Originally Posted by CHenry
That just looks like a mountain bike with a subdued paint job. There isn't anything remotely commuter-ish about it. The suspension fork is a non-starter for a commuter, IMO. I don't see any braze-ons for fenders or racks, so a rack would have to be seatpost-only (wishbone seatstay too, another not-so good feature) Flat bars are not such a great choice, either. No lights. No generator option. No thanks.
I agree that there aren't the variety of models here in the Trek line as there are in Europe (probably their marketing strategy based on sales data), and there isn't the availability of some brands whose bikes are generally much better set up for commuting, Koga-Miyata for example.
Trek 7.3FX disc
You can put fenders on it, racks on both front and rear. 700 x 32c
If you want 26" wheels, get the Trek Sport Urban.
Check out marinbikes.com and their urban/commuter bikes. Similar to the Treks.
Check out jamisbikes.com and their commuter series. Nexus hubs, fenders, racks, etc.
Then there's bianchiusa.com and their Cross-Terrain bikes. Like this Castro Valley, for instance.
Bergamo uses a 3spd. hub with a 7-spd. cassette to give you 21 gears you can shift with just one hand.
Okay, I just spent a whopping 5 minutes on the internet and found plenty of commuter bikes. No use in complaining about what the other guy's got; just get a bike and ride.