Touring - Tour on a Trek FX?

I am just curious... Has anybody toured on any Fx? Particularly 7.3-7.6. I am thinking of getting one soon mainly for commuting and errand running, however I want to start doing 3-5 day tours. Will a Fx fit my needs for a short unassisted tour? If anyone has done it, how was your experience?

Basically non shocked hybrids. I've toured a little on a shocked hybrid that I normally use on local rough oil roads. Worked just fine. Comfortable geometry for long rides.

I would add bar extenders, or install a more appropriate bar for long days in the saddle. Otherwise, just add racks and go. Modify to other preferences/needs as they become apparent.

When, if, I replace my current tourer, will give the fx series a serious going over.

When I trail tour I use my Trek FX. When I road tour I use the Cannodale Sport Road.

I have only had rear panniers on both bikes and no problems. You might want to have panniers that can slide back or you might have problems with heel strike. if you have boats for feet like me. :)

If you can ride it all day long for a couple weeks, at a stretch, and haul your stuff, it's a touting bike..

If you can ride it all day long for a couple weeks, at a stretch, and haul your stuff, it's a touting bike..

no tout about that ;-)

Spent 26 days and 1200 miles on my Trek 7.3FX. It was in Oregon and Washington on all paved road. I had two rear bags and tent/pad/sleeping bag strapped on the rack.

It did perfectly fine for the whole trip, wheels are still perfectly true and everything

I had a Trek 7500FX and the riding position was uncomfortable for rides of more than 2 hrs. The FX series has fairly short, flat bars and the position stressed my wrists and even my shoulders/neck on longer rides. I MUCH preferred my old Trek 520 steel touring bike for comfort on longer rides, and in fact it served as a good general purpose bike for me for several years.

I'd try test riding one first if at all possible.

I'd try test riding one first if at all possible.

I have. I borrowed one for a couple of weeks and loved then. I am going to get one just curious if it would work well as a light tourer. And from the sounds of it, it will.

I have. I borrowed one for a couple of weeks and loved then. I am going to get one just curious if it would work well as a light tourer. And from the sounds of it, it will.

If it worked well I'd just go for it.

Pardon me for butting in on this thread but Thisguy is asking the same question I've been asking other people and other places. I have a 7.5FX and also want to use it for "light touring" - 3-4 day trips, camping and mostly cooking my own food. Generally, what I've been hearing from those other people and places are the same things you've been saying - use what you've got, if it "fits" and you like it.

The only nagging question I still have is about the wheels on the 7.5FX - they're an unconventional spoke pattern with only 20 spokes front and 24 spokes rear ... trendy and cool-looking but maybe not so practical for touring. I am planning my first short tour this summer - expect to carry tent, sleeping bag, pad, minimal clothes, rain jacket, minimal food, small cooking kit, etc. Maybe 40 pounds of stuff in two large panniers and on the rack in the rear. Are the stock wheels going to be strong enough or should I consider an upgrade to wheels with more spokes?

you definitely will want higher spoke count wheels. 36 and in good shape would be the generally accepted answer for your question. If not, broken spokes and etc will be a real issue.

Are the stock wheels going to be strong enough or should I consider an upgrade to wheels with more spokes?

No need to 'upgrade' both. Just the load carrying rear, unless you want matching wheels.

I have a 7.3fx and find it to be quite a comfortable ride -- i kind of go by the thought of - if it works for you, it works. Try some longer rides and see how you feel before you set out on a long trip. Good luck, sounds like fun.

I would purchase at least a new rear wheel with a higher spoke count, 32-36 spoke depending on YOUR weight and the weight of the gear you intend to take, especially if you will be carrying everything on the back. Below, my wife can get by with the stock wheels because she only weighs 120 lbs, we travel light, and I end up carrying most of our gear. Imagine that.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm320/robow7/IMG_1949-1.jpg?t=1306607457

I would purchase at least a new rear wheel with a higher spoke count, 32-36 spoke depending on YOUR weight and the weight of the gear you intend to take, especially if you will be carrying everything on the back. Below, my wife can get by with the stock wheels because she only weighs 120 lbs, we travel light, and I end up carrying most of our gear. Imagine that.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm320/robow7/IMG_1949-1.jpg?t=1306607457

those bontrager paired spoke wheels are notorious for cracks around the nipples

Hello everyone, I would love to jump in and bring this thread back to life. I have a 2009 Trek 7.3 FX which I use without fenders or rack for my 30 mile round trip commute to work and my 17 mile weekend "go to the beach" bike and my city errand hopper. I now want to add a rack and fenders because the backpack is killing my shoulder since an accident in March. I have also been riding the 7.3 the past two months in place of my steel Benotto Road bike which I crashed in that bike V car accident in March. I recently did BRAG, a one week supported tour from Atlanta to Savannah on the 7.3 and found it to be comfortable enough on 75 miles per day rides. The Benotto Road Bike was my weekend long distance bike which I now need to replace. I also plan on doing some light unsupported one and two week touring over the next couple years.

Because I want a light weight "go fast bike" for long distance weekend rides, spirited club rides, the once or twice a month rando style century or 200k or even 300k brevet, and the once or twice a year sometimes supported and sometimes unsupported, one or two week cycling tour I am starting to think about using the 7.3 FX for touring, something I would have laughed at before.

I'm encouraged by some of the above posts but would love to get more feedback. I am currently looking at the Lynskey Sportive, The Trek Presidio, and a Cannondale CAADX Cyclo Cross Bike as possible bikes that could do both but if my Trek 7.3 can, with some modifications do the touring then my Go Fast wont have to do double duty.

those bontrager paired spoke wheels are notorious for cracks around the nipples

Yep.... I almost found out the hard way that they crack around the nipples. I had maybe 1200 miles on my 2007 Trek (in 2007), had a flat one day and took the back rim off on the side of the road and noticed just about every spoke hole had a crack around it. I called for a ride that day... Trek replaced them with the up-graded wheel set of the same style and I haven't had a problem since.

Ohhh mostly lurking here in the touring forum... Planning my first tour for the fall .... (not on the Trek.. LOL)

Thanks for that info. May not have known otherwise as I only had one flat on my 2007 Trek 7.3 FX over two years and 3500 miles. I love the Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase wheels but I did get a flat early after buying it and then I added a tuffy liner. Redundant I know but two years & 3500 + miles and no flat. I now have a 2009 7.3 FX, I had the 2007 stolen that summer. I loved my 7.3 FX, so I got another. I got my first flat on the 2009 last month after 3000 miles. I did not notice any cracks around the spoke nipples. I guess the 2009 has the upgraded wheel set??

What kind of tour are you going to do and what bike will you use zzotherlands?

Thanks for that info. May not have known otherwise as I only had one flat on my 2007 Trek 7.3 FX over two years and 3500 miles. I love the Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase wheels but I did get a flat early after buying it and then I added a tuffy liner. Redundant I know but two years & 3500 + miles and no flat. I now have a 2009 7.3 FX, I had the 2007 stolen that summer. I loved my 7.3 FX, so I got another. I got my first flat on the 2009 last month after 3000 miles. I did not notice any cracks around the spoke nipples. I guess the 2009 has the upgraded wheel set??

What kind of tour are you going to do and what bike will you use zzotherlands?

As of now just a short 3 day 2 night credit card tour, mostly just a test run to see if it is something I would like to do more of. I have a feeling it will be. Kind of looking at extending it another 2 nights, but not sure yet. I won't be more than a few hrs drive from the house in case I need to be rescued. I originally bought the bike on Craigslist a couple of months ago for $200 (because it was a great deal, and I already owned a 2003 model) with hopes that I could con more friends into riding with me. That worked for a little while, but they have pretty much stopped riding with me.. So... I had a gift card for Amazon and an extra bike.. Thought... I'm gonna try a tour... Its a 2006 Gary Fisher Tassajara mountain bike with disc brakes & lockout front fork (I know extra weight). As I have mentioned several times.. I don't really know what I'm doing... But I'm having fun doing it... :D If you would like to check out my progress so far here is a link to another thread on the forums http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...irst-bike-tour (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/745363-Sooo-starting-to-plan-my-first-bike-tour)

Hi Jay,

You live in a great area for touring with a lot of state parks and national forests. Is that why you are choosing your Gary Fisher for your tour instead of your road bike? I also have a Fisher Tassajara and ride it only on single track MTB trails. Ill ride it on the road to get to Oleta State park but I can't imagine doing 60 miles on it. I guess I have a Speed/Distance Bug I can't shake. What I love about the 7.3 FX is that with the 28 tires I can ride on dirt fire roads. Just not MTB trails.

Hi Jay,

You live in a great area for touring with a lot of state parks and national forests. Is that why you are choosing your Gary Fisher for your tour instead of your road bike? I also have a Fisher Tassajara and ride it only on single track MTB trails. Ill ride it on the road to get to Oleta State park but I can't imagine doing 60 miles on it. I guess I have a Speed/Distance Bug I can't shake. What I love about the 7.3 FX is that with the 28 tires I can ride on dirt fire roads. Just not MTB trails.

That is part of it... Friend and I talked about riding the Florida trail through Ocala National Forest. Or even the non-paved Palatka Lake Butler trail. Partly I'm not a "lightweight" rider and I don't think the racelite wheels would hold up too good with me & whatever else I might take along. Hmmm not sure if the Trek has the mounts for a rack & fenders and stuff. And I guess I like the idea of having the bike ready to go anytime I feel like taking off. If I put the stuff on the Trek the gear would be on and off all the time.

Before I got the Trek in 07 (my first road bike). I had put over 11,000 miles on the 2003 Tassajara (my first non k-mart bike). Most of those miles were on the road with semi-slick tires. Granted I only did a handful of 50+ mile rides on it, but did a LOT of 40 mile rides. But the Ergon grips & bar ends are going to make a HUGE difference. And I say that only haven ridden 6 miles with them so far LOL.....

Jay,

The Florida Trail through Ocala National Forest is paved? Do you think a Trek 7.3 FX wit 28's could handle the Palatka Butler Lake Trail. Those are the kind of tours I want to do Road to Trail. I live car free in Miami. Its expensive to rent a car just to drive to your state or national park with your bike and then just park the car and let it sit for a few days while your still paying for the rental. So I would ride up from Miami but would definetly want to get on some low traffic rural or forest roads.

Jay,

The Florida Trail through Ocala National Forest is paved? Do you think a Trek 7.3 FX wit 28's could handle the Palatka Butler Lake Trail. Those are the kind of tours I want to do Road to Trail. I live car free in Miami. Its expensive to rent a car just to drive to your state or national park with your bike and then just park the car and let it sit for a few days while your still paying for the rental. So I would ride up from Miami but would definetly want to get on some low traffic rural or forest roads.

I haven't ridden the trail through the Ocala Forest yet but I know it isn't paved. I have ridden the 20 miles or so of the trail on the north side of the barge canal (north of the forest). Some of it can be very sandy. A lot of it is on old logging roads and if they happen to be logging at the time the roads can get pretty rough. Ten miles of the Palatka Lake Butler trail is paved so far, out of about 60 miles of trail. It follows an old rail road line. Not much sand but it can be pretty bumpy because there is a LOT of the old railroad rock near the surface on the trail.

Like you though I think it would be cool to combine some trail riding along with some road riding on a tour. If my first tour goes well... I was kind of thinking for my next one ride the PLB trail to lake butler and then ride the roads back. LOL.... too funny I haven't even done one tour yet and already thinking about another.... is that normal???

Have you rode the withlacoochee trail? I think it is 46 or 47 miles long and paved. You could combine that with some roads and get a nice tour/ride.

Sounds like my Trek 7.3 FX would not be able to handle the loose sand on the Ocala Trail. I've been looking at Cyclo Cross bikes as another possibiltiy to do road/trail. I could run 700 x 23's for the ride up to Ocala and then change tires to 700 x 32's. Does anyone know if this can be done on the 7.3 FX? I beleive I can run 23's but I'm not sure what the widest tire that can be run on the Trek 7.3 FX is.

Have you rode the withlacoochee trail? I think it is 46 or 47 miles long and paved. You could combine that with some roads and get a nice tour/ride.

No, I have not done any North Florida riding yet but have been interested in getting out of the big city traffic and doing more rural riding. I will Google it. Thanks.

No, I have not done any North Florida riding yet but have been interested in getting out of the big city traffic and doing more rural riding. I will Google it. Thanks.

Actually that trail on the south end is more towards central Florida... Then it goes north. Nice trail.. I got a hotel in the middle of it in Inverness last year and rode the whole thing and a few of the roads around there.

Well you are peaking my interest in doing some cycling around there.