I did start a thread in the Road Cycling section in the Specialized bike but I have learned that its more of a hybrid, same goes for the FX. I test rode a Trek Madone and decided that style of bike is not really what im looking for but I havent completely ruled out all road bikes yet. I figured this section would be more appropriate for questions on the FX line.

I tried a couple models of the Giant Escape (because they do seem like a good bargain) but I found them to be uncomfortable and the shifters were clunky (could have been out of tune?). I really like the Trek FX line and im researching them to make sure its a good buy. The 7.2 seems like the best bargain to me, just want to make sure im not missing out on anything or buying something with subpar components. The 7.4 would be ideal but its a bit above my price range. I say its ideal because I see comments about how the carbon fork would soak up bumps better than steel or aluminum.

Another reason for me to consider the 7.2 is that it allows enough budget for extras. Trying to keep the total budget under $700. Im willing to save up for a better model if its truely worth the extra cost. Im going to test ride all 3 models back to back if I can.