Recreational & Family - My new TREK 7100. . . .Absolutely fantastic!!

This bike is COMPLETELY AWESOME!!!!... 'Entry Level' my butt!!

My old bike, the nearly 45 lb., Huffy-fied mountain bike, has been retired, with much joy. My new TREK 7100 is 10 times better than the now admittedly barbaric MTB. We have a trail that was once a train track, now a gravel pathway for walkers or bikers [non-motor]. Before, when on the MTB, I would go for 10-12 miles and be worn out, and still have 4 or so more miles until I got back to my car. This past Friday, I [with my wife] rode 20 miles on that same trail, and could have gone further. This TREK 7100 has the most comfortable ride and most excellent cranking of any bike I've been on!

A little side note on the differences, and why the other bike was not a good bike. Albeit, the MTB is a department store bike, . . . how old it is, I'm not sure. When I was riding it with my wife, on a concrete surface, while coasting down a medium incline, my wife would end up ahead of me, even though I weigh more than her, and my bike DEFINITELY weighed more than her bike [she has a Schwinn Suburban, comfort bike]. That makes me believe that my MTB has some rolling issues, perhaps a reason why I would get so tired out on the long rides. Of course, now with this 7100 [needless to say], when coasting down hills, I'll have to lightly tap my brake from time to time, or I will end up ahead of her. As it should be.

Anyway, I DID upgrade the bike before I got it. I wanted the Rapid Fire shifters, and I'm glad I did that. It shifts VERY well. The LBS threw in grips [that were quite comfortable], and a kickstand [which my MTB didn't have], and had to change out the Sunrace cassette for an Altus cassette for the Rapid Fire shifters to work.

Finally, the color of this bike is what I absolutely love. the matte green/matte gold parchment for 2005 is VERY easy on the eyes. My only problem is I may end up crashing the bike because I'm so taken by the color that I keep oogling the frame when riding!!

Anyway, I guess that higher priced bikes may feel or ride better than this bike. If so, I can well understand how professionals get the speed and distance out of what they ride, but as far as I'm concerned, I got the best bike for me! :love:

It's amazing how wide the gap is from a 'dept. store bike' to an entry level LBS bike. I made a similar purchase recently and while I KNOW there are much better bikes out there than my Jamis Explorer (that also cost much more $$$) I'm really enjoying my purchase when you consider my newbie status and the price point of the bike.

Cycling is pretty cool when your bike doesn't weigh a ton huh? :)

Congratulations! Enjoy the ride!

It's amazing how wide the gap is from a 'dept. store bike' to an entry level LBS bike. I made a similar purchase recently and while I KNOW there are much better bikes out there than my Jamis Explorer (that also cost much more $$$) I'm really enjoying my purchase when you consider my newbie status and the price point of the bike.

Cycling is pretty cool when your bike doesn't weigh a ton huh? :)

Yeah, I was VERY amazed at the differences.

Old MTB:

45 lbs.
26" wheels
Doesn't pedal or coast well
Body geometry that fatigues the arms and shoulders
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Hybrid:

Around 30 lbs.
700x35c wheels
Pedals great
More comfortable body geometry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you made mention to, yes, I'm sure that higher priced and better equipped bikes would prove to be an even better ride, but as this was the only one I wanted to spend the money on, I find it to be MUCH more than adequate, in fact, as good as it can get.

Plus, I love the frame color. If later down the road I want to upgrade my bike, I'd probably upgrade the componets on my current frame. I don't believe you'd find another hybrid type bike that will weigh significantly less than what I have, so I'd soon rather keep a frame that I love the color of and upgrade components.

Anyway, . . . . . . .LOVE the bike!! And qmsdc15, thank you! I will enjoy many rides on this beauty! :)

I have a Trek 7100 that I bought this summer and I love it! It has brought me back to enjoy the pleasure of riding. My old bike was a Ross Eurosport that I had since high school. Congradulations and enjoy!

Dave B

i just got my Trek 7100 too, and I think it's great, would recommend it to anyone.

Tony :rolleyes: :)

I bought my Trek 7100 yesterday, so far so good! I'm having fun riding around the neighborhood, but I can't wait to get some real use out of it when I go back to school in a couple of weeks!
Erica

my wife and i got matching 7300's... fantastic. we are averaging 4-6 mile rides and building from there. i have to adjust some seat/bar position issues but it is a wonderful bike for getting back into cycling.

The 7000 series Trek bikes must be a great line, I keep hearing so many good things about them. I have a 2004 Trek 7200 myself, and I love it. I do a lot of trail riding with it.

Orion, you live in SW Missouri? That trail near you doesn't happen to be the Katy trail, does it? My bike does very well on that trail. Its very comfortable over long distances.

Adding the trigger shifters was a good idea. Although the grip shifters on most of the 7000 series (including mine) aren't that bad, I'd much rather have quick shifters and normal grips at this point.


-Matt C.-

well they really are a great way back into biking. they have lighter frames and much of the geometry of a road bike, but have enough of a hint of a mountain bike: front shock, seat post shock, straight handlebar, 35mm tires with some bit of tread... all to make your "road" experience a bit more managable. sure many people "upgrade" to a true road bike... but I know for one after 10 years off a bike i wouldn't want to ride in traffic on a narrow tire, drop bar bike... at least for now.

tarmac, I've heard of the Katy Trail, but don't know where that one is. The one my wife and I like to ride on is the Frisco Trail. Yesterday [after morning service but in time for the evening service], my wife and I rode 24 miles on the Frisco Trail [12 out, and (of course) 12 miles back]. The full lenth of the trail is 16 miles, and we've been working up to going the whole distance. I was a little tired at the end of the ride, but I can see us being able to do the whole trail fairly soon.

The factory shifters for the 7100 are good, I just prefered the rapid fire with the full grip. But they are wonderful bikes, . . . WELL worth the money!

Congrats on the new ride! It sounds like cycling has been made new for you again! Here's to many happy miles!

'bent Brian

Congrats on your new bike! I'm just getting into biking and have been shopping around. I was torn between the Trek 7100 and the Specialized Expedition Sport. I went back and forth for a few days and then happened across a great deal on an '04 Expedition Sport so I broke out the plastic card and bought it. I pick it up the day after tomorrow. Looking forward to that first ride! :)

I too turned in my HUFFY for a TREK 7200. I've had mine for a little more than a month and have over 550 miles on it. Today I broke a record and put 43 miles on it. I just love this bike.

I LOVE my TREK 7100 also. :)

This is an enjoyable thread to read. I too am just getting back into riding after a 15 year layoff. In the past I rode my road bike (which I still have and it's in good shape). I was in the time frame between 1970 and 1989 semi-serious having rode several 1/2 and metric centuries and a number of local road races. Although I didn't ride as much during my college years 1976-1981.

But that was then and this is now. We just moved to NE PA and having come from NJ where my wife and I wouldn't let our kids ride their bikes unless we took them over to the school yard, it had just goten too dangerous for them to ride on our old street. So we bought them mountain bikes when we moved.

So about a month ago, I stopped in at a LBS and just bought a Trek 4300 mountain bike. Brought it home and the Mrs., and kids wanted to go riding. So we put the 3 mountain bikes in the truck and I loaded one of our old road bikes in also and we rode 9 miles along the Lehigh canal. What fun.

The following week I bought another Trek MTB, a model 4500 this for me. This brings me to the point of my story -sorry for taking so long to get to this.

On the way home from work last week, I stopped at a LBS that I have never been to before. I wanted to buy a mini tire pump, tire irons, a spare tube, patch kit and wedge pack for under the seat, just in case I have a mechanical problem on the trail. Anyway, here I am, 46 years old and proud of myself for riding a bike with my kids having never remember seeing either of my parents ride a bike. But in this LBS was a couple, they had to be in their 70s test riding these Trek 7100s in the lot. I felt like a kid in comparison.

That is what is soo good about bike riding. Any age, any style, any budget, find what fits, mount up and have fun.

Tom

Really nice bikes,just got my wife the7200,she loves it.She feels comfortable and confident riding it.I think with this bike she realizies the joy of riding.