 AXS and comes with a range of optional extras. Each frame is numbered on the chainstay and includes a limited edition white and red saddle with red rails and Aeolus RSL wheels with limited edition graphics. These details make it a collector's item. "The First 50 Replica" brings the same narrative - the graphic symbols, the shared moments, the celebration of Trek's first half century - to the Madone SL 7, offering riders another way to experience the artwork and the story by combining the visual narrative with a build designed for a broader audience. Also available exclusively on the Madone SLR 9 AXS, the "No. 76 ICON" blends the original visual language of Trek's earliest frames with the engineering of Trek's fastest road platform. The design features the original 1976 Trek logo, a graphic of the early brass headset shield and the brand's traditional blue, a colour inspired by Trek's earliest hand-built touring bikes.

Jerseys and accessories in anniversary design

The anniversary design extends beyond the Madone models with a range of 50th anniversary accessories. These include a limited edition jersey, water bottles, T-shirts and more, which will be launched throughout the year. The year 2026 will also include a special 50th anniversary edition of the Trek 100 on 20 June, which will start from Trek's headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin.

The roots of Trek

Founded in a Wisconsin barn in 1976, Trek Bicycle began manufacturing hand-brazed touring frames designed to compete with the best European models. In its five decades of existence, the commitment to craftsmanship has evolved into a broader mission aimed at expanding access to cycling, promoting sustainability, supporting youth cycling and developing products that encourage more people to choose two wheels instead of four. The "No. 76 ICON" design is deliberately understated - a minimal, elegant nod to the time when five employees in a red barn in Wisconsin set out to build something better than what had gone before.