I think the main reason they don't is because the LBS wants to sell you a professional fitting to determine what stem would fit you best.

My Trek dealer didn't charge me for a taller second stem on my new FX, but unfortunately it wasn't tall enough, so I had to buy the third one.

I guess the best way around this is to be friends with CornelSanders and borrow one of his.

My final touring/bikepacking setup on my Trek FX3. After a few short tours, I've been very pleased with the setup.

Fantastic video. I'm like you, I thend to carry to much, but that much, wow, you got that bike loaded !

Like you said, "just get out there and ride".

I recently put this adjustable stem in my new FX3 and love it. I knew I had to change my stem because of my back but didn't know which stem to go with so I put this stem on and glad I did.

Great setup. Thanks for sharing.

Good stuff.


I also have a new bike incoming, so I will be using my adjustable stem(s) again to work out what size and angle I need in a rigid stem, if the default stem isn't to my liking.

Ordered last week and waiting for delivery. My Diamondback has been a trusted mount since 1989 but it's time for a new steed. Waiting for 25" FX 3 in Viper Red...

We'll be expecting some pics!

Cool! I have an FX 7.4 that I use for touring, though a lot of my touring includes gravel roads/bike paths. Heading up to Quebec at the end of the month for a weeklong tour from Montreal to Quebec City.

Cool. What route are you going to take? The one suggested here: The Routes | Le Saint-Laurent à vélo?

Make sure to take many pictures and post them here when you're back.

Will do!

We're going to do the Route Verte east from Montreal through the Eastern Townships to Sherbrooke, then diagonal northeast up from there to Quebec City. I've done parts of the Route Verte there before... it's a fun ride and 90% of it will be on dedicated bike lanes, which is pretty amazing. However, well over half of it is gravel or packed earth and sometimes it's a bit rough, which is why my wife and I will be on hybrids (my younger son will be on a Specialized Diverge, which is a pretty gravel friendly road bike).

Sounds like a great family vacation.

Hey, I found a home, lol. So many cycling forums are all about carbon road bikes.

Got a Viper Red 2017 FX3 a month ago. Bontrager Bar ends to help with hand positions. Oddly enough, I'm finding the stock saddle works for me. It's a fun bike, and I went from biking 2-3 times a week on my 20 year old steel hybrid to 4-5 times a week on the FX3.

I see Capt Bob is here. I found his videos on YouTube when I was shopping, and he's one of the reasons I chose the FX3.

Glad to find this thread!

I also have no problems with the stock saddle on my 7.2 FX. However my wife doesn't like the stock saddle on her 7.3 FX, so it is all relative.

I thought I liked the stock saddle on my FX2, but now that I can occasionally ride over 20 miles I'm discovering a need to change it, getting numbness in areas that I'd highly prefer to not be numb. It's fine for rides under 20 miles, but it's getting changed soon, just have to figure out what.

I hear that a lot from other riders, going on 5-10 mile rides is no problem, but as soon as they start riding over 20 miles the first complaint is their saddle isn't working for them. It took me 4 seats to find one that works for me on my FXS6, I could get to 50-60 miles then a couple seats became almost unbearable.

I got a Selle SMP TRK, and did a very happy 20.7 miles on it today, could have happily gone longer. Well, if we hadn't stopped at 17.1 miles and had a heavy lunch and a couple bloody marys. The last 3.6 miles back to the car were less pleasant .

Hi all, been lurking around here for few months...

I picked up a my first big boy LBS bike early this summer (FX1) and had lots of fun with it. Only thing I didn't like is the lack of gears, and the top speed is kinda low for my kind of riding. I enjoy doing trails and riding on some straight roads around my area.

Was thinking of replacing it with a FX 3, but I picked up a used FX 3 with a broken frame very cheap (I figured the wheels alone already worth the price so why not?) and transferred all the parts to my FX 1.

It is a much better bike now, my average speed with this bike is higher. Even though it didn't cost me too much I would just get a FX 3 in the first place. (I'm missing out the internal cable routing, and the FX 3 carbon fork doesn't sit flush with the headtube). But I think it was a pretty fun process.

---------------

Mmm... I wanted to share pics but turns out I need at least 10 post before I can share images haha

Thats a great way to do a bike upgrade!. Now look for that broken FX 6

Here in Maryland, Race Pace Bike shop will swap stems for free until you are happy. (Same stem cost group of course). They also included a free fitting with my recent purchase. Just bought my 3rd FX from them.

Haha, it will be sad to look at the broken CF frame!

I'm usually a poster in the C&V forum, but I had to post this here...
Somebody up the street from me was throwing this out, I drove by and did a double take... couldn't believe my eyes.
Needs work, lots of dirt/dust. Looks like it spent most of it's life in a shed or garage. Also the rear wheel has a nice dent in it.

Score!

How comfortable are folks here with an FX series (FX3 here) for trail riding -- compressed dirt, sand/small gravel? The trails with compressed dirt also has grass bumps and roots here and there.

This is a stock 2017 FX3 with 700X32 tires (kind of slick, but lets ignore traction for the moment).

Would you be comfortable riding an FX3 on trails like these? I've never had an alum frame/carbon fork. My hybrid before was steel.

Friends, I have immediate and very special opportunity to join bulk (=very good price) order tomorrow and buy Trek FX. However, I am not able to decide.

My ride is on asphalt and sometime on dirty roads, no trails, I prefer touring to sport, rides of various distance - from afternoon fitness ride to multidays touring and all between.

I am about to decide between two Fxs: FX4 in 22-inch size vs. FX3 in 25-inch size. Despite different numbers frames are almost the same. It is clear FX4 has got better specificiation which I like more. However those two models don't have the same frame. There are differences. My question:

I am pretty tall - 198 cm (6.5 ft?). Do you think I would feel those small differences in geometry somehow?

I am new in this forum so according to the rules of this forum I am not allowed post links to bikes, sorry.

Main differences (first FX4/22 then FX3/25):

Seat tube: 55.9 / 63.5 cm

Head tube lenght: 21 / 22 cm

Effective top tube: 62 / 60.3 cm

Chainstay lenght: 43.8 / 44.5 cm

Wheelbase: 108 /106.5 cm

Standover: 81.8 / 87 cm

Frame reach: 41.9 / 39.2 cm

Frame stack: 64 / 65 cm

As you can see differences are really small except seat tube and standover. On the other hand reach and stack are very similar and I can adjust reach by changing stem and handlebar.

Do you think thise differences are important at all? (Mainly from point of view of my height ...)

I have to decide in about 10 hours and I am not able to the make final decision... :-)

Any advice?