Recreational & Family - Trek 7000 opinion

Hi!

For the last few weeks i have been researching an entry level bike and have ben to few LBS too. Now I have finally decided to go with a non suspension Hybrid Bike. Unfortunately there are not many choices. The one available near by is Trek 7000.

So if there are any TRek 7000 owners , please advise. Also anybodty else knows any similar bikes which would fit the bill would be great.

Thanks
Viki

The Bianchi Avenue costs about $70 more, but the frame is made from cromoly steel. The difference in comfort is worth it. It's a very simple, well-built bike, which should last for years, and possibly one of the best all-around entry-level bikes on the market.

Hi!

For the last few weeks i have been researching an entry level bike and have ben to few LBS too. Now I have finally decided to go with a non suspension Hybrid Bike. Unfortunately there are not many choices. The one available near by is Trek 7000.

So if there are any TRek 7000 owners , please advise. Also anybodty else knows any similar bikes which would fit the bill would be great.

Thanks
Viki

Hi Viki,

I don't have any specific recommendations but I think you're on the right track. A non-suspension bike should have better components for the money than one with suspension. I had a Trek 7500fx and it was a great bike.

Actually my entry level bike was the auto shifting LandRyder; but I sold it on ebay after 8 months and bought the Trek 7200FX last year. I went for the non suspension fork as from what I read on Bike Forum, there was no advantage to a suspension fork for hard packed trails (rails to trails) or paved roads. I've pretty much settled on riding on country roads, so was a good pick for me. Put 1000 miles on bike so far with no problems. Have same tires and so far no flats. With the upright position I find the bike very comfortable. Only snag for me is all my 255 pounds was resting on the seat and I just wasn't comfortable with the stock seat. Finally settled on a 11 inch wide cruiser seat from SeatGuy.com.

I did buy a road bike over winter, but can't get used to the drop bars. The skinnie tires on road bike are faster, but I'm gonna have to convert bike to a flat bar as I have on the 7200.

I have a Trek 7.3FX and it is a great bike. I find that my Giant Cypress is easier for me to ride and climb hills with. I am sure that this is a personnal preferance. The Cypress St comes with a non suspended front fork and also is avaliable in a women's model. Another good choice would be a Kona Dew or Kona Smoke.

The Trek FX series is also considered a fitness bike, but is geared lower than a road bike. The Giant FCR and Specialized Sirrus are fitness bikes that have higher gearing for road use.

The type of riding you plan to do should also be considered. Are you planning to ride on bike paths, roads, trails? Is your riding area flat or hilly?

viki, I'm pretty much in the same situation as you, so I've looked at a lot of suspension-less hybrids. Do you have a maximum price? What brands are available nearby?

The 7000 is a good bike; the 7.2FX WSD a better bike. Either one will do fine going down the roads and bike paths; the 7.2 FX will be faster and smoother shifting.

Just do it. Buy the bike and ride. You'll have so much fun you'll wonder why in the world you waited so long and agonized over the details.

Just do it.

I was at LBS yesterday and noticed my 2005 7200FX is now the 2006 7.2FX. Trek appears to have a product reinvention. My 7200FX has the rapid fire shifters, black crank, black stem and black Bontrager flat aluminum handle bar. The 7000 series for 2006 looks to have silver crank, stem and steel handle bar with twist shifters. Wheels, tires, gear ratios appear same. 7.2FX lists for $10 more at Trek web site. Looks like it's a matter of how you prefer to shift bike. I'm use to rapid fire push levers and like black trim so I'd spend the extra $10. Although I should mention that Trek had a sale during the Tour de France, and I got bike at $50 off last years list. Last year list was $359, this year it is $419. You may wish to wait a couple weeks for a repeat sale.

I believe the 7000 series of Trek bikes has always had the grip type shifters while the FX line has featured the trigger shifters. I recently saw the 7200FX and the 7.2FX side-by-side and they both had the rapid fire shifters and black handlebar.

For what it's worth I took a friend to my LBS last summer with a 7000 in mind. The store doesn't stock the 7000 - said the components aren't much better than what you'd get on a Walmart or Target bike. They offered to order one if that's what my friend really wanted; instead she got the 7100 for only $20 more than the 7000.