Looking to trade in my Trek Navigator
 

Hi all,
You all helped me a few years back to pick out my cycle shop and I've had my Trek Navigator for a few years now but I think I'm ready to move on. Reason why I think I'm ready is that I mainly ride (95% of the time) on a paved dedicated bike path. It's the San Gabriel River Bike path in Southern California. I just feel like my bike is holding me back a bit on a path like this. I don't know much about biking but I'm sure if I got something else better suited I could travel further and faster. My bike just feels heavy and slow. I'm not really sure on budget yet but I just want some suggestions for a good bike for a somewhat hilly paved path. I'm 33 years old and like 155lbs and 6ft tall. I just want a better bike suited for where I'm riding.

Thanks again

You might want to think of another option in this. My wife and I own Trek Navigators that date back to 2004. Then I bought us a pair of Trek Multitracks. Comfort versus hybrid.

Speed and distance may depend more on physical condition rather than the bicycle itself. With the Navigators we did rides on the SRT down into Philadelphia. Daily rides being around 55 miles round trip. When we first started the long rides we had to take more than a few rest stops. Especially after short steep climbs on the trail. As we improved our physical shape we found we were taking fewer rest stops. We found that some days our legs were up to a good pace on the trail and other days the legs just did not want to go with the game plan.

Eventually I rode only the Multitrack. Saving the Navigator as a back up bike. Then I thought I would use the old Navigator for a morning Wawa coffee and newspaper ride. About 5 miles round trip. I had been running 26 by 1.95 Continental Town and Country tires on it. For the around town runs I changed to WTB Slick 1.5 tires. Suitable for the standard Trek Navigator rims. What an improvement in performance! Less rolling resistance. A faster tire and I still have the low gears for hills. I bought these tires at Performance. Different suppliers have them at different prices.

Before laying out some big bucks for a new bike that may or may not give you the increased distance at a faster speed you might want to think about different tires and some work on physical conditioning.

You might try putting narrower tires on the Navigator. 1-1/2" tires made mine more agile and faster. If you still want something faster, I suggest you go to the LBS and test ride some bikes. Hybrid, road, touring, X-cross bikes will all feel different. Ride them all and see what you like.

I ride the SGRT often. Are you interested in a more aggressive riding position? Maybe sell the Navigator on CL and get yourself an entry level Roadbike. But go to various bike shops and test ride different bikes and tell them what type of riding you are doing and what you want to do going forward.

+1, narrower tire operates at a higher pressure, so has less rolling resistance,
better efficiency..

but maybe switching to a 700c with a 35 wide tyre.. hybrid will be nice too.
trek dealer is a good place to ask about the trade in..
used bikes in good shape sell well.