Ktel16

Just a few pictures of my new Trek 7.4 FX. Loved it since day one. I put roughly 80 miles on it and can not be happier. Originally, I was looking at a 7.2 and then the 7.3 but my LBS gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. At first, I wasn't sure about the white but they told me to try it out for the weekend and if you really are not happy with it, then bring it back for another bicycle. The white has grown on me...especially the metallic flake in the paint like a pearl white car.

My last bicycle was a Schwinn frontier mountain bike that my parents bought for me in 1995 (was 9 years old) so I haven't rode a bike in awhile so I really did not know what to expect. I hopped on and went for a 15 mile ride. My hands were a little sore from the handle bars but this went away after my second ride. I love the carbon fork compared to my friends suspension (giant roam 3). It just feels like it handles so well. You can really feel how light the bicycle is when riding. The seat is also pretty comfortable.

I recommend this bicycle to anyone getting back into the cycling scene or a new cyclist. Its definitely worth the investment!

yashinon

@Ktel16 - Beauty! Congratulations!

Ktel16

Thanks! Not the best pics bc i can only upload my smaller pics but will def get some more up here asap! I forgot how fun bicycles were lol.

Catinella

Congratulations on your new 7.4, Ktel16!

yashinon

@Athryn - congratulations! I am a fellow Buffalonian as well. I recommend the Ergon grips.

yashinon

Slick looking bike! Congrats to you and all who picked up a nice ride recently.

Fobbers

Thanks alot @yashinon. I'am really digging that 7.4 in White @Ktel16 I would actually trade my Lime Green 7.3 for a White 7.4 but I'm digging my 7.3, if they made the 7.4 in Lime Green then I would be sold!

altondavis2

I like it tool Saw one on the street, it stands out.

VirtualMirage

Hey guys and gals!

New to the forum here. I just ordered a new bike on Monday, the Trek 7.4 FX Disc, and it should be ready for me to pick up on Monday (it'll be ready on Friday, but I won't be able to pick it up then). They didn't have one in store to sell me that day, they only had the new non-disc 7.4 FX, hence the wait. While I don't mind the paramount gray/volt green color scheme, I do wish there were more color options for the bike. I do like the matte black and sparkling silver options found on the Crossrip (the other bike I really liked).

Having a messed up ankle (basketball), a potentially messed up knee (running), and 3 bulging disks in my lower back (genetics), I needed to find a way to get back in shape that was fairly low impact. Getting back on the bike after 16 years of not being on one seemed to be the best option for me. So this past Monday I went to my LBS that was recommended by my uncle who is a distributor/supplier (?) for bike shops all throughout this region but has also been competing for a few decades as well. I was there for 3 hours and they took good care of me, answering all my questions, having patience, and never felt pressured as if they were trying to up sell me. They stayed within my budget and helped me get the most out of it all the while meeting my requirements.

The biggest challenge was finding the right size bike for me. I am 5' 11" (+/-) and around 215-220 lbs who can afford to lose 30-40 lbs, but I have an interesting body frame. A lot of my height appears to be in my torso and not so much in my legs, same goes for my arms. Sitting in a car, for example, you would think I was over 6ft. I always have to lower the seat all the way and my head still comes close to touching the ceiling, yet my distance from the pedals is as if I am shorter than 5' 11". My father who is the same height as me is the opposite, he is all legs. He usually wears pants that are a 32" inseam while I where 30". Taking his bike out for a test ride was painful because the frame was too high for me (doable, but uncomfortable).

Anyways, the LBS guys figured I would be somewhere between a 17.5" and 20" frame, leaning more towards the 17.5" given I wear 30" inseam pants. So they had me straddle the frame of a few bikes that were both 17.5" and 20" flat footed and have me gauge my comfort level on them. The 20", pardon my french, was a real nut buster and I could see that being a potential hazard if I had to make a quick stop or fell off the seat. The 17.5" seemed to be close but still allow around an inch of space between the bike and me. They determined from this the 17.5" would be a better, more comfortable fit for me given some adjustments to the seat (also using a different seatpost with an offset) and installing a longer a different handlebar stem that accommodates for my longer torso all the while keeping my body in the proper position. They then took a floor bike (the 2016 7.4 FX) and added swapped those items out for me to give a test ride and to work on some adjustments to jot down for the order.

Now I don't know how I looked on the bike, but it certainly felt comfortable riding (both in jeans and in bike shorts), save for the seat (that was another thing we had to work out). We did a quick measurement of my sit bones and found that I would need a pretty wide seat. I don't have a fat butt, but it ain't pancake flat. My hip pelvis and hip bones are probably a little wider given my larger upper body. I refused to put a grandma fat bottom seat on the bike. After some looking, we gave a Bontrager seat a try and, while not perfect, it felt much better than the stock seat. The LBS guys felt confident that some adjustments in the angle and distance that it will feel a lot better.

The only thing I am slightly bummed about is I didn't find out until after I placed the order that the 7.4 FX that I test rode has a carbon fork whereas the 7.4 FX Disc that I ordered has an alloy fork. Trek's website is a bit misleading since their features upgraded comparison between the two bikes doesn't mention that, you have to dig into the details section to find this. While I understand they are trying to meet a price point, I do feel I would have preferred to pay the difference it would have cost to get the carbon fork with disc brakes like the Crossrip Comp has. Anyone know if it is possible to upgrade the fork later?

Being my first "real" bike purchase, here's hoping I love what I get.

-Paul

Grey.

Looks like the badge on the 2016 bikes was replaced with a decal, that's too bad.

yashinon

All FX models? They added a sticker on front where the logo is?

Rsmith11

Yeah, I've seen them in person and it's just a flat decal now. The older badge was much better looking I think.

Nyimbo

Not sure if this is the place for this question. Let me know if not.
I have a 2010 FX 7.5 with 48/36/26 and 9 speed 11-26 gearing. I am planning a cross country ride and was looking at a new touring bikes which is fine except the cost and I already have a great bike. One person listening in on my conversation with the bike salesman suggested touring with my FX with a light touring load and changing gearing on my FX for the mountain passes. I wondered how easy that is to do and is it reasonable cost wise. Thanks for any thoughts

yashinon

For all 7.4 FX riders: What do you think about your bike? Would love to hear good and bad.

I absolutely love mine! A big difference for me in terms of ride quality. I wish it was a tad lighter, however it rides so smooth!

Have you swapped the saddle for anything else?

ColonelSanders

Was a 11-26 cassette the one which originally came on your bike?

If your bike originally came with a 11-32, you could put such a cassette back on to your bike and then you would be well placed to tackle steep hills whilst out touring.

If 11-26 was the original cassette, then your rear derailleur might not be able to handle much larger, so you would be looking at a new rear derailleur and new cassette(to either 11-32 or 11-34).

Nyimbo

No the 11-26 is original. Thats why I'm confused I've never changed out anything before. I read another post in another thread about gearing yesterday and the suggestion for that person was to change out the front smaller sprocket to a 22 in that example. I'm not sure the difference yet. Is one easier to change. I did like the idea of the smaller in the front would give you a whole new 9 gears to use going up the mountain???

ColonelSanders

The problem with replacing your 26T chainring for a 22T chainring, is that your front derailleur may not like it very much.

With Shimano's front derailleurs, they will have a limit on how big the gap can be between the smallest and biggest chainring and Trek probably used one with a 22T limit, which works when your smallest & biggest chainrings are 26 & 48 respectively.

Some people get away with running out of spec, but if you want to stay within spec, the easiest path is likely to be a new rear derailleur and new rear cassette.

If your rear derailleur is the same as this model , if you leave your 26T chainring alone, you can change out your rear cassette for an 11-32 and it should all be within spec, but you may need to tweak the rear derailleur to take into account the difference of teeth present in a 11-32 cassette.

eagerbilt

I like it!
I have a 7.0 that I just love...not quite as fancy parts as yours but one thing I've learned over the years is to buy for frame first...parts can be upgraded when they wear out.
Ride safe!

pippin65

I love my 2015 7.2 added a cygolite metro 400 and hotshot, a brooks flyer saddle, and ergon gp3 grips. Love the bike even more. Thinking about fenders next. Any Suggestions?

VirtualMirage

I got to pick up my 2015 Trek 7.4 FX Disc yesterday. The bike looks and feels quite nice. The shop did a final fitment for me before loading it up in the car. I felt a little vibration coming from the chain, like it was ever so slightly out of alignment. But it shifted smoothly. They said it may smooth out as it breaks in and that I may not notice it on the road (I felt it when mounted up to the fitment kit in their shop). Either way, they decided to replace/upgrade the chain under warranty. The stock chain is a KMC on all Shimano gearing. They state that while the KMC is Shimano compatible, it may not be as smooth as an actual Shimano chain. So they replaced the chain with a Shimano at no cost. I tested it again, and while the vibration was reduced it was still there. Everything was aligned properly, so I agreed to give it a break in and to take back to the shop for them to do a post break-in inspection and tuneup (I get free tuneups for life).

I got the bike home and decided to take it on a short test ride, about 4-5 miles (about 40 minutes tops, including stops). First, I was having issues connecting my DuoTrap S to my phone. Secondly, I thought I was hearing some slight rubbing of the front disc brake. Pumping the brakes didn't solve it. It wasn't enough to feel (ie, drag), just enough to hear. When I got back to the house, I gave both a look over. The DuoTrap S was a "quick" fix, the coin battery was installed backwards. Simple mistake most of us have made, easily fixed and confirmed it was working. The second issue, I did confirm the right front brake pad (from rider's seat perspective) is rubbing on the disc. I confirmed the rear wheel's brakes have clearance on both sides and the front has clearance on the left side. I'm wondering if I just need to loosen the wheel, adjust its position slightly, and lock it down or if I need to adjust clearance at the brake/cable. We did have to remove the front wheel for transport, so that may be it. I guess that will be my first task when I get home today.

Overall, the LBS has been great and very patient with me. They have answered all my questions and never made me feel rushed. They certainly went above and beyond to make sure that I am happy. The bike, for its initial go around, felt great even with the two minor caveats mentioned above. Luckily, one was easily fixed and the other shouldn't be too much issue to straighten out either. Once I get the brake clearance squared away, I will definitely take it for a longer spin with greater confidence. I look forward to riding it again today and start my journey of losing weight and getting back in shape.

Anyone else run into a brake clearance issue similar to what I have experienced?

-Paul

jtaylor996

First post here. I'm going to be getting a 7.3 from my LBS tonight! I checked it out at lunch, and the wife OK'd it so I'll just go pick it up tonight. First bike I've had since I was a kid. I do about 30mi/week on a recumbent exercise bike, and I can't stand the boredom anymore.

Any advice for me? Like maybe a more comfortable seat? Should I go for the DuoTrap right away?

Little Darwin

I personally don't like proprietary crap on bikes. If the DuoTrap computer fits your need and budget, then fine. Personally, I would buy something else, and ignore the special fittings.

As far as saddle, they are the most personal part of a bike... Did you not like the way the stock seat felt? I like the saddle I am currently using on my 2011 7.3 FX, a Selle SMP TRK, but there is no guarantee that it will work for you. I think the stock seat on my bike was ok until I got over about 25 miles on a ride, then it got uncomfortable... but I tend to wear cycling shorts for anything over an hour, so that can disguise poor saddle fit a little. Search the forum for saddle threads, as the choice of saddle features aren't confined to a specific bike model.

I think you'll find your FX will serve you well. It definitely beats indoor cycling. Enjoy the ride!

jtaylor996

I have no idea on computers. What are some of the better options out there?

jtaylor996

Well, I'm a traitor! I ended up getting a cannondale quick 4. It was a close decision, but the cannondale fit me a little better.

Grey.

That's a little silly, don't you think? For one, the DuoTrap S isn't a computer, it's a sensor. It works with any device that supports ANT+ or Bluetooth and the integrated frame mount just allows you to install the sensor on your bike without having to put zip ties all over it. It works quite well.