Suggestions for a good Hyrbid, Trek 8.2/8.3? Other
 

I have been doing a lot of predominantly on road cycling lately, which my oldish Trek 830 really is not the best at. (Although I have some more on road biased tires on it to make it acceptable). I do not use it for commuting, but have been doing about 20 mile rides predominantly for cardio work, knee rehab, and just enjoyment. (I do occasional off road stuff too, but generally that is limited to a couple camping trips a year).

That said, I have been shopping around a little, and the folks I have talked to at my LBS suggested to me the Trek 8.3DS, which on a test ride seemed to be an excellent bike. However, it is also considerably more than, say, the Trek 8.2, with the biggest advantage that I can tell being it's disk brakes.

I have no experience either with disks, so other than knowing their better in inclement weather, I do not have any knowledge of the pros or cons outside of research.

Since I have not, nor do I anticipate riding a lot in really inclement weather, my research leads me to believe the disks won't gain me enough advantage to justify the by in costs. So I feel I am leaning a little more towards the 8.2 DS.

However, quality of the other components concerns me some too. The 8.2 has Atlus shifters, where the 8.3 has Acera. I have read the Acera line is a higher line, but is it significantly better for quality?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

I would say the difference in the shifters is minimal. I rode a lot of Acera and Altus on the bikes I considered, and when properly calibrated they're both nice, hard for me to tell a difference. Where you may or may not want to spend more money on the 8.3 I think depends on whether or not you want a lockout fork (8.2 does NOT lockout) or 8 speeds (8.2 has 7 speeds).

There are other options, depending on what's in your area for a local bike shop. A Giant Roam 3 might be great for you, as it has a lockout fork, non-disc brakes and 8 speeds. Should be $450 or less, a great deal compared to either Trek. But what's available for you to ride in your area? You can also consider more road-specific hybrids, like the Giant Escape or Trek FX, if you ride off-road so rarely then perhaps a suspension fork is just extra weight.

+1 re giving careful consideration to whether or not you want a suspension fork.

When I was looking last year, someone I spoke to suggested that was the single most important decision in deciding what hybrid to buy.
After considering my intended usage I decided against a suspension fork - and also against disc brakes.

I fell in love with my Cannondale Quick on a decently long test ride (and have loved the bike ever since).

Good luck in your choice.

Suspension forks are one of those things I would not want to do on the cheap, and I definitely wouldn't want one that dosen't have a lockout.

I have the 2015 DS 8.3 and I love it. I do jones for a another gear to keep my cadence in my comfort zone. The disc brakes are great in the rain. I found out after getting caught on my hill climb day and descending a 10% average grade in the pouring rain. I don't think they have better dry stopping power and being cable actuated, they don't modulate that much better (hydraulic feel much better IMHO). That being said, I have taken it on washboard trails and it's come thru. The lockout front suspension is great and I don't think I miss much without the remote. I also do 30 to 40 miles on a weekend road ride without much discomfort.

Good luck!

If you're riding primarily on pavement and not in inclement weather, then I would not recommend disk brakes nor suspension fork. I would recommend that you put on narrower tires such as 28mm. It sounds like you would like a hybrid that's closer to a road bike than mountain bike - many, many riders have moved in that direction. If that is true for you, there are a lot of bikes to choose from that range in weight, quality and price. I purchased a Giant Escape 1 this year and had the LBS replace the wider tires for 28's as part of the deal. I use it on pavement like a road bike and it has been a fun and high performing bike for me. If you find (like many other hybrid owners) that you want better road performance from your hybrid but do not want a road bike or drop bars, then there are a number of simple no-cost or low-cost ways to accomplish that. Good luck!

I thought long and hard about the Giant Escape and Trek FX versus the Giant Roam and Trek DS. On one occasion I test rode the Escape and Roam back to back over the same course. I sought out rough areas of the road to determine differences in comfort and suspension. I determined I preferred the livelier more responsive Escape as it would benefit me more in climbing hills and it had a more agreeable cruising feel. As most all my riding is on paved roads, the Roam's softer suspension was not that much of an asset for me.

With a performance hybrid like the Trek FX or the Giant Escape, if one wanted to soften up the ride, you can reduce tire pressure and/or use larger volume tires.

I don't mean to belittle the Roam or DS with these comments as they are terrific bikes for their intended purposes.

What is the main disadvantage to having the suspended fork for this kind of use?

I have a few miles in on a Giant Sedona DX. Now, the Sedona really is not my kind of bike. It is too leisurely and doesn't feel agile or fun turning. However, the suspended fork does seem "nice" over bumps, broken pavement, etc. Although, could this also be the source of the bike not feeling agile or able to turn?

Mostly weight, but also you are paying for that suspension fork at the expense of other more useful features. And efficiency if the fork cannot lockout. At $650 or so retail for a DS 8.3, you could get an Escape 1 with 9 speed drivetrain rather than the 8 speed you get on the DS, lightweight carbon fiber fork, lighter tires and wheels, and a livlier ride. Or, if you really want to jump into road riding with 2 feet, you could get an entry level road bike, or maybe if you are lucky, find something a step or two up on sale for about $650 to $750.

Don't get me wrong, the DS is a fine bicycle for what it was designed for. In the western part of my state is a network of crushed limestone and dirt trails. Mostly well groomed, but it can get a bit rustic, especially during or just after a heavy rain. If my plan was to ride those trails predominately, an 8.3 DS might be at the top of my short list, as it would be the perfect bike for that sort of terrain (rougher than pavement, but not rough enough to need a true mountain bike).

I agree with MRT2 -- the suspension fork is great if you will get use out of it, but even if you lock it out, that comes at a cost -- weight, mostly, and possibly tire size, at least initially -- plus at equivalent prices you'll get more/better stuff on the bike without the suspension fork.

I like the wider tires and fork, it makes the ride really comfortable. I do understand this probably slows me down a little bit but with the advantage that I can take my bike anywhere but maybe hardcore MTB trails.

Thanks for the additional info. So maybe then what I should be looking at is something more along the lines of the Giant Escape, or something equivalent to that (as I see they don't have the suspension forks).

Really the ride and performance is what I really am looking for. Something decently quick, more for road use in gearing than a true mountain bike, but agile, and maneuverable on the road. too.

May try heading out tonight to see if I can get some test rides, if time allows. Depends on how much homework my daughter has!

I beg to differ about disc brakes if you don't ride in wet weather. On high end hybrids the hydro disc brakes are of such good quality that it feels like a luxury item. The ease of braking and feel is like going from a Chevy to a BMW.

+1 (albeit all the major brands have such bikes - eg Quick by Cannondale)

Based on my limited experience (so take this advice as worth what you pay for it) + research, the right tires can help tremendously. But 'right' does not necessarily mean narrower - depending on your objectives a 32mm (or even 35mm or more) tire can both 'soften-the-ride' (larger tires can run at lower pressure) and also be perfectly satisfying from a 'performance' perspective (provided you have a high quality tire installed).

In Trek, Go with the FX 7 line , forget the suspension fork .


Pay More and the component pick sum, is higher up the price categories.. same with ALL Brands.

i agree with you totaly. It does a lot on the waight, and the new gearing system 1*11? Will make the waight on the newer flatbar hybrids Even lower.