altondavis2

I recently test rode the Trek 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4.
Loved the 7.3, couldn't justify the 7.4 (I know its got a carbon fork).
I could barely tell any difference between the 7.3 and 7.4. Preferred the color on the 7.3.
The 7.4 is only available in white.

Saeyedoc, do you think the 7.4 was worth the extra $140 **********

Kingpcgeek

7.4 upgrades the drivetrain over the 7.3 as well. If you are in the US it also comes in grey.

Upgrades from 7.3 FX
Bontrager Nebula carbon fork
Shimano Acera/Deore 27-speed drivetrain

altondavis2

After riding both, I couldn't feel enough of a difference to justify spending an extra $150 on the FX 7.4.
I even preferred the glossy paint finish on the FX 7.3.

Mateamargo

Hi , i have the Giant Escape 3 and i love it !! 60 / 80 km / day ! i use pulsemeter too .

Grey.

Pretty much. The drivetrain upgrades are barely worth mentioning due to Shimano's trickle-down tech. The 7.3 is using the brand new Alivio "Shadow" RD while the 7.4 is still using the old Deore, which puts them about on par. The crankset and FD are both Acera-level on each bike and the only other difference is the shifters. I barely noticed the carbon fork.

Lanovran

I wouldn't get too hung up on the componentry. Everything around this price point has pretty similar components, which likely aren't going to afford a huge difference in performance. I'd recommend going out to test ride the bikes, because there's a lot to be said for how one particular frame is going to feel to you over another. How the bike is put together, the geometry of it, the materials making up the frame and fork, etc., can be a big factor in terms of both comfort and performance (not to mention whatever value-added service/accessory deals the shop is willing to offer). Personally, I'm a fan of the 7.3 FX (I admit that I'm a bit biased, since I work at a Trek dealer ), but the best way to compare similar bikes is to go pedal 'em around a bit and see which one speaks to you.

This is something that may vary based on the LBS. At the shop where I work, we do indeed check every new wheel that comes in as we build up new bikes. We make sure that wheels are true, that hubs and headsets are properly adjusted, that brakes and shifting are properly set up and working well, and that everything is tight and ready to roll. That's the major advantage of having a bike built up by someone with the experience, tools, and know-how vs. doing it yourself from a mail-order box (and a big reason why Trek doesn't do customer-direct bike shipping). It really doesn't take too long for an experienced bike builder to do all of that, which may be what the guy at your Trek dealer meant, but if they are simply slapping bikes together out of the box without doing any adjustments or tuning, then they're not worth their salt as a bike shop.