MacAttack

Yes......I'm still shopping. I can't help it.
Can somebody tell me the main differences between these 2 bikes.
They are the almost the exact same price. My goal is a bike for paved roads/logging roads, but I want it to lean more towards a light, fast road bike.

Trek 7.3 FX – ($639)
Frame FX Alpha Black Aluminum
Fork FX Alloy w/tapered wall thickness, straight blades, Clix dropouts
Wheels
Wheels Alloy front hub, Shimano RM30 rear hub; Bontrager Nebula, alloy 32-hole rims
Tires Bontrager Race Lite Hard-Case, 700x32c
Drivetrain
Shifters Shimano EF60 trigger, 8 speed
Front Derailleur Shimano M191
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore
Crank Shimano M361 48/38/28 w/chainguard
Cassette Shimano HG40 11-32, 8 speed
Pedals Nylon body w/alloy cage
Components
Saddle Bontrager H1
Seat Post Bontrager Nebula
Handlebars Bontrager SSR, 25mm rise
Stem Bontrager SSR, 10 degree
Headset Aheadset Slimstak w/semi-cartridge bearings, sealed
Brakeset Avid SD-3 w/Shimano EF60 levers


2010 Scattante X-330 Cyclocross Bike - ($649)
BOTTOM BRACKET: Isis Pro
BRAKES: Tektro Oryx Alloy cantilever
CASSETTE: Shimano Tiagra, 9-SPEED, cogs: 12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-25T
CHAIN: KMC HG73, 1/2"x11/128",116L
CRANKSET: FSA Vero Cyclocross 46/36t
FORK: Carbon legs, CroMo steerer 1 1/8"
FRAME: XRL Aluminum, double water bottle mounts, and replaceable derailleur hanger
FRONT DERAILLEUR: Shimano Sora
GRIPS/TAPE: Velo Gel Tape
HANDLEBAR: Alloy, 31.8mm Center, Width: 400mm(48cm), 420mm(51/54cm), 440mm(57/60cm)
HEADSET: FSA Integrated, alloy 1 1/8" with top cap
LEVERS: Shimano Sora, alloy short reach levers
PEDALS: Wellgo, alloy
RACK MOUNTS: Yes
REAR DERAILLEUR: Shimano Sora, 9-speed
SADDLE: Velo
SEATPOST: Alloy Seat Post 27.2 X 300mm
SHIFTERS: Shimano Sora, 9-speed
STEM: Alloy, 10 degree rise, ID: 28.6mm, Bar bore: 31.8mm, Length: 100mm(48cm)/(51cm), 120mm(54cm)/(57/60cm)
TIRES: Kenda Kwicker, 700x32C
WHEELSET: Rims: Alex R-500, 32-hole, Hubs: Formula double sealed QR

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._1081576_-1___
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/bike_path/fx/73fx/

qmsdc15

Unless you have a preference for flat bars, get the cross bike. Hybrids are for stubborn people who think they know what they want. Hybrid buyers often regret the decision and do an expensive drop bar conversion of their hybrids, leading to further regrets.

no1mad 

No offence, OP, but you're comparing apples to oranges- again!

You might want to post these types of threads here. You'll probably find more people who will tell you want you know you want to hear.

MacAttack

Sorry; I'm probably growing dumber the more I read and more monotonous.

The last question I have is what's the point of a hybrid if a cyclocross is better on roads, and better on trails from what I read? I don't get it.

Hexenmeister

Sounds like you're equating "better" with "faster."

Cyclocross bikes are designed for racing, hybrids aren't.

I can understand wanting a bike that will go fast, but unless you're racing, there are other several other factors to consider than just speed.

no1mad 

That's the second time you asked that in as many threads you started comparing the Trek 7.3 FX to cyclocross bikes.

CX bikes are designed to be raced. The main differences between the CX and road bikes are a higher bottom bracket and the ability to fit wider tires. Some CX bikes have the braze ons for racks and fenders, while others don't.

Hybrids are an odd lot. Essentially (mind you, there was a rather heated thread over the term hybrid not too long ago) hybrids include the comfort bikes, the so-called "dual-sports" (hard tail mtbs that have suspended forks with lock-out), performance hybrids, to flat bar road bikes. There's also the mtbs that have had drop bars on them- just peruse the picture thread in this forum- and you'll see what I mean.

If you think CX is the way to go, then get one, or focus your research on different CX models and ask the CX forums their opinions on your list of potentials.

Personally, I've a funny feeling that you really want the Trek, since you have used it as sort of a benchmark standard in comparing the 2 different CX bikes (so far).

AdelaaR

Cyclocross bikes are fine on trails, but if you are going to do some heavier things like forests or fields or even rocky surfaces, you don't want to be doing those with a dropbar.
I have a flatbar with an aerobar and this gives me the option the either be aerodynamic and fast or have a high grade of control on the rough bits.
I know I've done things with my bike that no cyclocross biker would ever consider.

What you need depends on how and where you ride.

qmsdc15

Have you ever seen a cyclocross race?

I've competed in mountain bike races with drop bars. Pretty sure I raced that drop bar bike on terrain that you would never consider riding on your hybrid.

dynaryder

Welcome to the Hybrid Forum.

Hybrid bikes are for people who live and ride in cities. They generally don't have to ride far,and they must stop often for traffic lights,which allows them to let go of the bars and sit up. They also need to keep their hands on the brakes to deal with things like swooping taxis and zombie jaywalkers. All these things add up to moot the drop bar's advantages. Drop bars also add cost due to the brifters being more expensive than flat bar controls. Cross bikes are also usually cyclocross geared,meaning they have a somewhat narrow range compared to most hybrids,which doesn't fit well with hilly areas like DC. And finally,most cross bikes come with cross tires,which rarely have puncture protection,and just plain suck on the street,so after spending the extra dosh on a cross bike you get to spend more for a set of proper tires.

Hope this helps.

no1mad 

^What he said.

Helluva better explanation than I gave.

irclean

This is a fine explanation describing the difference between the two bikes. That being said, drop bar bikes can be set up with barcons (bar end shifters) which are much cheaper to buy and maintain than brifters, however you lose the brifters two-controls-in-one feature.

Wanderer

If you want a cross bike, buy the Scattante. If you want a Hybrid, buy the Trek.

First you have to figure what you want - I love my Hybrid - it does everything I wanted, and expected..... I'm thru with drop bars.

jr59

Well, I will speak for me, and I can not tell you what type of bike to buy.

I got back into cycling on a Trek 7.3. Great bike, light, responsive, and fun to ride. After riding it, I got the itch to ride longer type rides. So after thinking about adding drop bars and changing shifters. I decided to by a Surly CX. I like the feel of the drop bars and the steel frame.

Whenever I have gotten a bike, I have always had to change a few things to make it the excat way I wanted it to.

If you like the flat bars, buy the Trek. I would consider putting bar ends on it from the start.
But, if you want the drop bars, buy the CX.

Stig O'Tracy

Since I didn't see anything to indicate you are kidding, I'll post the follwing.

When I was in college many years ago, a room mate was into cycling and frequently went out with the college riding club. In talking to him about the rides, bikes and people, he offered up that some of the guys were cool, but a lot of them were real "a-holes."
Interesting how little things have changed all these years later.

dynaryder

Truth,I was generalising. Most drop bar bikes come with brifters;off the top of my head the only ones I can think of that come with barcons are the built Surly Crosscheck,Raleigh Sojourn,Kona Sutra,and that white GT with disc brakes. I'm not a fan of barcons;I hate having to reach down to shift. Also not a fan of Shimano STI,if I didn't need to also swap rear ders I'd be running SRAM Doubletaps on all my drop bar bikes.

qmsdc15

Am I an ******* for telling the truth? Calling me an ******* is in violation of the terms and conditions you agreed to before being allowed to post here. Please try to be respectful of others.

AdelaaR

I surely know what "veldrijden" is, as I come from the country where Sven Nys comes from and Cyclocross is particularly common in Belgium.
But I can surely take my hybrid places where no "veldrijder" would ever dare go ... when I'm in the south of the country staying over at my dad's cabin in the woods ... there are plenty of extremely rocky steep paths outthere that only a mountainbike or able hybrid can counter.

AdelaaR

Yeah the was definately not ok. Stig O'tracy, please refrain from calling people names as it will only make you look silly and weak.
If qmsdc15 wants to have an opinion on hybrid bikes, that is his right.

qmsdc15

Yes, but I raced with drop bars on terrain you would never be able to ride a bike with 700x35 tires, ie. sand, so I'll stand by the central point of my post which is that a bike with drop bars can go anywhere you can go on your hbrid and places you can not go. Meanwhile rides a veldrijden bike and I bet he rides it places that would give you pause if not stop your roll completely.

qmsdc15

No fair defending me while I'm composing an argument against one of your posts. That makes me feel like an a hole. I'm not actually saying he was incorrect to call me that, but it's not very nice.

Tome

Don't pay any attention to QMSD15 or whoever. I've been riding for a long time and I changed to a Hybrid bike a few years ago and I love them. I particularly like the Trek FX series. I've been through a FX 5 and am now riding a FX 9.
I've just ordered a custom made bike in the mid $4,000 range and it will be a Hybrid as well. As far as I'm concerned hybrids spoil you. The ONLY disadvantage is top speed. You can't get your upper body as low as on a drop bar bike. When you buy whatever you choose be sure to get the bike fitted! Very important for your comfort. A friend of mine bought a Trek Madone and rides the hell out of it but didn't get it fitted. I took him to one of the local bike shops and the owner just looked at him on the bike and told him the seat was way too low and the seat needed to be more forward. The bike has a selle Anatomica, the most comfortable of saddles and it needed to have the tension adjusted as well. Clipless shoes and pedals and fitting. The two most important things!

AdelaaR

You have a $4500 hybrid bike?
Damn.
I could start all kinds of arguments here but I think I'll pass this time.

meanwhile

Some people don't like drop bars. Others have to ride in city traffic, where flat bars offer a position with superior all-round vision. My main bike is a crosser but if I was going to do courier work in a big city again then I'd get out my flat bar all-rigid MTB.

In your case, the hybrid has much better hill climbing gears for that dodgy knee you mentioned in Cross.

meanwhile

I do ride my crosser on singletrack where I wouldn't dream of taking the Sirrus I had (for a few weeks.) I'll be even more aggressive when my bike's new updates are done - wider drops with flares, NOS Pederson self energizing "tandem lifter" cantis, super rigid Japanese cable, and race illegal 40mm tyres - maybe using Stan's No Tubes.

But I'm no Jacquie Phelan - one of the most successful and glorious MTB racers of all time, who rode a drop handle MTB exclusively. Her drop bar bike ("Otto") won three consecutive NORBAs - in fact, Jacquie and Otto had a six year streak where they won every race they entered.



Now, drop bars certainly are NOT suited for modern all-mountain or downhill - but taking Adelaar's bike on to such a course would be suicide. (The fork for the sort of bike needed to compete in those races costs more than a typical hybrid - and rightly so.) Drops certainly can be a superior solution to flat bars off road - probably are - until you reach the point where full suspension is necessary. And most hybrids would have crumpled long before that point - and their riders even earlier.

For people riding old style trail, rather than the new stunt courses, there's been quite a move back to drops offroad - hence bikes like the Fargo and bars like the Woodchipper and Mungo.

meanwhile

Some bikes in this price range are justifiable as a form of artwork. For example:

www.steelmancycles.com/