Byingjl

This question has probably been asked many times (sorry) but I'm struggling with deciding to buy a Trek 7.4 & 7.5. I'm 60 yrs young and mostly ride bike trails and country roads in fairly hilly areas. I ride about about 40mi per week and don't need speed - but just good cardio workout. What's your vote?

giantcfr1

The 7.5 is .1 better than the 7.4, so I vote the higher number. It must be better, right?

no1mad 

Helps if you provide links when seeking input.

7.4 FX- https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...ness/fx/7_4_fx
7.5 FX- https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes...ss/fx/7_5_fx/#

I'd go with the 7.4. Reason is that it has a triple crank that will help with the hills.

fietsbob

Yea, that middle chainring will be missed ..

Wanderer

Given those choices, I'd go one more - get the 7.4 disc, for the best of all worlds................ MHO

Disc brakes are the future, and they are awesome..............................

Italia1970

Really?

Your kidding right?

JerrySTL

Questions:

1. Are there any steep hills that you'll be attempting?
2. How much do you weigh?
3. Are your trails paved or something like crushed limestone?

Why the questions?
1. The 7.4 has a granny gear which can pull tree stumps. It would probably allow you to climb about any hill although walking would be faster. The 7.5 has stiffer gearing with a compact double. So if your rides aren't too hilly, the 7.5 would be better. Actually the 7.5 has a nice granny gear also.

You say that where you ride is hilly. What do you ride on now? Does it have a triple or double? Do you need more or less help on the hills?

2. The 7.4 has 32 spoke wheels while the 7.5 has only 24. If you weigh over, say, 200 lbs, the 7.4 wheels might be better. If you are under 180 lbs, the 7.5 would work OK.

3. The 7.4 has fatter tires which may come in handy on crushed limestone or dirt trails. The 7.5 has skinnier tires which may be faster on smooth, paved roads and trails.

The disc brake version of the 7.4 has a certain coolness factor, but is it worth $100 more?

Of course the standard advice is to get a bike that fits you.

giantcfr1

It must be right. Why else would Trek model their bikes with numbers in decimals?

Seriously though, I personally think many of these what Trek should I buy threads are started by Trek shills. It seems almost every day 'a 60 year old with neck, back, wrist etc. trouble' starts a thread, nine times out of ten, focusing on Treks. Most (as with this OP) don't contribute to the post after the initial question, and are never heard from again.
Bikes direct did the same thing a few years back and it falsely created huge interest in the company on these forums.
Think about it kids, it's not that hard to choose a bike.

oddjob2

OP said hilly, 7.4 would be my recommendation. No need for disc brakes, he's a senior rider not some speedster, prbably not riding out in the rain either.

Wanderer

Gosh, senior riders go fast occasionally......... and we get caught out in the rain........ and we sometimes ride in less than optimum conditions....... and we sometimes carry heavy loads............ and appreciate good, reliable, braking.

And, they really look cool!

All good reasons to have discs

Italia1970

Point is on an apples to apples basis of course the higher model should be better.
That isn't the issue, it what bike meets his needs better, which makes that comment you made about useless.

side_FX

I have to agree on this!

daihard 

I was in the same situation this summer. I chose the 7.5. Here are the reasons:

• The 7.5 is lighter than the 7.4. (My wife has a 7.4, and I can tell the difference.)
• The 7.5 has skinnier tyres than the 7.4 (28 vs 32). I ride mostly on paved surfaces.
• The 7.5 has a "shock absorber" on the rear.

As some have pointed out, the 7.5 has a compact double up front (50/34) instead of the 7.4's triple (48/36/26?). The 7.4 would be the better choice if you plan on riding extreme hills. I do have my fair share of steep hills to deal with here (Seattle), but so far, the lowest combination (34F/34R) has been good enough for me.

Good luck!

giantcfr1

Dead on. (See winking smiley)That was my point. Please note my second paragraph.

themishmosh

I like everything about the 7.5. Definitely prefer the narrower tires. The 2 front chainrings is plenty if you are in reasonable shape and for most hills--and doubles are so much easier to adjust than triples. Love the R440 shifters on that thing.

I bought a Trek Valencia a few years back--lower end components. Ultimately was dissatisfied with most of the components on it and ended up changing a lot. I don't think you will need to do that with a 7.5 FX.

Wanderer

I love triples, and I love 9 speeds. Anything that increases my gear choices, makes it easier to find the perfect gear, an makes riding more enjoyable. And, the disc brakes are reallycool. Triples are not any more difficult to adjust. Go for the7.4 disc. Mho

Lanovran

I work at a Trek dealer, and this kind of question comes up very often, so perhaps I can help. The 7.4 and 7.5 are in somewhat different categories of fitness hybrid. The 7.4 is at the upper end of what would be considered distance/commuting bikes in the series, with more comfort features and upgrades from the 7.3 and 7.2, such as the carbon fork, ergo IsoZone grips, nicer componentry, etc., while still having the triple chainring that may help with hilly rides (especially if carrying cargo) and slightly wider tires for a bit more cushion. As others have mentioned, it does also have the option of hydraulic disc brakes, if that's a potential factor.

The 7.5, with lighter and faster road wheels, E2 tapered headtube for improved handling, and the IsoZone elastomer on the seat stay for vibration dampening, along with the 2x9 gearing, is the first in more of a "fitness" category: what could be thought of as a "flat-bar road bike," designed for riders who don't want a true road bike, but are still looking for a quick and sporty ride. It is lighter and more efficient overall compared to the 7.4, but the difference there may not be enough to notice if you're doing only about 40 miles a week.

In all, either bike would suit you very well. If you have particularly hilly climbs to worry about, then the gearing on the 7.4 may be of benefit to you, especially if you're considering putting a rack on there and carrying stuff along with you (e.g. commuting, light touring, etc.). If it's all about the workout, then the 7.5 is a very nice choice as, again, it's designed to be more about sport and fitness. In any case, I'd recommend taking both for a test ride if possible, and going from there. Best of luck to ya!

blkjazz

Great advice from Lanovran. I had to make the same choice. Ended up with the 7.5 and love it. I don't have any extreme hills and the compact seems more than adequate.

Byingjl

With the exception of giantcrf1 and oddjob2 , EVERYONE that has responded to my post has provided me with great constructive, experienced, helpful, and mature advice and comments - Thank you! I test rode a 7.4 again yesterday and found the granny gear way too low and it seemed the top gear was not high enough. I also had a chance to ride the 7.5 again and was uncomfortable with the narrow tires and 2-ring shifter (too tight) - not sure if the 7.5 is worth the extra $250. Is it possible to up the gear ratio on the 7.4 to be somewhere between the 7.4 and 7.5? And/or can the 7.5 accept a wider tire? My current bike is a Schwinn Searcher, beefier than these bikes (w36 tires) but I'm known to be very adaptable. I ride several paved trails through wooded areas and it's slippery at times - seems like wider tires would be best. I'm in great shape, <200 lbs, ride mostly paved trails / country roads and not into extreme speed.

giantcfr1

The Trek dude above said the 7.5 was a basically a flat bar road bike.
It has a compact crankset and you are comparing the 7.4 which is a triple. The only thing I think you could do is to put a different rear cassette like the 7.5, and it may be between, as the front chain rings on the 7.4 are smaller than the 7.5. They both have deore rear deraileurs.
I would hazzard a guess that the 7.5 probably won't be able to take much more tyre width on it's rims safely. Maybe (JUST MAYBE) you could fit a Kenda Small Block Eight 32mm. Your rim width on the 7.5 is the governing factor here.
Your friendly Trek dealer would be the most skilled in giving you accurate advice as they are the ones after your business.
Hope to see you contribute to these forums once you purchase your bike to help the many other Trek potential buyers after forum / online advice.

Lanovran

Aye, as Giantcfr1 said above, you could potentially swap out the cassette for one with different gearing on the 7.4, and you could also put slightly wider tires on the 7.5 (not entirely sure of how much wider, but it depends on the clearance). These would indeed be questions best asked of your local dealer, as each shop will have different deals on aftermarket parts/accessories with bikes, and that sort of thing. That being said, if you're used to wider tires, then narrower ones might just take a bit of getting used to (it took me a little while to get used to my first road bike, partly for that reason). I hope it works out for you, in any case.

Darth Lefty 

If I were shopping, I'd pick the 7.4. The top gears are nearly the same... 48:11 (117.9 gear inches) with a bigger tire vs. 50:11 (121.3"). That's a really high gear for going downhill and I'm not sure why you'd find one to feel lower than the other. The bottom gears on the triple are a bit lower but you're not likely to go that low too often. The big difference to me is that the triple gives nice 2-step shifts between middle and top rings, and you wouldn't often need it because the middle is a nice size; while the compact double gives a BIG shift, and you'd need to use it pretty often since the big ring is too big and the small ring is too small. I think I'd find that annoying.

I'd also rather have the stouter wheels and bigger tires of the 7.4.

I'd also look at the Giant Escape lineup which is essentially the same and costs less.

Italia1970

Hi,

I'm looking at 2014 Trek 7.5 and 7.6 in Toledo, OH.

In my ignorant opinion I am not sure if the 4 different upgrades justify the price differential.

I think the brakes and drive train would add value, but I don't see it in the race seat post and lighter stem, as I have no intention of racing.

The 7.5 is $900, the 7.6 is $1050.

What do you think of the component differential based on how I would use the bike(fitness)?

Does the upgrade justify the price differential?

How firm do you think these prices are and how much would they really sell each bike for?

I thank you for any knowledge you could provide regarding my question and any other issues I should consider.

Thanks,

John

Lanovran

The biggest difference between the 7.5 and 7.6 are in the drivetrain and shifter setup: i.e., 9-speed vs. 10-speed cassette, with upgraded shifters (Sora & Deore to some nicer SRAM stuff). This gives you a setup with greater low-end "climbing" gearing. Other differences in the 7.6 include the lighter weight seatpost and stem, and better quality brakes (calipers and levers both). The 7.6 also comes stock with 700x25 tires instead of the 7.5's 700x28s, theoretically meaning less weight and rolling resistance on the 7.6. Basically, the 7.6 is as good as it gets in the FX line without hopping up to the full carbon 7.7. It has the same frame and wheels as the 7.5, so that price difference is all in the componentry upgrades. If those are significant enough for you to invest a bit more in the bike, then go for it; but if not, then no worries.

As for the pricing, that will vary between dealers. Typically, the prices are set by Trek, but more often than not, dealers have some leeway in how they price their bikes. That being said, I certainly can't speak towards what other dealers are going to do with their pricing and/or sales. I can tell you that the regular advertised prices for those bikes are $1099.99 and $1319.99, respectively, so the prices you've mentioned are at an 18% discount for the 7.5 or a 20% discount for the 7.6. You've apparently got the option of the 7.6 at less than the regular price of the 7.5, which is not too shabby. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide if it's worth the extra amount.

Italia1970

I really appreciate your input.

I tried to send you a private message, but I need 50 responses here before they would let me.

Thanks,

John