Another BFer recently got a 7.7... with a HUGE price drop (500 bucks as I recall).

Indeed, Trek calls "fx" fitness bikes. Seems kind apt... the top of that line seems to have slightly high gearing than the 7xxx "hybrid" series. Could be me, but I always thought hybrids had tires and gearing "in between" road and MTB bikes. I consider the fx to be performance oriented hybrids, while the 7xxx bikes are more comfortable having suspensions but cheaper components at each price point.

Not sure when/if I can afford to upgrade, but a 7.3 is most likely.

I was going to start a thread... the 7.5, 7.6, and 7.7 do seem to have rather large deltas, and I was very curious why. I'd normally discount things like tires, seat posts, saddles, that stuff can't seem to make such a difference. The 7.3 to 7.5 is about 280, but I figure the carbon fork is the big thing. The 5, 6 and 7 all seem to have the same frame (probably the most expensive component... I think), so where is the money going? Do things like Tiagra to 10-5 really have that much delta in $$?

Have the book out:

7.9 2620
7.7 1870
7.6 1210
7.5 920
7.3 640