Not sure what to get
 

Welcome!

I highly recommend buying a bike locally, from a shop where you can ride several different models to see what feels best to you. Especially if you've been out of the cycling scene for a while, you may not know what size will fit you best and what riding position and style will suit you. One brand's 20 inch frame may feel and ride completely different from another brand's 20 inch frame, and you won't know until you actually get on and try it. Your local bike shop can professionally fit you to the right size frame, and they'll likely also have a variety of brands from which to choose. Trek, Giant, Specialized, Jamis, Fuji; these are all good brands.

Regarding the components on that specific bike, they'd be fine. They're all entry level road components (Tourney group) and the brakes are entry level Tektro mechanical disc brakes. It does have a freehub rear axle with a cassette (vs. a freewheel), so that's good. I think $500 is probably the most I'd pay for it (their price), and I don't think it compares to $1,200 bikes like the website suggests it does.

Which two brands are those?

Your biggest challenge with an online purchase will be a lack of information about fit. What size frame do you need? What's the best seat tube length and effective top tube length for you? Do you prefer a bike with a lot of trail, or one without a lot of trail? I don't ask those questions just to make a point, but to suggest that you really should find those answers before an online purchase.

If you are buying an unknown bike from an online retailer, it may or may not fit well, and you may or may not like it. Bikesdirect.com will allow you to buy a different bike if you don't like yours, but you'll need to pay to ship yours back first, and then they'll create a new order for a different bike.

Bikesdirect.com Satisfaction and Warranty

So it's not without risk. Hopefully it'll fit you well and you'll ride a lot of happy miles with it!

Might be a good idea. The more bikes you can put your butt on, the better feel you'll have for what you like.

Also make sure the shop is nice and friendly, good customer service, and all that. It's very likely that a bike shop will give some free tune-ups and discounts for other accessories to go along with the bike purchase.

Definitely a good idea. You won't know how to size online, don't know how the different bikes are going to feel, and you're probably going to have to pay someone to assemble it.

Try the FX 3, btw. I have it without disk brakes and it's fine. If that's a deal breaker for you, your local should be able to order the disk version for you.

the 4 ppl in my family all have FXs (all non disc) in 4 diff. sizes, all purchased used on craigslist. no complaints

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7d8dc2ead8.jpg

It depends on your ability to shake off a purchase of a "wrong size" bike online and potentially get involved with multiple online purchases. Speaking for myself, I'm not willing to take a risk on an online purchase unless I've ridden that exact bike and want to buy that exact bike. Otherwise, I've found out first hand that even small differences in size and geometry can make a dramatic impact on bike feel, and I think I'm pretty accommodating to different types and flavors of bikes, but I also know what I like and don't like. Not being able to ride something first is a financial risk that I'm not personally willing to take.

For me, yes, I'd drive to find a bike shop that sells brands you think you like. And try the Trek store. You may find that you like one of the bikes they put you on. Just keep an open mind about you and enjoy the buying experience.

The FX 2 has an alloy frame and alloy fork, 35mm tires, a 3x8 drivetrain, and rim brakes ($500) or mechanical disc brakes ($560). The FX 3 has an alloy frame and carbon fiber fork, 32mm tires, a 3x9 drivetrain, and rim brakes ($660) or hydraulic disc brakes ($780). The drivetrain is different, but both are good quality hybrid drivetrains. The FX 3 models have the carbon fiber fork, and you may or may not find that appealing. Ride both to determine which you like better. Buying new, I'd probably buy the disc brake version of either one, especially if you ever ride in wet weather.

I'd suggest that you look for model tests on YouTube regarding Motobecane..

Yes, that's exactly right. And you can typically make a size in the wrong direction fit, as well.

I'd go with bikesdirect. I got my first bike from there, as did my dad, neither of us having ever ridden road bikes before. We just went off the height chart and all was fine, which it will be for almost all people initially. Bike fit isn't rocket science when you're just starting out, as your fit is going to change anyway the more you adapt to the nuances of riding position. Get the frame right and you'll adjust things over time.

I think you summed it up as well as anyone. Buying a suit off the rack works for most of us.

Besides, if you get the right size bike, then the customization starts ….. the lights, the emergency kits, etc.

But only after you try it on in the store, right? I wear different size suit coats or slacks depending on the brand. Sometimes, I might like a 48R coat. Sometimes I might like a 46L. I would need to try something on, and then only after I know the exact size I like from that specific brand, I might shop for it online. I'd want to try a bike on in the store (as with a suit) before I spend hundreds of non-refundable dollars. :)

I think the distinction for a bike is between fit and feel. I can probably figure out by looking at the numbers whether I'll be able to get on the thing and pedal it down the street without killing myself, and even tell if it might be useable, but there's no way I can just look at the numbers and tell if I'm going to enjoy riding on the bike. There's just too many variables that can't be adjusted to tell that without a test ride, and if I'm not enjoying riding it, I just won't.

Hybrid as a type, Trek FX fills that niche.. DS is their line made around using a suspension fork..

need to change things from the start? point of sale, the shop can do that... ..

Making changes creates what you want
 

I have 4 bikes, and they are all different. I bought each of them after trying them out. Granted I only ride 2 of them, but
that's my story. I primarily ride the one that I purchased second, I made the most upgrades to it and now it is a JOY to ride.
Biggest changes were upgraded wheels and tires.

I agree with you -- I also have four bikes that I rotate through, and they're all different. But what causes me to recommend a thorough test-ride is a recent experience I had with a Giant ARX 2. I just knew that was the bike for me, drove a ways to get it (closest dealer who had it in stock, so I could test-ride it), I gave it a cursory ride, and then I bought it. It took me a few days to decide that it just felt "odd". It wasn't the fit, but the "feel" of the bike. It just didn't feel right to me. A quick test ride wasn't enough for me to get a good feel for it -- it took a number of miles on it. If I bought it online, I'd have been stuck with a bike that fit me, but just didn't feel right. Fortunately, the shop worked with me and I got most of my money back and I bought a Giant Roam, which I thoroughly enjoy.

That's why I recommend test-riding. As I noted in an earlier post, there's more to bike enjoyment than just the physical fit. If the bike just doesn't "feel" right, you won't enjoy it as much. Cars can be the same way -- two cars might have very similar or comparable headroom/legroom/hiproom numbers, but they may feel very different based on other factors not typically measured. This is what a personal test ride can reveal. I certainly have no skin in the original poster's game -- just a recommendation from a personal experience where I'm glad I had the relationship of a local purchase to resolve my dissatisfaction.

Cheers, all!

There's really no mystery to this--even more than a car, the physical characteristics of rider and vehicle interact in ways that really can't be captured by a few measurements. Everybody who is, for example 5'9" will have other body variables like butt size, inseam length, arm length, back issues, flexibility, etc. The bike geometry and materials also will vary in subtle ways and it's not easy to predict how things will actually feel when all the variables are combined--e.g., does this combination of frame, fork and position cause me to feel every little bump in the road?