Trek 7.5fx or Specialised Elite

Zak Flaps

Hi. Would appreciate some quick advice on these bikes.

I've boiled down my choice to these 3:

TREK 7.5FX

http://www.trekbikes.com/ie/en/bikes/town/fitness/fx/7_5_fx/

SPECIALISED SIRRUS ELITE

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/multi-use/sirrus/sirruselite

SPECIALISED SIRRUS ELITE DISC

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/multi-use/sirrus/sirruselitedisc

I will be using it for mainly recreation. Cycling to work the odd time.
Cycling up to Howth Summit. Mostly casual type stuff.
Looking for something light and that is comfortable.
My last hybrid was sore on my arse and hands!!!
Will be out in dry weather. So not sure if Disc Brakes are necessary.
Maybe some off road stuff, but nothing major.Don't want suspension.

I'll be hoping to try some of these out in various shops (they are not all in the one shop so will have to find out where they are) and that will help with the decision. But was hoping you guys might have some advice.
Light and comfortable is important.

Thanks in advance.

Zak.

twinsen

Trek is a nice bike. I have 7.5 and its one of the best choices I did. I use it only to commute, or to cycle with my better half. For fun I have a road bike.

Anyway, at this moment I have 14k km on it, and it works no problem. Had to replace rear wheel, but that is only because of my own stupidity.

njburke

I bought a 7.5fx last year, I have about 2000 KMs on it mainly for commuting and fitness cycling.
Its been reliable,I haven't any mechanical issues with it, no punctures, wheels have held up to my weight and are still true.
I changed the bars on it earlier this year for a dirt drops and find the drops much more comfortable over longer distances (50K spins) than the straight bars.

BofaDeezNuhtz

Had a Trek 7.3 (same as 7.5 but without the Carbon fork)
Loved it. Sick I sold it tbh
Even tho I replaced with a sexy lil roadie.

No need for the Disc Brakes imho.
Also the handgrips on the Trek were very comfy.

Zak Flaps

Hi guys, cheers for the replies.

Can you tell me if the Treks are comfortable?

Lumen

Zak Flaps wrote: »

Can you tell me if the Treks are comfortable?

At a guess, it's unlikely to be any different from your last hybrid.

smacl

Zak Flaps wrote: »

Looking for something light and that is comfortable.
My last hybrid was sore on my arse and hands!!!

For comfort, I put a brooks flyer on my hybrid, and I can happily cycle around on it all day. If you're going any distance, use padded shorts. If you're still sore down under, use a bit of chamois cream. The hands are more of a problem, gloves will help as will bar ends, but this is one of the areas the drop bars on a road bike come into play. The other thing that really helps is lots of hours in the saddle (not as yet available on-line).

Edit: Also tyres, wider are heavier but more comfy as they're running at lower pressure. Similarly, puncture resistant are heavier, but worth it IMO. The Brooks flyer saddle is also slightly on the heavy side.

quozl

I got a 7.5 fx 2 weeks ago. Hadn't ridden a bike before 3 weeks ago and while my arse was fairly sore at the start it's already grand now so it must be pretty comfortable - I spent 80 minutes on it last Sunday and was happy enough afterwards.

So based on a sample size of 1 extreme-beginner who has only ever ridden three different bikes in his life, it's great

Think Bike in Rathmines will do a 2 or 3 day test-ride thing if you're thinking about buying a bike from them. So you could give it a proper try and see what you think.

Zak Flaps

Lumen wrote: »

At a guess, it's unlikely to be any different from your last hybrid.

How do you know what hybrid I had before? You're saying that all hybrid's are the same yeah?
Don't post unless it's going to be helpful.

Lumen

Zak Flaps wrote: »

How do you know what hybrid I had before? You're saying that all hybrid's are the same yeah?
Don't post unless it's going to be helpful.

I don't know, because you helpfully didn't provide the information. Hence my use of the the word "guess".

Zak Flaps

Lumen wrote: »

I don't know, because you helpfully didn't provide the information. Hence my use of the the word "guess".

I asked those 3 guys who mentioned the Treks, if they found them comfortable. I didn't need to volunteer any info regarding my last hybrid. Please, I'm on here looking for help from decent people. You help me out here by staying away.

Lumen

Zak Flaps wrote: »

I asked those 3 guys who mentioned the Treks, if they found them comfortable. I didn't need to volunteer any info regarding my last hybrid. Please, I'm on here looking for help from decent people. You help me out here by staying away.

You seem rather cranky for someone seeking advice.

Zak Flaps

Lumen wrote: »

You seem rather cranky for someone seeking advice.

Only with you, my new friend.

Want2know

I've a 2012 SPECIALISED SIRRUS ELITE. I think its a great bike very nippy and no issues to date after nearly 4000KM's.

BailMeOut

Bought a 7.2FX in 2008 and it still looks and cycles great and I the only parts I have ever replaced are brake pads and tyres. Some people have found the slightly leaning forward position on these bikes a little uncomfortable but it has never bothered me.

BofaDeezNuhtz

Lumen wrote: »

At a guess, it's unlikely to be any different from your last hybrid.

Zak Flaps wrote: »

Please, I'm on here looking for help from decent people. You help me out here by staying away.

Whoah chillax. Lumen is one of the better posters on here I've found.
Technically what he said was correct. He may not have gone into detail
explaining why but he wasnt been a kunt about it either ok.

Zak Flaps wrote: »

Hi guys, cheers for the replies.

Can you tell me if the Treks are comfortable?

I'll answer this if it helps any.
Yup my Trek 7.3 was sore on my arse and hands!!! Until I got use to it.

Both them 2 bikes are equally good. Just buy the one you like the look of.;)

youcancallmeal

I got the 7.7FX about 4 years and have put in thousands of kms on it, very happy with it. The thing about the 7.xFX range I've noticed in the last few years is that every year they have been using increasingly cheaper parts while increasing the price. For example my 2009 7.7FX has a full Shimano 105 drive train while this years model is a mix of Tiagra/Deore.

If I wasn't so busy I would go and find the specs and price for each model for the last few years. Anyway its entirely possible that Specialised do the same thing? Either way there probably isn't much difference and you are guaranteed a decent bike. For me I will most likely avoid Trek for any future bike purchasing.

Zak Flaps

Thanks again guys for the replies.

Went into some shops yesterday to sit on some bike. Unfortunately a lot of the shops don't seem to have my size in stock, which doesn't help. Sat up on the Trek 7.5FX. A nice bike but it was too big for me. Only had the large.
Tried a 7.4FX but it didn't have carbon forks so don't want that.
I still haven't sat up on the Specialised Sirrus Elites yet, but will do that on Monday.
Nicest one I tried yesterday (yet it was still slightly too big) was the Giant Escape FX 2.
Was very comfortable.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2013.giant.escape.rx.2/11837/56820/

Anyone any experience with this bike?

Cheers.

Zak.

Zak Flaps

Got to try a few bikes today and have narrowed it down to the Giant Escape RX 1 and the RX 2. Liked them best overall. Thanks all for your help.

Just have to decide between them 2 now!! Decisions decisions!

Tonyandthewhale

Although you seem pretty set on a giant escape and although you poo pooed Lumen's earlier input of 'at a guess, it's unlikely to be any different from your last hybrid,' this would seem to be an important issue to consider.

What was your last hybrid? And what was uncomfortable about it? You mentioned it was sore on your arse and hands, was that because the saddle didn't suit you or because of poor quality grips? Or was it down to the geometry of the bike and your subsequent riding position or your lack of choice when it comes to hand positions on the flat bars?

A trek fx, specialized elite or giant escape will each have a different saddle and slightly different grips on the handlebars but being hybrids they'll all have largely the same riding position (and presumably a similar riding position). Saddles and grips can be changed easily for relatively little in the way of expense but if your previous discomfort was caused by geometry that doesn't suit your riding style or fatigue from using flat bars on relatively longer rides when drop bars would be more appropriate then buying a trek fx/specialized elite/giant escape isn't going to make a lick of difference.

The trek, the specialized and the giant are all decent, reliable bikes that offer ok value for money (the trek fx range in particular has sold very well in Ireland so there are proportionately more happy owners reporting their satisfaction) but I'm surprised you haven't considered the road bike option (although I seem to have a mental block when it comes to understanding why people buy hybrids as every thread that comes up with people looking for hybrid suggestions seems to lead to me suggesting a road bike).

You want the bike for mainly recreational purposes - road bike.
You want to do climbs of Howth - road bike.
You want something light and comfortable - road bike
You're worried about your arse and hands - brooks saddle + road bike (although if the idea of a road bike is completely unpalatable, look into adding bar ends to your handlebars for extra riding positions)
Dry weather riding - shiny road bike
Maybe some light off roading but no suspension - cyclocross bike.

Either way, you're right, disc breaks are unnecessary.