Jamis Coda Sport or Comp vs Trek FX3
 

I have not bought a bike in 30 years and my wife rides our daughter's bike. I need less strain on my neck and the ability to ride bike paths with my wife or do 20 - 25 mile rides for fitness. My wife is looking for the same, but her neck is not an issue. We have tried both and are unsure as it is hard to tell without doing a 20 (or at least 10) mile ride. Recommendations??? Thank you!

I like steel, so my personal preference is for the Jamis Coda Comp, if you can swing it. That said, the Trek FX 3 is a solid choice if you like aluminum frames.

2 years ago I rode both the Trek 7.4 and the Jamis Coda Sport. I kinda liked the old steel but found the Trek to have a shorter reach. As I have a lack of mobility in my neck I've added a shorter more upright stem and bar ends. Quite a nice change from my old 60's and 70's road bikes which were no longer comfortable, I love the modern Trek.

Thank you. I haven't ridden both enough to know which I like.

Thank you. How much riding do you do? Is the Jamis Sport "enough" bike? We looked at those but I know it is their "entry Level" bike and wondered if spending a little more to step it up would be worth it.

The Coda Comp has mechanical disc brakes, compared to the rim brakes on the Coda Sport. And it weighs a tiny bit less. But both the Coda Comp and the Coda Sport have 8 speed drivetrains. The Trek FX 3 weighs a couple of lbs less than either of the Codas, but uses rim brakes. (if you want disc brakes on the FX, you have to spend more to get the FX3 disc).

So up to you to decide if disc brakes are something you want. They do work well, maybe slightly better than rim brakes in bad weather. And it is probably the direction things are headed and thus, I would expect more bikes to have disc brakes in the future. But rim brakes work fine, too, and because of the millions and millions of bikes in existence with rim brakes, you shouldn't have a problem getting replacement pads for at least 20 or 25 years.

Thank you for the feedback and advice. We should stop looking as it gets more confusing! Now added a Cannondale Quick to the decision process!

The major brands are pretty similar, though as you know, not identical. You might find yourself between sizes in one brand/model, but not another. Once you get past the fit threshold, it comes down to minor things. One bike might have discs, another has a 9 speed drivetrain instead of 8, or even a nicer paint job (don't laugh. If you are a low key person, you may come to hate that hi viz yellow or green paint job. By the same token, if you are a person who likes bright colors, flat black, grey, or silver might be too boring for you) one shop might have a better reputation for after sale service. (don't discount this. having a shop that can make minor adjustments, or even handle warranty issues and get you back on the road quickly is worth more than a lb or two or weight, or a slightly better derailleur).

I think the sport is a fine bike. I prefer rim brakes for simplicity and take off both wheels to transport. After narrowing it down to 2 and riding both again for maybe 15 minutes each the Trek just felt better, snappier. Carbon fork helps with buzz, I changed the bars, tires and saddle. It seemed smaller for its size than other brands. I usually ride around 20 miles 3 days a week plus shorter 10 mile rides around town. I looked mainly for fit and feel plus at the frame and fork, comparable bikes are pretty similar in components.

Are the bike paths you will ride on paved? Do you plan to ride in areas that may be less smooth - rough pavement or gravel? Then, you could also consider the Cannondale Quick CX. I have the CX 4. The main difference between the CX and the plain Quick is that the CX has the front suspension to help smooth out bumps. It can also be locked out when on smooth pavement. I think it's a very good compromise if you want a bike that is good on pavement and also good on gravel or crushed stone paths. The only thing I didn't really like about the CX 4 is the saddle. I needed a wider one. Everything else - the gearing, the disc brakes, the relatively wide tires, the frame - is very good.

You may be getting way too many options now! We all have our favorites, of course. My last bike was a Trek 7300, which was very good. Decide which features are most important to you, try several bikes that have those features, and then pick the one that feels best to you. There are many very good choices out there.

Thank you all for your input and advice! We went with the Cannondale Quick Disc 5 and are happy so far.

Thank you!:)