Hello everyone. I’ve been lurking for a while and have made a decision on the bike I want. Actually, I’ve narrowed it down to two very similar bikes. I’ve chosen the Trek because of a LBS here in St. Louis. They’re very close by and very friendly.

Anyway, the major brand they carry is Trek. They took the time to fit me and chose a 20” frame. I’m 6ft and about 250lbs. Based on a number of factors I chose the Trek 7x00 hybrid with the front suspension. I’ve narrowed it down to the 7300 or the 7500. The 7300 is 579.00 and the 7500 is 929.00. I don’t mind paying more for upgraded components. I’m just trying to decide if they are *that* much better. I also like the paint scheme on the 7500 better.

Here’s a link to a feature comparison between the two.
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...500,7300,empty
My usage is too ride on bike paths and trails as well as going out into the country occasionally to ride. I also like exploring the city which has some good trails but the roads are also in pretty rough shape as well as a decent of amount of brick and cobblestone roads. (St. Louis)
I’d be interested in your opinions on the relative merits and quality of equipment on these two bikes.
One other question, I plan on adding the Bontrager fenders right away and also a Topeak rack later on. Will there be any compatibility issues with them?

The 7500 does not seem to justify its $400 premium. They have downgraded the derailleurs and wheelset from what the 2010 model had. The 7500 used to come with a Deore front and LX rear derailleur. It also used to have Bontrager SSR wheels which is what the higher end FX's used. It now has a "Camino" wheelset which is nothing of note in my opinion. The SSR's were not world beaters but they were/are decent. If it were me I would opt for the 7300 unless a) you can find a new 2010 7500 somewhere or, b) you just have to have Trek's "integrated suspension fork".

Thanks for the information. I want to by new to take advantage of the warranty and they don't have any closeouts so I will be going with the most recent model. I spoke with the salesperson at the bike shop for about 30 minutes today. We talked about the differences between the two bikes and I'm going to briefly summarize his main selling points.

1.) Upgraded Components compared to the 7300 (he considered this important as there was a significant difference in quality)
2.) The front fork is lighter as well as having a braze on for a front fender (big selling point)
3.) wheels were better
4.) pedals were much better