Printable View
I went bike shopping this morning with by sister. The bike that felt the best was a Trek 7.2fx. I know nothing about Treks. Does anyone have an opinion on this bike? It's more of a hybrid style and is well suited for the type of riding she will be doing. My sister is not a compulsive bike shoppers, so she had to go home and think about it a bit more. :eek: I don't understand that kind of thinking at all! :D Any and all opinions would be great. bikerHen
I have the Trek 7.6, which is pretty much the same bike but with fancier wheels. I'm quite happy with her. I did switch the saddle right away. Otherwise, I have no complaints. I do like the semi-upright position. In fact, I might like it even more upright, but am ok with the fx configuration, which is sorta partway aerodynamic. Don't know what else to tell you, but trying out different bikes is definitely the way to choose. Some bikes fit better than others, and then the next person will find that it's a different bike that fits best.
I got a Trek 7500 FX in 2003 for my first bike -- it would be the 7.5 of today. I've been very happy with it and just got a road bike in 2006. Can't remember what the price difference is but she might want to try the 7.5 or higher just to feel the difference.
I think my torso length is fairly avg. and I'm 5'5" tall. However, with my 7.2 Trek FX WSD bike, I find that the seat sits too close to the handle bar. I've pushed the seat back as far as it will go, but I still feel a little cramped. You might have your sister compare the WSD and the unisex bike. Other than that, Trek makes a great bike and I liked the FX much better than the hybrid.
Good Luck
The 7.2fx WSD was my first "serious" bike. I loved it. I could ride it on the katy trail and also the road for club rides. It's not as "hybrid" as other bikes. (Trek actually does not call it a hybrid, but a fitness bike) No suspension, which makes for a lighter ride! I love that bike, now it's my commuter with a rack and lights, and it was a fairly inexpensive way to see whether I would love riding, and what I wanted in the long run. It has had no issues in two years. I heartily recommend it!
As for fit, I'm 5'5", but I have a fairly long inseam compared to arm length, so the Trek WSD's are perfect. You may want to try the regular 7.2fx and compare to the WSD.
We have 5 Treks, all are mid-level, two mtbs, two road bikes, one cheapo tandem. Our choices were good bikes for the price and as components have worn out we've upgraded. All our Treks are steel and are 25, 17, 17, 15 and 14 years old and still ridden regularly. One frame was warranty repaired and repainted by Trek without a problem (I cracked a seat stay on one of the mtbs).
So long as the bike fits.:)
I have a 7.2 and love it. I've changed out the saddle, and added a rack. It does well for where I go now as my commuter/grocery getter/ general bike.
I have a Giant Cypress DX and I love it, but I also want a Trek!!!
I have the 7200FX (would be the 7.2FX now). I love it! I was my first serious bike and has held up well. I was riding it everyday before I bought my roadbike. It never had any problems! I highly recommend! I'm 5'6" and ride a 54 Pilot 2/1 WSD, but the 7200FX is just the 17.5. They did make WSD at the time, but I don't know that I would've needed it. The bike fits me well. Definitely make sure it fits and test ride both.
I have a 2005 7200 fx step-thru (bought on sale in spring 06). It is my first "real" bike and is serving me quite well. I hadn't ridden in 25 years but I found it very easy to get used to the gears. I ride on a paved trail and have had no problems. I know I will be able to go more miles as I build up stamina. The only thing I had to do was change out the saddle - I am about to try my 3rd one, and I added mini toe clips. I haven't got myself dialed in comfort wise quite to the level I would like, but the adjustments that can be done with the 7200 seem endless - lots to work with.
Thanks for all your replys. I told her about this posting and the positive response. She finally decided to buy the bike. She's a couple of inches taller than me, so she got the unisex model. The WSD bike was red, which she didn't like and it was not as comfortable. We went for a short spin last night and she really likes the ride. We still have to tweak the fit a bit, but overall it fits well.
I've told her she has to start riding with me a couple of times a week cause I'm signing her up for a 30 mile ride early fall. She said, "that's too far to ride." I said, "I ride 25 miles everyday, and it's not that far." She said, "she'll think about it." I said, "there's nothing to think about, you're going!" I love bossing around my older sister! :D bikerhen