Trek Bikes

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Thinking of getting this bike: http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/bike_path/fx/73fx/

I know nothing about bikes but it seemed alright, shop was helpful etc. I can't be arsed doing much more legwork in a field I know nor care little about.

Will it be ok?

[The Masked Tulip]

Nice bike, pricey for what it is, personally don't like the Trek make as they remind me of the numerous cheapo bikes around with 'Trek' or similar on the frame.

Might want a bigger saddle - i.e. more comfy. Migth want some mud-guards if you are using it in the rain... certainly a rear one to stop splashing your back and bottom.

Is it nice and light?

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Pricey? I've been to 2 local shops one had Trek and Marin and the tech pointed me to the Treks as better value and the other shop was Claude Butler/Giant for my budget and they seemed more mountain hybrid than road hybrid. Didn't ride them and prefer the road style, I think.

It seems light to me but I know nothing, in suitcase terms it was like hand luggage so sub 10kg. Does that sound right? I did however also have a scoot about on a Trek Allant which was far heavier, felt nearer 15kg

Mudguards are extra, would be getting some though.

[The Masked Tulip]

Pricey? I've been to 2 local shops one had Trek and Marin and the tech pointed me to the Treks as better value and the other shop was Claude Butler/Giant for my budget and they seemed more mountain hybrid than road hybrid. Didn't ride them and prefer the road style, I think.

It seems light to me but I know nothing, in suitcase terms it was like hand luggage so sub 10kg. Does that sound right? I did however also have a scoot about on a Trek Allant which was far heavier, felt nearer 15kg

Mudguards are extra, would be getting some though.

Well, first of all you have to pick up several to compare weights - you want a light one.

Second, you need to get your butt on a few and have a pedal to see how they feel.

I have a Marin. Mine was bought in 1996 and, touch wood, is still going strong. It is a mountain bike as the hybrids did not exist back then. I bought a really nice hybrid for a girlfriend a couple of years back for £250 - light, fast, forget the make but will check it out in the garage tomorrow.

Haggle the mud-guards to be thrown in for free or a good lock.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Price is tax free so not a huge issue but means unsurprisingly they were reluctant to haggle. Given the outfit, I wouldn't want the shirt off their back anyway

[Mal Volio]

Second, you need to get your butt on a few and have a pedal to see how they feel.

+1

These off-the-peg bikes, you need to make sure the fit is OK for you. They're all going to be built to a price point, so the components & frame will likely be of similar quality.

The road-hybrid style is a good compromise (usually). You can always put lighter tyre on as an upgrade

What I don't like about that particular bike:

It has alloy forks. For me, this seems like a shortcut to suicide. I'd want carbon, or steel. Alloy forks will break, sooner or later.

It has 3x8 gears. I might fancy 3x9 for that price

I could find this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Felt_Citycross_XCity_D_2009/5360049670/

which is a similar spec but (IMO) a bit sexier and £75 less.

or for a couple of quid more this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Kona_Dew_Plus_%28Compact%29_2010/5360047406/

which has disc brakes.

Haggle the mud-guards to be thrown in for free or a good lock.

+1

[CynicAl]

Depends what you are going to use the bike for. Hybrids are useful as quickish commuters, or smooth tow-paths.

Hybrids only have one position for your hands, and this gets uncomfortable after not very long. Bar ends help.

You need to ride it to see if it suits you, as other posters have said.

Treks are fine, big company, decent reputation etc. Aluminium frames can feel a bit harsh, but don't rust, but a steel frame is comfier.

You are just before the price break for a carbon fork. It'd give a nicer, less jolting ride.

New to cycling or just getting something new?

Edit: Spelling

[HXO]

http://www.wiggle.co...010/5360047406/

which has disc brakes.

I'd second that the disk brakes are worth a few quid extra.

[JoeDavola]

Looking for a bike myself - moving into a city centre flat soon and wanting a bike to enable me to zip round the city quickly - not for long distances, most places I'd want to visit are near me so the vast majority of journeys I'd be making with it would be less than a mile.

I'd been looking at hybrids - would love a light bike, since the bikes I've used in the past (havent cycled in about 7 years) have all been dirt cheap mountain bikes that weighed a ton. However I admit I just can't get my my head round paying 500 quid for a feckin bicycle. However it's probably worth it if you use it every day, which I would be planning on doing.

Keeping my eye on the gumtree bikes section these days in the hope of a bargain popping up. However since I'm 6 foot 2 I need a big bike!

[The Masked Tulip]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Kona_Dew_Plus_%28Compact%29_2010/5360047406/

That is a nice bike.

[The Masked Tulip]

Looking for a bike myself - moving into a city centre flat soon and wanting a bike to enable me to zip round the city quickly - not for long distances, most places I'd want to visit are near me so the vast majority of journeys I'd be making with it would be less than a mile.

I'd been looking at hybrids - would love a light bike, since the bikes I've used in the past (havent cycled in about 7 years) have all been dirt cheap mountain bikes that weighed a ton. However I admit I just can't get my my head round paying 500 quid for a feckin bicycle. However it's probably worth it if you use it every day, which I would be planning on doing.

Keeping my eye on the gumtree bikes section these days in the hope of a bargain popping up. However since I'm 6 foot 2 I need a big bike!

The difference in weight is the difference in you wanting to use it every day.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

I don't need a bike, a £100 Argos would do the trick but I'm not paying full price so I'd like to get something nice. I've never ridden a proper bike nor will I be going very far so I'm not going to get too ******** about a perfect fit for me.

Next trek up is 625 with carbon forks which is more than I wanted to pay. Brakes on this are potentially an issue but I doubt I'll be going very fast - too much weight and not enough fitness. I'm going to query upgrade options on the brakes.

[The Masked Tulip]

I don't need a bike, a £100 Argos would do the trick but I'm not paying full price so I'd like to get something nice. I've never ridden a proper bike nor will I be going very far so I'm not going to get too ******** about a perfect fit for me.

Next trek up is 625 with carbon forks which is more than I wanted to pay. Brakes on this are potentially an issue but I doubt I'll be going very fast - too much weight and not enough fitness. I'm going to query upgrade options on the brakes.

Firstly, set yourself a price and don't be tempted to go any higher.

Secondly, don't buy a cheap steel frame from Tescos or similar as the weight will be so heavy you will not want to use it.

Thirdly, buy a decent bike that is light and you may well find that you use it more than you imagine.

You can live without disc brakes, carbon forks and such-like but not without a good light frame IMPO.

Finally, having a bike that fits you is like having a pair of shoes that fits you - you can end up with all sorts of problems healthwise if you get the wrong size bike.

[phead]

Thinking of getting this bike: http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/bike_path/fx/73fx/

I know nothing about bikes but it seemed alright, shop was helpful etc. I can't be arsed doing much more legwork in a field I know nor care little about.

Will it be ok?

Good enough, I'm no expert on hybrids, but I do have an EX9 and trek have been building some very good stuff in recent years.

Marin I would avoid, not because they aren't a good bike, but because they have been involved in illegal price fixing for years and have multiple DTI complaints against them, it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Don't know what discount your getting but about %20 from rrp is normal for any good shop. Also at that price there no reason not to have a test ride, to make sure its a good fit.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

The purchase is via a work cycle scheme, I'm expecting to pay around 60% of the rrp for the bike and accessories.

I rode a couple of bikes this afternoon (first time in years, its true, you never forget). this bike will be light enough and I tried a couple of frames and the size suits me. I don't have the time nor chance to ride a long way on numerous bike types, this one will have to do.

[tboy]

Sounds to me like you can't go wrong with this. Doesn't sound like you'll need disc brakes, anyway normal brakes are very powerful anyway, and friends of mine with disc brakes on their mountain bikes have complained they get clogged with mud due to the small spacing between disc and brake, and said they'd happily go back to normal ones.

Trek a good make, I have a Marin but never overly liked it for some reason, always felt stiff, my previous Giant was great though.

Oh and I wouldn't worry about bar ends, I've cycled thousands of miles without them and it's fine, I actually find them annoying as they shorten the space you have for your hands. The most important thing is a soft saddle, they'll try and talk you into some hard racing one probably, but ignore them and make sure its got some cushion to it!

Will be getting my own new bike through the cycle to work scheme, crazy not too really given the discount, although I still fundamentally disagree with the government handing out our tax money to subsidise people's new mountain bikes !!!

[juvenal]

Looking for a bike myself - moving into a city centre flat soon and wanting a bike to enable me to zip round the city quickly - not for long distances, most places I'd want to visit are near me so the vast majority of journeys I'd be making with it would be less than a mile.

I'd been looking at hybrids - would love a light bike, since the bikes I've used in the past (havent cycled in about 7 years) have all been dirt cheap mountain bikes that weighed a ton. However I admit I just can't get my my head round paying 500 quid for a feckin bicycle. However it's probably worth it if you use it every day, which I would be planning on doing.

Keeping my eye on the gumtree bikes section these days in the hope of a bargain popping up. However since I'm 6 foot 2 I need a big bike!

Check out your local Police Lost Property Auctions. My local auction house knocks out 50 bikes or so every couple of months. I ride 400 quid bike I paid £30 for at auction

[porca misèria]

Thinking of getting this bike: http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/bike_path/fx/73fx/

I know nothing about bikes but it seemed alright, shop was helpful etc. I can't be arsed doing much more legwork in a field I know nor care little about.

Will it be ok?

Only you can say. Most important thing is to test-ride it: if it's comfortable and a pleasure to ride then it's worth considering; if not then it's not the bike for you. Best if your ride takes in some uphill and downhill, and at least a couple of different surfaces.

I'm no expert, but there are a couple of obvious reasons I wouldn't consider that as a main or only bike:

1. It's basically a toy: no carrying capacity. Cycling with even a small load on your back is a mugs game.

2. No mudguards - totally impractical in the wet

3. Flat handlebars leave you just the one riding position. It's more comfortable if you can adjust your position, and drops let you take a more forward position on the downhill or when going fast, vs upright on the uphill.

FWIW, it's around the low end of the price range for a bike that gets ridden regularly, as opposed to just come out of the shed once in a blue moon to convince its owner that cycling is a chore and cyclists are nutters.

[porca misèria]

Will be getting my own new bike through the cycle to work scheme, crazy not too really given the discount, although I still fundamentally disagree with the government handing out our tax money to subsidise people's new mountain bikes !!!

Heh. I have a folder as a company bike: it comes with me on the train for business travel over longer distances. Paid full (more expensive) price for my regular bike.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

I'm specc-ing mud guards separately and also hoping to get a co-pilot child seat - which uses its own rack anyway - and need things like a helmet and lock

Via google, weight is in the region of 12kg but that felt light to me.

[porca misèria]

I'm specc-ing mud guards separately and also hoping to get a co-pilot child seat - which uses its own rack anyway - and need things like a helmet and lock

If you get a helmet, make it an informed choice rather than just following the herd. The best place to inform yourself is http://www.cyclehelmets.org/

[Olebrum]

Pashley make some nice bikes.

[rolf]

For quick trips, get one of these:

http://www.cortinafietsen.nl/utility_transport_matzwart_heren.html

Not many people here ride mountain bikes. Why would you want to hunch over and compress your gut for miles? Talk about uncomfortable. Mountain bikes should be left......on the mountains.

Need a childseat? Get one of these babies:

http://www.cortinafietsen.nl/special_roots_moederfiets_roodchampagne.html

[Scunnered]

Need a childseat? Get one of these babies:

You're in the Netherlands, aren't you? I like their bakfiets.

If you tried that in the UK you'd probably get sent to jail.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

You're in the Netherlands, aren't you? I like their bakfiets.

If you tried that in the UK you'd probably get sent to jail.

i've a wheelbarrow in the shed, maybe i can knock something up and i don't mean the wife again