I'm considering several bikes (around $400-500 price range), with Trek bikes being high on the list. I'm having a hard time understanding the differences since I don't know what most of the specs mean... and the product description on their website seems vague and similar for all hybrid bikes. Would be great if anyone here can point out the distinctions between the line ups to help a noobie out

Trek FX (7.3)
Trek DS (8.2)
Trek Verve

I'm planning to do most of my riding in the city and on paved trails in parks casually. Which would be best suitable for that purpose?

Lastly, how do the Trek bikes above compare to Giant Escape and Specialized Sirrus?

Thanks a bunch in advance!

Also, one of the LBS guys told me Trek tends to have higher margins than other popular brands so you wouldn't get as much 'value for your money.' Is there any truth behind that or is he just trying to sell his own brands?

Beats me on the margin on bikes but there are other manufacturers that at a similar price point will give you better name brand components and parts; Trek has a name in the business and so can charge a premium. You need to decide whether it is worth paying the premium.

Insofar as the bike is concerned, this is where the LBS matters. If you like one of your local shops and are getting good advice, I'd go with the bike the shop recommends.

All the Treks listed are hybrids but for a different style riding though having said that they are all capable of the same thing. Does that make sense

The FX is better for more paved and very light trails while the DS will handle trails better and be a little slower on road than the FX. The FX has a frame geometry closer to a road bike and has no suspension so it's lighter and more efficient riding at speed. The DS has a frame more like a mountain bike and suspension.
I've never seen a Verve on here before. It looks like a cost cutting cruiser bike, fine if that's what suits you.

From the riding you want to do the FX is what you need "just my opinion judge for yourself and others will chime in with advise too"

As for sales people, they don't always give good advise or know much about what there selling and really will tell people anything just to sell something. Some are good though I dont mean to generalize but be weary of them. You likely to get better advise if you hang around here a while.

Your explanation makes perfect sense I'm not all that familiar with cruiser bikes though.
Would the Giant and Specialized models be similar to the DS models? I didn't see suspensions being mentioned on their product pages.

It's been about 20 years since the last time I bought a bicycle. Never imagined it would be so complicating 0.o
I'll probably just end up buying the one that looks best to me..

my wife has a verve 2 and I have a DS 8.4.

The verve is for leisurely strolls, the seat post and front fork have suspensions and it has a big squishy seat, you sit on it completely upright and just look chillin'. and has some serious granny gearing for steep climbs.

The DS is a more forward leaning position, also has the basically same front suspension, but the seat is a bit harsher and at a first glance looks like a UFO's rear end probing mechanism. My DS also has the ability to lock out the front suspension as well as front and back hydraulic brakes, tires are wider and knobbier.

The FX which I have no experience with seems to be an even more aggressive bike.

more than where you are riding, perhaps it may be good to know how you ride, for fitness? pleasure? commute? fun? From my point of view, the Verve is probably the most relaxed ride down a scenic route, the DS is the most fun (as in versatile with respect to terrain and level of exerertion), and the FX is the fastest for long rides, speed fun, and commuting.

Probably all three bikes will do just fine for the paths you mention, the FX would be fastest, and depending on your personal taste could be least "comfortable" if you are not going for speed, the Verve would be on the opposite spectrum. The DS likely is the least practical for you if you do not plan any rough (er) trails, the suspension fork really is a nuisance and will suck out pedal power when climbing unless you are really pushing rough trails, the higher end DS models have ability to lock out front suspension. Disc brakes are awesome IMO, rest is really about how you fit on the bike. Note that the fastest bike is also the one that will give you the least physical exercise for the same distance since it is more efficient and a result you exert less energy, but speed is fun too, and you can just go further. so really think about how you want to ride. I had no real direction and went with DS, it has suited me fine so far.

PS as for mark-up and margins, we got 20% discount from the shop for buying 2 bikes and trailer, so the Treks actually came up lower price than the other brands we looked at (Norco, Giant, Scott), So I would say shop around, I don't think Trek are anything special, it is an aluminum frame made in China like all the others with the same Shimano/Hayes/Suntour/SRAM components others use. It is about how you like the fit and the bike at the end of the day.

The giant and sirrus are similar to the fx. Giant will be the best buy for your money, and is a vert nice bike.

However, all are slightly different. Ride them all, and buy the one that feels the best. They are all the same type, performance hybrids.

We just bought a Trek FX 7.2 for my wife, and I have a Cannondale Road Warrior (like a Quick now) that I cross shopped with the Specialized Sirrus around 6 years ago. If the basic geo of the Sirrus hasn't changed, then I think it is a little more aggressively 'roady' than the FX, though a quick check of the web site seems that the tires at least are wider than I remember.

FWIW, I bought a Trek Domane 4.5 at the same time as the FX and was able to negotiate it down ~$400 from list plus a $25 credit and 20% off on accessories, etc, etc. The FX we got for ~$50 less than list and some lame accessory package tossed in.

Finally went to a LBS to look at the Trek models. Although I liked the FX models, they don't carry the disc versions..
What are some comparable alternatives to the FX 7.4 disc? It would be great if it's got carbon fork, no suspension, 9-speed, and include disc brakes. I've been looking for the Jamis Coda Elite Disc, but that one also seems to be tough to find.

I was comparing the Verve and the Giant Cypress.... both base models and there was about $100 different to 2 comparable bikes, they we side by side...Basically the same bikes but $100 difference...I bought a Quick 5, felt better to me... So many choices, pick what feels good to you is what all the LBS i went to told me...All were nice and not pushy, it made my decision hard....

I think a close comparator would be the Trek FX 7.4 non-disc

I'd normally say that disc brakes are a waste on this type of bike, but now that I'm dragging 100+ lbs of kids and trailer behind mine, I wouldn't mind having them. I can still stop just fine but I would like that 'kid-jarring, stop-on-a-dimeness' with them attached. Without the extra weight though, I don't see the utility.

Yeah, I guess I'm looking for a novelty feature I haven't even tested out myself yet (no test rides available here). Hard to find a carbon fork AND disc break, so I may have to sacrifice one of the two. Either FX 7.4 or another bike with aluminum fork + disc break. What do you think of the trade off? I can't really judge myself as I have never personally tried out a disc break.

What about cost savings of having/not having a disc break (maintenance cost of disc break vs. tread wear caused by v-brake)? Should that factor into my decision or is it negligible?

Thanks for replying btw, all your comments are super helpful

The traditional brakes would be a lot quicker to find parts to fix VS the disc style in my opinion...Also easier to fix yourself...Unless you are dead set on the disc look at both...The only reason i stayed away from disc is lack of knowledge to be quite honest...