This is the special seat collar which Trek used on its first bonded aluminum mountain bike frames (6000, 7000, 8000, 8500) on up through the bonded aluminum-carbon frames (8300, 8700, 8900). Typically these were painted black, but the early ones such as this were often polished stainless steel. This collar fits over the top of the seattube and is locked in place by the quick release skewer rod (not included)