HF2300

Usage: > 80% commute, < 20% tarmac and metalled (graded gravel) bike paths.

Budget: £350 ($700?, but may not translate exactly).

Tested: Cannondale Bad Boy, Marin Larkspur, Specialized Sirrus, Specialized Globe, Kona Dew, Trek 7.3FX, Trek 7500 (though would buy 7300).

Available, but didn't test (largely because I didn't like the shops' attitudes): Giant, Scott, Bianchi, GT, Mongoose.

Liked: Kona Dew, Trek 7.3FX, Trek 7500

BUT!:

The Dew was a size or two too small, and they haven't one in my size yet.

No Trek 7300 to test, so tried the 7500. It's not quite the same component-wise, so perhaps not a legitimate comparison?

I felt better on the 7.3FX a size larger than the LBS says I should have.

As things stand, I'm going away from the Trex 7000 series as I think buying a suspension fork for mostly tarmac use is OTT, though it will lock out. The 7.3FX is better on paper than the Dew, but I'm not feeling the difference riding them. Both FX and Dew feel like perfectly competent bikes, but I'm not sure either really sing out at me.

Would it be mad to buy both of them?

no1mad 

If you can afford to buy them both at the same time, do it. The harder decision will be to pick one of them to be the "beater".

HF2300

I can buy one on the (UK) Cycle to Work scheme. That effectively means I get 40% off, before any LBS discount. I'm thinking 2009 bikes will be more £ / $ as commodities prices have gone up so much and 2008 Treks, at least, seem to be in short supply / long delivery, so residuals on 2008 bikes may not drop too much.

I could buy two without stretching too far, so buying both goes some way toward protecting me from the wrong decision while hopefully not losing huge amounts if I sell one.

ch9862

I'd say yes, quite mad . The way it looks to me, you'd end up with two bikes you're not crazy about, instead of one. If I were you, I'd keep on looking.

Others may know more though.

dynaryder

The Dew has a cromo fork and will take wider tires. If you're going to be riding on gravel,I'd go with the Dew.

HF2300

Mmmm. I was thinking that, maybe. The other option is the Trek 7300, but there's the 'buy the bike for 90% of your riding' vs. 'buy the bike for the worst case' argument.

LBS should be getting in a 58 or 60 Dew this week to try, so that may tell me. Trek's got better spec parts, but unless they'll last really significantly longer the better bet seems to be the one that feels better, if I can nail that down.

Maybe!

Am I on a hiding to nothing keeping looking though? I haven't jumped on either and said 'Oh wow, what a great bike', but maybe I'm just not going to do that with any bike. On the other hand, maybe I'm overthinking the whole thing...

If they do, they're keeping their counsel!

BroadSTPhilly

Why would you buy two bikes that you can't tell the difference between? Wouldn't it make more sense to buy one bike that had certain qualities you like and another with other qualities you like? That is if you are going to buy two. I mean you can only ride one at a time.

HF2300

Might well do. That'd probably make it the 7300 and one of the others.

True enough. Perhaps the real answer is that if I'd be equally happy on any, the cheapest would do - that'd be the Dew. And all these comments are appreciated - thanks chaps.

In fact, the decision may have been made for me, as it seems Trek UK may have been sold out of the 7.3 and 7300 in my size for some weeks anyway...

jimisnowhere

Both bikes seem to fit the same purpose. If your gonna buy two bikes, get two that have different specialties.

JeffS

I don't see the point of buying two hybrids, especially two very similar bikes.

It would be different if you were buying used and could resell the one you didn't like without taking a loss.

HF2300

That's really the idea, calculating on the rise in 2009 prices and the discount I can get to minimise the loss & see which one I prefer over a longer timescale than a round the block test ride.

Torrilin

If you ask nicely, the shop might be willing to let you hare off for 5km or so. Round here, they tend to want ID for that, but it's worth asking. Fit details can be pretty subtle, especially if you're new... and that makes it hard to figure out what's the Right Bike. A longer ride is a good way of shaking them out. (and no, you'll get basically no useful fit info from test riding a too small or too large bike)

I'd try riding some bikes that aren't hybrids too. I did that on my last round of bike shopping, and I found that a folder with 20" wheels can feel as nice as a 27"/700C wheel bike... and that I actually kind of like drop bars. I still ended up with a hybrid, but I have a lot of rather conflicting needs in a bike and it was the best way to meet them all. Now I have a bike I love to ride, and I never have to say that it can't do a job. Leaves me much happier .