Hybrid Bicycles - Trek FX 7.5 thru 7.9 owners - How do you like your bikes?

I am posting this just to get a good feel of how current higher end FX model owners like or dislike their bikes.

If you have an FX 7.7 or below, would you have preferred the 7.9? do you feel this model is worth the ~$2400 price?

what are the pro's and cons of the model that you have? what did you realize after owning it for a while that you wish you knew before buying it?

i am simply attempting to guage the 'is it worth it' portion of the FX series... just to see where the 'sweet spot' is.....

Thanks in advance gang!

I am posting this just to get a good feel of how current higher end FX model owners like or dislike their bikes.

If you have an FX 7.7 or below, would you have preferred the 7.9? do you feel this model is worth the ~$2400 price?

Thanks in advance gang!

Okay - we have a 7.5FX and 7.6FX. Just bought both new two weeks ago. Both are '09 models. We were upgrading from GT Timberlines. I did not pine for anything above the 7.6. The 7.5 seems to be the sweetspot in the FX line. Optimum performance, price and hardware. It's a great bike and my wife loves it. I opted for the 7.6 as I was seduced by the blue color and the damper in the rear main stay. The 7.5 feels as smooth (for the most part) as the 7.6. This is probably due to the 7.5's wider tires(32's) offering a little more cushion. Both are fast, nimble, light bikes and let you cruise without a lot of effort. I can easily average 14-15 mph over 20 mile FLAT ride despite starting 2 weeks ago. My wife's comment on the 7.5FX is it feels like an extension of yourself. The 7.5 has a lower granny gear vs. 7.6.

PROS: Smooth ride !! Great acceleration. Confidently nimble. Good components: Stock Bontrager grips are pretty decent, although I have some Ergon GC3's on order to add some extra options for hand positions on longer rides. Their saddles are reasonably comfortable as well. Shifting is smooth.


CONS: None so far - I only have 110 miles on the 7.6 and wife has very little on her 7.5.


Both were pricey, but obviously not as much as 7.7 or 7.9. I did not want to upgrade again in a few yrs so we went with these models as opposed to 7.2 or 7.3, not that there is anything wrong with those. They too are great bikes. I wanted the skinnier tires. IF I decide in a few yrs to get a road bike, I will still keep the 7.6. It's just a fun bike. .

Keep in mind you may be putting some or a lot cash towards accessories, so having the 7.5 or 7.6 may leave some margin there.

Whether the 7.9 is worth it is up to you. We are very pleased with the middle of the line and feel very fortunate to be able to ride these bikes.

Hope that helps.

^ thanks for all the info. i am sure you got a great deal on the 09's.... i tried getting an 09 7.7 and an 09 7.9 but no one has it in my size - XL/22.5" - i am 6'1... they also said the warehouses they had access to did not have them =/

what makes me really mad is that trek retailers - even large ones - do not have any 7.7s or 7.9s on the showroom floors and i have no clue why... i feel like if i choose either model, it'll be a blind decision to spend $2,000.... i would prefer to ride it and guage the quality myself rather than putting the $ down then test driving it...... i dont know why they do that....

the highest model i've seen was the 7.6 but they didnt have it in my size.... i sat on a 7.3 they had in my size and i loved it!

I went for the 7.5 with the intention of customizing it. It was the reviews of the frame that drew me to this model. What I didn't realize was that the frame on the 7.3 through the 7.7 is made from the same grade of aluminum and they function the same. So for my purposes, in retrospect, I should have opted for the 7.3 FX. The 7.3 - 7.7 FX differ only in a few bells & whistles and better components as you go up the line.

Last Analysis: These are all very well designed bicycles and I fully believe I made the right decision.

I won't include the 7.9 in my summation. I didn't want a on-road & off-road bicycle with a carbon-frame.

I have a 2008 7.7 that I bought new 11 months ago as my main commuter. I've since put 7265km (4515 miles) on it. Long story short, I had bought another bike at a bike shop which I didn't like, so I returned it the next day. The store wouldn't give me a refund, but did give me store credit. They had a 7.7FX which was in my size and slightly cheaper than the bike I returned and it was the most commuter worthy of all the bikes they had. So, I took it.

To be honest, I didn't like it very much at first. I think the frame is downright ugly, the bars were too wide, the brakes were cheap, and at 10kg (22 lbs), it's not very light for the price. I was hesitant about how well the low spoke wheels would hold up to daily commuting over some rough bumps. I liked the drivetrain, though, and thought I'd give it a shot.

Eventually, the bike really grew on me. A few months of getting it 'dialed in' really helped. I replaced the stem, bars, pedals, and brake levers. Added fenders and beam style rack for my topeak trunk bag. I change out the tires in the winter (I use the bontrager race lites in the summer since they're smooth and fast, but put on 700x32 schwalbe marathon surpremes in the winter because they get a much better grip on wet roads and they soften the bumps).

After all that, it's now my favorite bike. I typically do 40-50 mile rides and it feels very comfortable. I can hit 50kmph (31mph) in a sprint and can hold 40kmph (25mph) for several kilometers. I often drop 'roadies' and rarely get passed by anyone on a bike. The bike handles well in city traffic. The wheels have held up much better than I expected. I've hit quite a few speed bumps and potholes at high speed and have only had to make minor adjustments to the wheels (I true them myself). So, no big complaints.

I don't think I would have paid extra for the 7.9 since I would not have been able to chop down the cf bars (although I could have replaced them with AL, but that would have been a shame). My rack and trunk bag add an extra 5 kg (half the weight of the bike), so I don't think the lighter weight would've made a difference. I really wish it had drop bars, brifters, and disc brakes, but it doesn't so I'll live with it. It's still fun to ride.

After calling a bike shop i visited, i am getting an extremely 'good' price on a 7.9 ......

they are asking about $2300 after taxes, shipping, etc. and this is for the '10 model... i think im placing my order for this this sunday.... ;-D

they also gave me a price of $1770 on the 7.7 before taxes but i am sure they could come down to about $1650 or 1700.......

the 7.9 is winning right now... LOL... im still going to take the orbea diem out for a spin on saturday....

Just to cause trouble... I don't think the 7.5 fx and higher are hybrids, they are flat bar road bikes. :)

Seriously though, I never looked at the higher end of these bikes, and I am surprised at how much they cost. Part of what makes road bikes expensive is the integrated shifting, and these bikes bypass that, and yet cost as much as some nicely equipped road bikes.

^ LOL, exactly what i wanted, a road bike with a flat bar... but i would be ashamed to take out a madone with a flarbar out on the paved manhattan trails :-X

TCT carbon frame and all, this bike is almost on par with the madone 4.7 - for the frame and wheels. components are obviously different but, like you said, it's a flar bar road bike. exactly what i want!

of course, of course, of course, the madone is quicker but i wanted the fastest upright i could possibly buy... i hope the 7.9 is it!
:-D

Just to cause trouble... I don't think the 7.5 fx and higher are hybrids, they are flat bar road bikes. :)

Seriously though, I never looked at the higher end of these bikes, and I am surprised at how much they cost. Part of what makes road bikes expensive is the integrated shifting, and these bikes bypass that, and yet cost as much as some nicely equipped road bikes.


True - TREK labels them "Fitness Hybrids" Don't want to get into the WTF is a hybrid discussion. I too kind of think of my 7.6FX as a road bike with flat bars. My wife questioned why I needed to spend that amount of $ on a new bike.....until she road a 7.6FX, the bike sold itself.

i'll give you my 2000 mile review since i'll be rolling up to it next week. I purchased my 7.5 fx in April of this year. I use it strictly for commuting as I have a roubaix for road cycling.

The 7.5 is truly the sweet spot in the lineup- good upgrades from previous models but still a decent price. The higher models I think are overkill and for the extra money I don't think the difference is noticeable. Most people wouldn't be willing to pay over 2k for a hybrid and would go with a drop bar bike instead- this is why you'll never find them on the showroom floor.

At 2000 miles my fx has held up nicely- i do have a couple of complaints though. The stock seat is awful- i changed mine out and put an avatar on instead. I also changed the stem out.
The biggest issue i have is the real derailleur- it can be finicky at times. I've had to have it adjusted a few times since i put it into service.

As for the pluses= the bike is a good value. it's quick, light, and handles well. the tires are absolutely bullet proof which is good for commuting. i've read complaints in the past about the wheels needing to be trued often but i've not had that experience. they seem to be solid- i encounter pot holes and other urban nightmares but they are straight as an arrow.

They changed the wheels provided - after enough bomb-threats were made...or something...

what sucks is that the trek customer website has not been updated with the new models. the dealers have access to a website that has the new 2010 models and they've had this access for over a month already..... the only 2010 model i could find was this - the new 2010 fx 7.6 --

http://twitpic.com/eil7a

They seem to have updated the 7.5 FX details. And they still have the OLD wheels! How can I tell it's updated? They raised the price, naturally.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/bike_path/fx/75fx/

And they show a carbon-fork, which they dropped last year. My 2007 has a carbon-fork also.

Panthers, that is the '09 spec in your link. I have the '09 bike and it is a carbon fork. I believe sh00k is looking for the 2010 spec, which I would be VERY interested in seeing!

Btw I like the new color of the 7.6 in sh00k's link. I was not a fan of the blue in 2009.

matty - that's the one thing i noticed - the '10 7.6 looks like the 7.7 in color... lol...

other thing i noticed - toe straps, different rims (bontragers but i duno which ones)...

From the 2-minute look at the '10 7.7 model, i know that it comes with at least 2 ultegra components... i dont remember which ones tho.... i am so upset trek has those specs out but unavailable to the public.... all this time i am spending obsessing over the '09 models, i could be using to obsess over the '10 models.......

=/

Overall I'm happy with my 2009 7.6fx,
The Pros:
* It's pretty light for a hybrid, so it's fast on the flats and good for climbing. I average 15.3 mph on my morning fitness ride with a mix of flats and hills.
* The gearing is good for the type of riding I do
* Good quality components, shifts well although I think the front derailleur could be smoother at times
* Ride quality is great, the carbon fork and isozone monostay seem to do their job
* Looks good!

The cons:
* Seat sucks, upgraded to a Terry
* Pedals suck, they're supposed to be dual-purpose with the clipless mounts on one side, and a flat pedal on the other, but the clips are hard to get in and out of since it's a full-sized pedal, I changed over to Wellgo dual-sided clipless pedals and it's a 1000% improvement
* My front end chatters under hard braking, I've tried just about everything to fix it and it's still an issue
* I think the wheels are flimsy (I have the low-spoke-count SSR's), but they did survive a crash already and just need truing up and they were fine. I'm looking for upgrade options on the wheels to something lighter and with more spokes.

I thought it was the '10. But they raised the price anyways?? That's dirty-pool!

speaking of price, i am so glad i found an awesome bike shop here in nyc that is giving me a huge discount on the fx models.... if i wind up buying the 7.9, it will cost me (after taxes, delivery, etc) only about $150 more than a FX 7.7 with tax... im going to be plugging this shop like crazy once i order/get my ride!

I messaged the official Trek Twitter account last week and they said that the website would be updated with the new FX info in late August. So if you can hold out another week all the info will be out there. Doesn't sound like anything huge, so I'm glad I purchased an '09.

"some color and small spec updates for 2010. trekbikes.com will have all of the new models in late August."

jarelj has the 'Con' list pretty well sewed-up. Pedals are a joke - as are most pedals they give you on new bikes everywhere - many don't even come with pedals as it's expected you already have your favorites.

Saddle - it nearly turned me bow-legged within 10 miles - Terry Gel Fly (or whatever) is on it. Ahhhhh!

Wheels with low-spoke counts and super-tensioned (I measured some at over 200kgf) - gone!

Brakes - low end that many find can't stay adjusted and other problems that persist. I installed Avid SD 7's. Much better!

Sh00k,

Just buy the 7.9! If you got that kind of money to spend then just spend it on the 7.9
After you get use to it come down to KY and we'll see how my 7.3 performs against it.
I'm not trying to be rude or arrogant but you've got me to thinking if I could out run someone on a 7.9.

^ ROFLMAO! no offense taken but i certainly do not want to be racing for slips in fast and furious 4 - the trek fx drifting showdown - assuming you're talking about you on the 7.3 vs me on the 7.9... l0l

as for running someone down on a "faster" or "slower" bike - as 1k people have told me, it depends on the rider and obviously this is true. i started biking again in may 09 and the last time i rode was i think 1999 sometime... so certainly, anyone with even a year's biking experience/practice will kick my ass.

personally, i am more interested in the pickup after dropping the hammer....... but, again, you won't find me racing anytime soon.... i am looking for a 'flat bar road bike' simply for the 'pickup' and definitely not for racing roadies on weekends for slips....

;)

update - after selling my 1st trek, i've put a down payment on my 2nd trek - a 2010 trek fx 7.7 .... it should be here by the end of the week... i cant wait!

Oh come on sh00k it would be fun. We could film it and put it on Youtube. The title would be "CRANKS" Lose the race; lose your ride. LOL!

But seriously what finally made you decide on the 7.7?

LOL @ CRANKS. i could see that turning into an mtv show lasting 5 episodes. hahaha =P


reasons i went with the 7.7 over the 7.9 --

1) Trek's warranty on carbon frames is somewhat limited to 5 years while their aluminum frames have lifetime warranties without any 5-year caps/stipulations. it's nice that during this 5 year period, trek allows you to buy carbon parts in case you damage yours but i still didnt like the idea that it's capped even though you are paying a premium upfront for the bike....

2) I thought about how I would be riding the 7.9 and figured i'd spend more time worrying about not crashing and having the bike turn into a $2300 pile of junk.

3) i dont race and my only compelling reason to consider the 7.9 was bc it was the 'top of the (fx) line'....

4) the components on the 09 7.7 and 7.9 models were similar but the new 7.9 comes with ultegra components. the '10 7.7 comes with 105s all around and this has commonly been compared to the ultegra lineup in terms of performance. so this made me lean towards the 7.7

5) the white 7.7 looks really slick!

6) the reason i was considering the 7.7 and 7.9 over the 7.6 anyway was because these two higher models also have higher end bontrager race wheels. i was willing to pay a higher price to have better components and wheels. the 7.7 is a perfect combination of most of the 7.9's parts but at a lower price. this again made me lean towards the 7.7

i think that's most of it...

Congrats on reaching the end of your long purchase process...hopefully you will sleep better now that you aren't always thinking of different specifications!!

I do have a sneaking suspicion...and I don't know you so please forgive me for estimating how you think based on your posts to this forum...that you will be looking to upgrade in the not-too-distant future. I'm thinking Madone...

^ LOL - maybe in the far future but definitely not soon. A lot of people here in manhattan have road bikes but they look so uncomfortable on them riding in traffic... they must love it though so to each his own.... but i was thinking - i wonder if anyone has had a hybrid (something from the trek fx series, lets say) and turned it into a road bike....

then i came across this!

http://images.velodramatic.com/singlespeed/singlespeed-build/index.html

some dude turned his carbon 7.9 FX into a single speed, dropped-bar road bike!

then i came across this!

http://images.velodramatic.com/singlespeed/singlespeed-build/index.html

some dude turned his carbon 7.9 FX into a single speed, dropped-bar road bike!

Oh man, WHY did you have to post that link!?!? I just stared at it for a few minutes, looking at all of the pictures and thinking "YES!!!", that's what I wanna do to my 7.6fx, other than the single-speed conversion.

So here's a start:
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=22219&category=1729
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=26004&category=866

Some brake levers that will work with the stock V-brakes maybe?:
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=21845&category=2229

So what would you do for shifting? Can't use the trigger shifters any more, so what do you do?

http://images.velodramatic.com/singlespeed/singlespeed-build/index.html[/URL]

some dude turned his carbon 7.9 FX into a single speed, dropped-bar road bike!

...some dude that knows how to take close up pics. Nice find.

yeahh man, these pictures are awesome. i am sure he paid a premium for the conversion at trek san jose...

jarel - LOLOLOLOL! i thought the same too. everyone suggested gettting a road bike and not a hybrid but i figure if i really feel the need, i can just throw drop bars on it.... yeah, the geometry isnt 100% the same as a road bike but it's close so it wouldnt be such a bad conversion for a leisure/fitness rider...

as for shifting - that's the thing - you'd definitely have to get shifters. most higher end bikes come with the shifters built into the brake levers so that would be the quickest way to turn your hybrid into a road bike.

Jarel - something like this -- http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=14939&category=669

go onto the universal site, click on brake levers then click road brakes.

from the results, look for the 'brake and shifter combination' levers. in theory, you'd need a set of these a drop bar. i am not sure what other components are needed.

i know the higher end trek fx models use road bike components so i dont think you would have to swap those out... just the handle bars and integrated shifters....

I'm not sure why he used brifters on a fixie, but the rest of the bike looks very nice.

yeahh man, these pictures are awesome. i am sure he paid a premium for the conversion at trek san jose...

jarel - LOLOLOLOL! i thought the same too. everyone suggested gettting a road bike and not a hybrid but i figure if i really feel the need, i can just throw drop bars on it.... yeah, the geometry isnt 100% the same as a road bike but it's close so it wouldnt be such a bad conversion for a leisure/fitness rider...

as for shifting - that's the thing - you'd definitely have to get shifters. most higher end bikes come with the shifters built into the brake levers so that would be the quickest way to turn your hybrid into a road bike.

Weeell, not quite! It's a) not so easy, b) quite expensive, and c) the geometry will NOT be right, at least in most cases.

A. The shifting will very often work, but if the 'hybrid' in question has vbrakes (and most do, these days), the brakes will not work with brifters. There are bodges available, but it's never quite right.

B. Brifters are expensive!

C. IF the 'hybrid' in question -- e.g. a Trek fx bike:thumb: -- is properly designed, it will have an appropriately longer effective top tube, to account for the riser or flat bar position. This will mean, inevitably, that with drop bars -- even with a stupid-short stem -- the rider, if preserving proper saddle position relative to the bottom bracket, will be far too stretched out in terms of reach to the bars. This is a result a pro-level road rider might be able to tolerate, but certainly not a 'leisure' rider.
If you want a drop-bar bike, buy a bike designed for drops. Just sayin':)

^ +1

Jarel - something like this -- http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=14939&category=669

go onto the universal site, click on brake levers then click road brakes.

from the results, look for the 'brake and shifter combination' levers. in theory, you'd need a set of these a drop bar. i am not sure what other components are needed.

i know the higher end trek fx models use road bike components so i dont think you would have to swap those out... just the handle bars and integrated shifters....

Yeah, have to switch to cantilever brakes apparently if you want to use the brifters from a road bike. Such as those sweet carbon ones on the bike pictured!

As of right now - 9AM - the Trek website is being updated. :D

the new 2010 fx models are online!