Do I need 2 Bikes or 1???

[queenridingbee]

I'd really appreciate a few opinions from y'all.....

I have a Trek 7000 (Hybrid) and bought it in March of this year. I love the bike but am yearning for a road bike. The LBS offered to refund my purchase and take the hybrid back so that I could upgrade it to a road bike (Trek 1.2). That would mean I'd *only* have a road bike.
BUT......
Performance has a Fuji Newest 3.0 on sale for a price that is the same as what would have to add in to get the Trek. The components are similar (I think) but this option would allow me to have 2 bikes, hybrid & road, instead of 1. The out of pocket cost is the same between the two options.

99% of the riding I've done, and plan to do, is on a paved path. I &*think* the Trek is a bit of a better bike but it comes at the cost of me giving up the hybrid. Do I need 2 bikes or will 1 do? It seems as if a lot of you ladies have multiple bikes.

One different that I could easily spot is the Trek has a 50/39/30 while the Fuji has 52/42/30. I realize they're not the same but am not sure if the difference is significant or if it means one has more lower or higher gears than the other. I'm a newbie and still trying to figure this stuff out.

Thanks for offering your opinion.

Q

[Grog]

What do you want to do with the bike(s)? Purely recreational/leisure riding? Is bike-commuting in your near or somewhat-near future?

I have kept my Trek 7100 hybrid when I switched to a road bike four years ago... and started using it again last week for my new, longer-distance commute. I certainly would not let the road bike go, but for city use, running errands, commuting, and going everywhere, that specific hybrid (I've had others) is hard to beat.

So I'm partial to keeping two bikes, but it really depends on your plans.

[kelownagirl]

You need at least 3 or 4 actually. A mountain bike, commuter bike, road bike (a new carbon one and and old aluminum one for the trainer), and maybe a Tri bike.

[KatyLady]

I'm with Grog. I started with a Trek 7300 a couple of years ago and, similar to you, "needed" a road bike within a few months. I love the road bike but still enjoy riding the hybrid on a fairly regular basis. They serve a different purpose. I would definitely miss the Trek if I didn't have it.

[ilima]

Treks have gotten WAY overpriced for what they're offering, IMO. They're pretty comparable, although I like the looks of the Trek frame better. I wouldn't worry too much about the chainring difference. Yes, the Fuji is geared a bit higher (harder), but both have the same 30 granny gear if you need it.

One thing that bothers me about both these bikes is that they are 8 speeds. When your parts start to crap out, it's going to be difficult to find replacements. The newer Sora is 9 speed, which is what's on the 1.5.

Trek's pricing shocks the hell out of me. Over $1K for the 1.5 and Sora shifters???!!!! Felt's F85 is $60 more and completely blows away the components spec'd on the Trek (Tiagra/Sora vs. 105/Ultegra on the Felt). To get a 105/Ultegra mix like on the Felt, you'd have to get the Trek 2.3 for $1700, which is $600 more than the Felt. So not worth it.

Honestly, though, if you know you enjoy riding, I think you'd be better off keeping the hybrid and saving up for a few months and buying a better spec'd road bike.

[Edit: And let me add that the women's 7000 is hella cute. I'd love to have a little mixte just riding around town bike in addition to my road bikes.]

What other brands besides Trek does the shop sell?

[Bike Goddess]

I agree with Ilima. DON'T invest in an 8 speed bike. Wait a bit and get a 9 speed. You'll find it is much easier to get parts AND you'll have more options when you are riding as well.

Of course these folks would love to sell you a bike (or 2). But look around on this forum and on the internet re gearing and 8 speeds vs 9 speeds, etc. You'll find lots of good info.

I have 2 road bikes. One is steel the other carbon. Different bikes for different types of rides.

[KnottedYet]

KG has it right. You need at least 2 bikes, 3 or 4 is even better.

Seriously, having one utility bike (a hybrid or whatever that can handle bad weather or weird loads or errands or be loaned out to friends who want to borrow it, etc.) and one zoom-zoom bike is a good plan.

And if one bike is in the shop, you still have your second bike to ride.

[dingster1]

I just picked up that same Fuji from Performance 3 days ago. I still plan on keeping my Trek 7.2FX as my grocery getter/round towner.

[Miranda]

Another vote for "more bikes, please" . I own three atm. And would love to have some more...

I really debated what to buy as my first bike. The hybrid fitness bike seemed to fit my needs, but in my heart I knew my dream was to ride fast and far. Traditional road bike was the ticket, but the most $.

First, I bought a hard trails mtb when DH got his. This was to be for fm camping trips, and neighborhood spin. I tried to ride it on the road... didn't meet the "I feel the need for speed" fix. Then I announced to DH what I needed was a bike for speed. My friends said I should return the mtb, and get the fitness still. So glad I got my road girl.

I recently was about to sell my mtb, but found some trails I like. She still is not fun on the kids spin. I can't coast that slow on my road bike. I wanted a lesiure bike, but for now have decided to see if I can fix up my old cheap blue belle from when I was a kid (she's 25+yrs old) to cruise the sub.

On that note, could you do this maybe... get the road bike you want, and look for a used hybrid to stretch the dollar? If you don't think you will be riding the hybrid that much, then does she really need to be "new" and top of the line? FWIW.

Miranda

[Aggie_Ama]

DH and I each of 3 at the moment a commuter (low end road for me, cyclocross for him), road bikes (carbon comfort for me, racing aluminum for him) and a mountain bike. He is probably getting a new mountain bike this year but we plan to convert his to a single speed for errands.

Keep the hybrid, but shop around for a road bike, Treks can be slightly over priced.

[PscyclePath]

There are two schools of thought on the optimum number of bikes to have in your collection. The first, and probably the most utilized, is set at one bike more than you already have. (Note the elasticity in this limit.)

The second school of thought, and maybe the more practical, is one bike less than the number where your sweetheart says she/he is gonna leave you if you bring home another derned bicycle.

Your mileage & numbers may vary...

[queenridingbee]

You all are so SMART!!! I should have posted this here before seriously considering this. Returning the bike seemed like such a great idea. I also hadn't paid attention to the 8 gear vs 9 gear issue. I'll spend some time reading up on that because I'm still not completely comprehending "gear talk" and the differences that gearing makes.

I am a full-time grad student/wife/mom (i.e. broke as a joke) so I can't afford to buy a higher $$ bike or save up to buy a better bike until after I graduate (hopefully next June). The upgrade to Trek or buy the Fuji will cost 400$ which is all I have to spend.

I do love my hybrid. I've ridden with friends who don't have road bikes and my dh told me that it would be hard to "go slow" on a road bike to ride with them. On occasion we also ride with our kids and dh thinks the hybrid is more suitable for this as well. I'll scoot to Performance today and see the Fuji. I'm assuming that I'd get a fitting, changing out pieces, etc., comparable to what my LBS offered, from them as well. My Trek is a WSD and the Fuji doesn't come in WSD models.

Q

[tink22]

I thought I was the only one with a bike addiction. So nice to see there are so many of you out there. I started out on a Bianchi hybrid, just bought a Specialized cyclocross this year and already want a road bike so I can go father faster. If I had the room to store 3, I'd buy another on tomorrow! You just can't have enough!

[queenridingbee]

I ended up buying the Newest 3.0 tonight from Performance. The experience wasn't as personalized as what the LBS was offering but I did get the bike. I didn't test ride it because I figured that I was buying it anyway and couldn't afford much else.

They didn't have any 2007's left so I got a 2008. I rode it in the parking lot, to my car, and it did feel good. I will have to adjust to the stretched out position. I got a 50 cm because the 54 was too far for me.

Tomorrow I'll go to the LBS and get my hybrid back.

Q

[invsblwmn]

I believe owing at least 3.5 bicycles is appropriate. I have two recumbents (a two wheeler and a trike). Hanging on the wall is my diamondframe cannondale, and at the police station is my .5 specialized rockhopper (half because it is bent in half). I plan to strip the specialized and cannondale and then sell the cannondale to be able to get a third, long wheel base recumbent. NEVER too many bikes! Just had to buy a home with a two car garage for room for all the toys, including two kayaks and a motorcycle. She who dies with the most toys, WINS!!!