johde

I'm a new Clydesdale here looking for some advice. I've just started getting into biking and need a new bike. My current bike is a Walmart Road Master mountain bike with "full suspension" that's not worth spending any additional money on. It was no more than $100 when I bought it new several years ago. I'm currently riding a couple of times a week on a 4 mile loop but don't trust it for any further.

A little about my self. I'm currently 6'2"-6'3" barefoot and just under 330lbs. Over the past 8 years or so I started at about 380lbs dropped to 270lb on a "diet", then back up to 325lbs. I took up walking then progressed to a "run/walk" Over the course of a couple of years, I got down to the 290's and completed 5 half marathons. Near the end of training for my 6th one last September I developed knee issues and couldn't do the race. I spent most of the next 6 months doing nothing and ballooning back up to 343. With some help from my Dr. my knees are doing better and I'm down about 15 lbs and getting active again.

I've started diversifying my activity by walking and now real light run/walking 2 days a week alternating with riding my bike 2 days a week. But the more I ride the bike the more I realize it's going to need to be replaced sooner than I was expecting. Right now, I'm trying to stay in the $400 - $450 for the bike itself then a little extra on top of that for a helmet etc.

My current bike riding is a 1 1/4 miles to a local park then a loop around the park and back. The park is at the beginning of a well maintained paved 13 mile long rail/trail I currently use for my walking and will probably serve as a starting point for my bike riding. The route I take to the trail includes a section of brick streets and some gravel parking lot. My first thought was getting into a hybrid bike.

When I went to my LBS the 2 bikes he carries that seem to best fit the bill would be a Trek Verve 1 ($420) https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...ybrid/verve_1# and a Trek 7.1 ($430) https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...ess/fx/7_1_fx# . Unfortunately he didn't have those exact bikes in my size to do a test ride. He had a 7.3 in a 20" that I looked at for size. The Verve 1 he had was a 17.5. The 20" seemed to be the right size as far center bar goes. I'm fairly tall but most of my height is upper body.

For work on Wednesday, I'm going to be close to a Dick's Sporting Goods and I was going to look their to see what they have. Looking at their Website I was hoping to check out the Diamondback Insight 1 ($399) https://www.diamondback.com/insight-1...ormance-hybrid , or the Diamondback Trace ($450) https://www.diamondback.com/trace-pav...ormance-hybrid . In this weeks Dick's ad they were advertising $50 off $300-$399 bikes and $75 off $400+ bikes when you trade in your old bike. There is also a possibility of getting 10% off my purchase if I sign up for their credit card. With the Discounts they become significantly less expensive than the LBS bikes.

For any of the bikes my LBS said they could replace the back tire with a "beefier" tire for about $70.00 . He also does do repairs and maintenance on Diamondback bikes. Edit it add: Last night about midnight local time, I typed tire but meant wheel.

My question is 2 fold. First, what is everyone's opinions on the bikes I'm currently looking at? Do you think they look good for a person my size and riding style? Also, What other options do you think I should consider? BTW I've looked on Craigslist and there's nothing in the area that looks any good in the used market there.

Thanks, and sorry the post got a little bit long.

Cfiber

If you don't have any seriously challenging hills or inclines to speak of, then at your current price point, you could get a really classy single speed from a very creditable LBS. That would be my first recommendation!
www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1116806_-1_400317__400317
Fuji Independence

(Performance has bike shops near most major cities)

However, if you genuinely require a multi-geared bicycle. A hybrid will get you more bang for your buck in most cases. There's something about drop handlebars that raises the purchase price on road bikes. I've also found that you can get some really great MTB deals online from Bikesdirect. The bikes you're currently looking at are all aluminum framed bikes. I'm certain that you exceed the weight limit on all of those bikes. However, you've been riding an Xmart bike up to this point... So what should that matter? Right!

Well, I personally feel that steel and carbon will better tolerate loads and forces moreso than aluminum. So, I'm gonna go waay out on a limb and recommend a bike type that you might not even expect. It's a steel framed mountain bike. Hey! Betcha didn't see that one coming after the Roadmaster MTB you've been riding for so long. Right? I can assure you that the frame will be able to tolerate your weight. If you wear out the components, that's just fine. They can always be replaced. I'm recommending the MTB, because it's has a lower center of gravity. You'll therefore, not only feel more stable when riding, you'll also be more stable when cycling. Also, with the benefit of having wider tires, you'll also feel more comfortable when riding and the tires will serve as added suspension, without really having suspension forks, because that's true. This MTB really doesn't have a suspended fork! That's a good thing, because that's fewer moving parts and cost less cash to replace.

So here she is, Johde:
www.schwinnbikes.com/bikes/mountain/frontier-mens#/specs
Schwinn Frontier MTB

Jamis makes a similar bike called the Trail XR. It costs about twenty bucks more, but has Sram X3, instead of Shimano Tourney. Sram X3 is most probably better, but not by much. I say, it should come down to the way each bike makes you feel when riding, and if you personally like the way they look.

All of these bikes will last for a very long time. You'll only have to either upgrade or replace their components. That's it!

I was once in your shoes, buddy! I know exactly how you must feel at this very moment. However, I'd like for you to know how it feels to be over 100 pounds lighter, without the threat of diabetes, and without the daily assistance of a 100 mg tab of Atenolol for hypertension. This is what cycling has done for me and I absolutely love it! So keep smiling, keep cycling, and keep being health conscious!

Good Luck!

MRT2

Congratulations on your weight loss and decision to start riding. As for your regaining some of the weight, I can relate, having lost 60 lbs, regained all the weight and than some, and now back on the program.

I just have a couple of thoughts generally.
1. Fit is very important. I don't see how a person 6'2" could possibly fit a 17.5" frame. I am 5'9" and my old hybrid is an 18 or 18.5" frame and that was a little on the small side for me. My son, who is only 5'2" can ride it. So I would be a little concerned about a bike salesman who would try to sell you a bike that small.

2. Both Treks seem pretty entry level. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I suspect that they see a person somewhat overweight coming and automatically try to put them in something basic. You might want to consider going up a step or two to maybe a 7.2 FX or 7.3 FX, or equivalent from Giant, Jamis, Specialized, Cannondale, etc... It isn't that the 7.1 or the Verve are bad bikes. But, if you move beyond taking a casual ride to the park or grocery store, you might find it limiting. Better to spend a few bucks for something that you will enjoy for years than to kick yourself 6 months from now when you realize that you need to buy a new bike next year.

3. You might want to consider steel, which has a somewhat more forgiving ride than aluminum, at almost no price premium. I believe Jamis makes steel frame hybrids for about the same price as Trek, with equivalent or better level of components. That line is called the Coda, either the Coda Sport or the somewhat upgraded Coda Comp.

4. As for the offer to put you on a beefier tire, it isn't the tire, but the back wheel that would be concerned about. When I bought my Bianchi hybrid many years ago, I was around 255 lbs, and had problems with broken spokes. The bike shop that sold me the bike eventually rebuilt the wheel. Apparently, a slight defect in the way the wheel was originally built, combined with my higher than average weight caused a problem. After they rebuilt the wheel, I haven't had a broken spoke again in 14 years.

5. I would not buy a bike from Dicks.

jethro56 

I'm 6'2" and my first bike was a trek 7300 in a 20" size. While a 20" seemed ok at first after I rode it awhile I wished it was a size bigger. As far as FX series I like them but I think the 7.2 is well worth the extra money. Go to as many LBS's as you can and test ride as many bikes as you can find. Forget anything with a suspension.

msujmccorm

I'm 6' 210 lbs. I bought a 20" verve in February. It fits me well but I don't think it would if I was 2" taller. It is a good bike but 2 months later I have bought a road bike. I will keep the verve for rides with the wife and grand kids, but if I had to do it again I would have just started with a better road bike.

johde

Thanks everyone for the information so far. To answer the questions and add some additional information.

Cfiber- As far as hills go, the trail where I would would at least start out has at worst gradual inclines and declines 50-60 feet over a 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile. Once I start venturing off the trail I could start getting into some hills. Right now, unless there's a dramatic life change, I don't see using the bike for regular commuting. I'm an adjunct instructor at a community college and the campus I primarily teach at is 45 miles away. I did get a chance to teach a class for the local branch of another community college that's 2 miles from home but they don't off classes in my field often enough for it to be any more than an occasional bonus to the paycheck.

MRT2 - Sorry if I gave the wrong impression, he wasn't trying to sell me the 17.5 inch Verve 1. We were looking at it for style and price considerations. If it was something I liked, he would get me one in my size either from his other store or order one for me to try out. Likewise, with the FXs, he didn't have any 7.1's or 7.2's in stock but did have a 7.3 in stock in a 20" frame that at least from a cross bar perspective seems like the right size. He didn't have any 22" but given the clearance on the 20" I would probably need to be tip toe to clear the bar. He would get me the bike that works, they just weren't sitting on the showroom floor. These also weren't the first bike he showed me. When I first walked in, before I mentioned budget, he steered me towards a $630 bike I didn't look at the name of the bike at the time but looking at his Website, I'm guessing it was a Verve 3. I know it had a suspension front fork and the price looks about right. He seemed to think a suspension fork would probably be OK even after letting him know my approximate weight. I'm not saying I don't look big but being tall and fairly proportional people normally guess under 300lb instead of over 300lb. I also edited my first post above, it was about midnight when I typed the original post and I typed tire and meant wheel.

As far as truly LBS's go, he's it and only a couple of miles away. He carries Trek, Electra, and Sun. I have a few more options if I go to neighboring towns 25-30 miles away, if I expand to 40-50 miles I get to a large city with probably many choices.

As far as looking at the 7.2 or 7.3 instead of the 7.1, it all comes down to money and how much of it I can carve out of my budget for an activity that I'm now sure about. That's one reason why I'm looking at the Diamond Backs, by the time I'd get either of the Trek's getting the better wheels would put me at closer to $500. The 7.2's at the LBS are $500 and then $70 for the wheels and we're getting way over budget. With something like the Diamondback I could probably get the new tires immediately. With the Treks, the new tires would be a down the road if needed investment. BTW, Looking at the 7.1 and the 7.2, what difference are component upgrades that could be done over time verses permanent differences in the bikes?

tiger187126

your height is sometimes less important than your inseam when it comes to bikes. i am 6'3" and was actually put on a shorter road bike because it wasn't too tall for me (like most of the hybrids i had been on) and the seat being back helped stretch my gorilla arms out.

basically just try to test drive as many as possible and see what feels good, and if something feels weird then ask and see if they can change the seat some way or get you a different sized model.

if you're going to spend your money, make sure it fits perfect for you.

MRT2

I would urge you to make the drive and check out other bike shops, if only so you can see if other brands fit you better. I also stand by my earlier suggestion to try steel. At your weight, it should offer a somewhat more forgiving ride than aluminum. But then again, we are talking hybrids so it might not make much of a difference.

I do not like suspension forks on entry level bikes. They add weight and unless you ride single track, you don't need it. (and you would not ride single track with an entry level hybrid)

Finally, if you decide you like Trek, te FX 7.3 is a significant step up from the 7.1. You go from a 7 speed to a 9 speed. Also better shifters derailleurs, tires, grips, and fork. I believe the 7.3 has a better frame as well. If you had to upgrade a 7.1 to 7.3, it would cost you far more than just buying a 7.3 from the get go. In a nutshell, the 7.3 is a much better bike, and you might want to considerjust biting the bullet and spending a little more now.

I made the same mistake with my wife a few years ago. I bought her a WSD comfort version of the 7.1 because at the time, she needed something to tool around the neighborhood with our (then) 6 year old son. Now he is 11, almost 12, and that bike is too slow and upright for the 15 to 30 mile rides we do as a family.

My advice is,buy for your future self as well as your current self.

Cfiber

Both Diamondback and Raleigh brands are currently owned by a Dutch Group called, Accell. Kinesis a bicycle manufacturing company located in Taiwan, makes bikes for quite a number of major bicycle brands, including Schwinn, GT, Trek, Kona, Jamis, Felt, Kross, Dawes, Mercier, Motobecane, Raleigh, and Diamondback.

The Diamondback brand, is a very reputable brand. However, IMO, the Dick's Sporting Goods brand does not have a very good marketing reputation. That said, I personally believe that any Diamondback frame is just as reliable as any Trek or Cannondale frame. No LBS mechanic should turn his head away from any Diamondback bicycle.

Base your decision first, upon how the bike feels when you're cycling. This would include not only your personal comfort level, but also the bike's performance, in how smooth it rides and shifts. These two features are more important than speed, since you're not a racer. Although speed is a significant factor, as well. Finally, confine your decision within the limits of your budget.

Your best bet would be to go the either REI or Performance for a Diamondback bicycle. Whatever you do, DON'T Go to Dick's Sporting Goods! I didn't know about their lousy service after sales ...

jethro56 

The biggest difference is the rear hub. The 7.1 will have a freewheel. The 7.2 will have a freehub. Most of us are pretty geeky about bikes The go-to primer for us is https://sheldonbrown.com/glossary-e-f.html. Basically the 7.1 will have the same kind of rear axle as your Walley World bike. It's good that you're concerned about the rear wheel. Lots of threads, lots of experiences and opinions. I'm pretty mechanical so I subscribe to the how well the wheel's built and maintained philosophy. Inexpensive wheels with 32 or 36 spokes can carry heavy weights if one maintains even spoke tension while maintaining true-ness. At your price level all the wheels will be mass assembled by machines. These machines are pretty good at spitting out wheels that are true. Even spoke tension is hit or miss and correcting for this is labor intensive. I believe that's why you see posts where two riders riding the same wheel and same weight and one will never have a problem and the other will say that the wheel was junk.

Shepp30 

Johde, not sure where you are located but if you are interested in a steel bike, I have seen the left over 2012 Jamis Coda Sports in my area for less than $400.00. Reynolds tubing with a lifetime warranty.

Mark Stone

Excellent advice.

johde welcome to the forums - There are lots of us who can relate to what you're going through, so you should find plenty of help and support.

johde

Thanks again for everyone opinions. I'm not sure I have any more answers but I think I may have a plan of attack. Tomorrow I'm giving finals and because of a screwy schedule I have a 4 hour break between my first and second final. That should hopefully give me a chance to check out a couple of LBS in that town. The one doesn't have any website and the other one is fairly generic So I don't know what I might find there. I may also see if the local shop can get a 7.1fx and 7.2fx in stock in my size by the Friday/Saturday (he actually thought he had the 7.1 in stock but it must have been recently sold). On Wednesday I'm giving my last final exam and was then planning on going home through the town where I teaching the one summer class on that campus for the first time. After I find the room and get a couple of other things done I can hopefully check out the bike shop there as well as stop by the Dick's in that town. It's a smaller town so I'm unsure what they will have in stock but it's no significant extra driving. There are 3 more on our side of the big city that they can hopefully check on stock at. Then in the end of the week I can hopefully take test rides with properly sized bike at the bike shop in town. So, by Saturday I can at least make the decision on Dick's or not Dicks before the sale ends that night.

Your comment on buying for your future self as well as your current self makes sense assuming I even knew for sure what current self or 2 weeks from now self wants besides getting into a bike I feel safer riding. I've got no clue where I might want to be 2-3 years from now. That being said, a comment msujmccorm made about the Verve really struck a cord that I wasn't able to completely express. The Verve would be a safe replacement for the type of riding I'm doing now. Part of it could be it was sized wrong, but it felt like the type of bike to do a few miles around town. I sat almost cruiser upright. Getting the proper size and fit may change that perception. But at least part of the reason for the new bike is I'm ready to go beyond the riding I'm currently doing.

On the steel front, I'm not necessarily opposed to steel. Unfortunately, at least looking at the Jamis's that Jepp30 mentioned, The closes 2 Jamis dealers based on their website are each 40+ miles in opposite directions and neither would be convenient to combine with another trip.

That again for everyone opinion, and I'll try to keep you informed as the search progresses.

Cfiber

Hey Johde!

Checkout the REI outlet website:

www.rei.com/outlet/category/22000029
Item # 854939

The Schwinn City IG3 is a really great deal on page 2.

* Since you're an educator, this bike has a rack where you can place you attache case, laptop, and lunch.

* Also, since this is REI, you're entitled to their 100% satifaction guarantee. If the bicycle should fail at anytime during your ownership, you'll be granted either a total refund, or a store credit for the bicycle's value at the time of purchase. If you are a member, you don't even need to save you receipt for a refund. All of your purchase info will be saved onto your membership account. You also get a 10% annual refund at the end of the year.

phread59

OK I'll jump in too. I also suggest an upgrade to at least the 7.2FX. The FX series hybrids have a stellar reputation here at BF. They flat out work. The added component upgrade from 7.1 to 7.2 is well worth the added expense. I feel that the Verve will fit you well now. And do what you want. Buuuut when you drop 30 or 50 pounds and are heading out on longer rides the Verve will actually hold you back. That is a factor to look at. As so many before me, look to the future as well as the present.

As to the Diamondback and Dick's. Dick's have NO, and I repeat NO service after the sale. You buy it from Dick's you are on you're own!!!!! Also the stuff I see at Dick's is the ultra low end crap that is no better than the bike you have. So be careful.

We have been hitting you with components. It is extreamly important to look at the components on you're bike. You want SRAM components of X3 or better. As you go up in number the components get lighter, work better and last longer. Components do wear out. So the better components make a big deal. It costs almost twice as much to upgrade components after the sale. Best to buy good at the start. Shimano you want a name on the components. Names such as Alvio, Sora and Acera are what you are looking for. NO TOURNEY!!!! Look at the shifters. Stay away from any kind of twist shifters. I know the Verve has them. They are SRAM so they will probably work, but I am skeptical. You want a seperate two lever shift module. Using these simple rules should help you navigate the low price bike jungle.

I also suggest looking at other brands. Fuji, Jamis, Specialized, Felt, Cannondale, GT,Scott,Raleigh,and Giant are all good reputable brands to look at. Don't buy a Trek just because it is convenient. Performance, REI and other chain stores may be in you're area look at their web sites and check the nearest store. It is a sad fact you gotta put some leg work in to get exactly what you need. Don't be afraid to drive and look.

I do commend you for you're obvious desire. Kepp the flame alive my freind. I will offer my best wishes and hopes you find what you need. Good luck.

Mark Shuman

bassjones

Let me add to the Trek 7.2 recommendations. The stock rear wheel should hold up for quite a while, and you can save for a replacement down the road if you need it.

Very nice bikes and very Clyde friendly. Keep an eye on Craigslist as well. My brother just got a nice touring bike for $450. It's a year old with less than 100 miles. New, it was a little over $1000. I would also recommend the 22 rather than the 20. If stand over on the 20 is tight at your height then you have a very long torso, which will make th 20" pretty uncomfortable everywhere except stand over. Learn to lean the bike toward the foot you put down and stand over isn't an issue. It's actually the least important part of bike fit, even though it's often thought of as the most important.

Cfiber

Do NOT buy from Dick's! Their after sale service is non-existent! Go to either Performance or REI, instead!

MRT2

OK, here is my thought on this. You can't futureproof completely, but you can somewhat. Right now, you are just starting out. You want something that can handle short recreational rides, maybe 10 miles or less. But, you have in the past worked your way up to running half marathons. No reason you won't advance in cycling like you did with running. The cycling equivalent of a half marathon is, maybe, somewhere between a metric century and a century ride. In 6 months or year, you might find yourself wanting to join a local cycling club, or possibly do a century. Or a multi day supported tour. While others have done that on entry level bikes, old mountain bikes, even cruisers, it isn't optimal. You will find your gear hindering your progress. With something like the FX 7.2 or, preferably the 7.3 or higher, you could certainly get a lot more advanced in the sport before having to consider an upgrade. Even if you only advance to 25 to 50 mile weekend rides, those few extra dollars you spend up front will be well worth it.

Now, if you don't advance beyond the occasional 10 mile ride on the local MUP, you will still have a bike that will last you for a decade or more, and the better componentry will last longer and work better than its cheaper counterpart. One thing about cheaper components is they just don't work as well, so buying the cheapest bike store option may actually cost you more in the long run.

I join others in urging patience in making this decision, and to take some time and weigh the various options, including steel. (my personal preference).

johde

Thanks again for everyone help. I forgot to mention before, I live in central Ohio, about 1/3 of the way from Columbus to Cleveland, in the small town of Mount Vernon. Yesterday on my LONG lunch break, I found one of the bike shops in where I work in Zanesville, OH. He has a small shop, like most LBS in the area seem to be. He seems to specialize in Fuji, but also carried a couple Torker's and Redlines. Once again, had limited availability in my size but could order to suit, and at least from Fuji he was talking 3-4 day turnaround on orders. He was extremely friendly and I did test ride a couple of things. The bike he had in stock that he suggested first was a Torker 510. It was a fairly entry level bike and sat very upright. Next tried the Fuji Crosstown 1.3 (I think). It had Shimano shifters that were new to me. My current bike has cheap grip shifters, and before that at one time I had a 10 speed with the center mounted shifter. I liked the Shimano style much better than the grip shifter. I still haven't tried the SRAM style. The size was one size too small so couldn't get a good feel for ride position. Lastly I tried a full on Mountain Bike. The Fuji Nevada 29 (I think the 1.7 based on the price). It seemed to have the best fit of the bikes. But like the other 2 it had a front suspension fork. Other than road bikes, he seems to like the suspension fork. It had a 100mm travel though and at least in the test ride I didn't seem to bottom it out. Even though I didn't find "the bike" I got a chance to compare some components and ride a couple of different things. After riding the Fuji, and looking at their website, I'm wondering if the Fuji Absolute 2.1 or 3.0 might fit the bill. There appears to be an 2.1 available at a LBS in Columbus, and the 3.0 is Available from Premier.

Tomorrow, I'm going to try to hit a couple of LBS in Newark, A larger one that I know carries Specialized among other brands, and a new one that just opened up in the last couple of month, as well as the Local Dick's. I may not end up buying from Dick's but I can at least get a feel for a few more bikes.

In related news, I did an expanded Craigslist search and came up with a couple of interesting hits. A trek 7.2FX in the Columbus area, and a 7.3FX from up by just south and west of Cleveland. The 7.2 had no information in the ad, nothing on size, age, or even price. Just 7.2FX Make Offer and phone number to text. I texted asking for more info and they said they would get me more information this evening. The 7.3FX is a 2010 model . The ad claims well maintained, with newer tires. But it's 60-90 miles away, only rough location given, and the ad is a couple of weeks old so I'm not sure if It's still available. He's asking $200 for the bike. That sounds like a very good deal to me, assuming it's in good shape. If I go look at the 7.2, a friend of mine who knows more about bikes can probably go with me. If I go look at the 7.3 I'm probably on my own. What should I look for when evaluating the bike?

Thanks again for everything.

Cfiber

Get the Fuji!

I'd much rather go with a brand new bike and a warranty, than to purchase a used bike, without a warranty.

Free bicycle maintenance and service, should also accompany your new bicycle purchase from a LBS.

Erwin8r

If you can get that 7.3 for $20, that'd be the deal of the year... but its probably gone by now. And sometimes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.... Personally, if I could afford a brand new bike that does what I want without "feeling it" financially, I'd do it. But most of my bikes have come second-hand.

johde

I went and visited a couple of places and revisited the local Trek dealer. I went to the Specialized dealer in Newark, I ended up looking at the Specialized, but didn't end up trying out any of those. I seemed to get a strange vibe from him. He kept steering me towards the "step through" frames instead of the "step over" frames. I did try a Cheap $100ish used 18 speed Schwinn. That might work if I was going to go the ultra cheap route. But I didn't end up liking it enough to remember the model to research if it started out life as a LBS or Mass Market Schwinn.

I also went to Dick's Sporting Goods and almost bought a bike. They had one 2012 Diamondback Insight 2 for $399, the same price as the 2013 Insight 1. With the trade-in& 10% new credit card discount is was going to be $285. Performance sell the 2013 for $500. But, the one they had wasn't my size. They thought they had found one at a neighboring store. But it turned out being the 2013 model for the same $500 as performance (before trade in and credit card Discount). At under $300 I was going to bite. But when you get closer to $400 you were getting enough closer in price that the extra to get LBS bike I liked better would be easily justified. So either, deal lost, or mistake averted.

Going back to the local LBS that sells Trek's, had a long conversation with the guy, I probably explained myself better and we decided that the FX line is probably where I need to be over the Verve. The bike he had in my size that I ended up taking for a 10 min. or so Parking lot test drive was the 7.3. And it was a very nice bike. Even the seat that from looking at didn't look like it would be comfortable worked out well for the test drive. The FX line has moved up significantly into a short list of front runners. The next question is which level. From our conversations here along with additional research, I can easily justify going from the 7.1 to the 7.2. The stronger and lighter "Alpha Gold Aluminum" vs "Alpha Silver Aluminum" and Free Hub with Cassettes vs Freewheel by itself probably justifies the extra $70. The Jump up to the 7.3 is another $130 on top of that. I think I've figured out technically what most the differences are between bikes, the question is what those difference mean in a practical terms for someone who's normal ride is probably going to be in the 10-15 mile range with in the intermediate goal of potentially doing a 25-30 mile long weekend ride occasionally primarily starting out on paved rail/trail. Riding 2-3 days a week alternating with walking/running.

The trek Website lists the following "Improvements"
Upgrades from 7.2 FX

• Bontrager Race All-Weather Hard-Case tires
• Alloy FX fork
• IsoZone handlebar and grips
• Shimano Acera crank, front derailleur
• Shimano 9-speed shifting

Some of them in more detail

7.2 FX ............................................................... 7.3 FX
Steel Fork........................................................... Aluminum Fork
8 speed 12-32 rear; 48/38/28 Front .........................9 speed 11-32 rear; 48/36/26 fronts
700x35c puncture resistant tires 80lb max ................700x32c all weather puncture resistant tires. 85lb max
Shimano M191 front derailer .................................. Shimano Acrea derailer.

The saddle is also different. To me looking as an inexperienced novice, most of these fall under the nice to have extras. I don't see the big game changer like I finally saw from the 7.1 to the 7.2. Am I missing something in that regards? I'm not saying saying one way or the other but I'm trying to put the changes into perspective.


Finally, I'm not done with the initial searching. A friend of my is going to Columbus tomorrow and we're planning on stopping at performance bikes to check out a a few more bikes. Hopefully they have a Fuji Absolute in stock in my size. Although I'd probably want to get a quote from the LBS in the town where I work before buying that one. There website also lists some Steel Schwinn Hybrids.

jethro56 

It appears to me that the difference between the 7.2 and the 7.3 is the 8 speed versus 9 speed. This is the point that the chain gets narrower. With a narrower chain the sprockets get narrower. To provide durability, stronger materials and more machining is substituted to compensate. Just my opinion, is that the edge goes to the 8 speed but there's more difference in how well the system is maintained than the components themselves. With proper care, either drive-train should give 10,000 miles of service. You'll wear out 2-3 chains over that distance. I'm probably biased towards the 8 speed cause I have the exact same set-up on my 7300. After 2500 miles, I did upgrade the rear derailleur to a Deore to get faster shifting and serviceability. I think I paid $40 for it. Didn't need to do this but the 105 stuff on another bike spoiled me.

Trek Hybrid tires are rather good for an OEM tire. Good puncture resistance and long life. They are rather expensive to replace, mainly because my LBS wants list price for them. I buy tires online anyway. I don't know what all-weather means as a marketing claim. To me tread-style is a riding surface question.

Forks... My 7300 has a useless (for me) suspension fork. I'd have to give a nod to the steel fork. IMO steel has better vibration damping than AL. Not as good as Carbon Fiber but pretty good anyhow. Again road surfaces and tire selection makes a far bigger difference.

Saddles: the chances of either saddle being right for you is a total crap-shoot. In fact, your butt will evolve so the right saddle for mile 1 is different than mile 20,50,100. For most people, the farther you ride, the narrower and harder the you'll want the saddle. OEM saddles are designed for that test ride.

goldfinch

Agree with Jethro. I would only move up if moving up brought you to the 7.4. Carbon fork and better derailleur. But I think the 7.2 is the best for the money.

Cfiber

+1

^^ Excellent advice!

* If I remember correctly, fork upgrades once went from aluminum, up to steel. How did that get switched around?