trek 7.2 fx hybrid bike reviews

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Riding with the Trek 7.2 FX: Unbiased Bike Review

October 26, 2023

‍ Key Takeaways

• The Trek 7.2 FX hybrid seamlessly melds city-bike convenience with road-bike agility, guaranteeing riders a dynamic performance across terrains.
• Combining state-of-the-art features like its Alpha Gold Aluminum frame and ergonomic design, this bike stands out as a top pick for daily commuters and recreational riders.
• Although maintenance plays a vital role, the Trek 7.2 FX's robust build and quality components promise durability and longevity for dedicated cyclists.

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‍ If you're in the market for a hybrid bike with solid durability, the Trek 7.2 FX has to be mentioned. It has amazing features that make it worth considering.

The Trek 7.2 FX is a versatile hybrid bike, expertly blending the comfort of a road bike and the adaptability of a mountain bike. Ideal for city commutes and gravel roads, its lightweight Alpha Gold Aluminum frame, ergonomic design, and 700c wheels offer a smooth, efficient ride for long distances.

With years of expertise in evaluating bikes, our team knows precisely what to look for and what matters most to riders. In this review, you'll gain insights into the performance, comfort, and versatility of the Trek 7.2 FX, ensuring you clearly understand what this hybrid bike truly offers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

‍ Overview of the Trek 7.2 FX Bike

The Trek 7.2 FX is a hybrid bike that perfectly balances city bike comfort and road bike handling. This bike is versatile and offers a smooth ride in various conditions.

These features make it an excellent choice for daily commutes, leisure rides, and short trips around the town. The 7.2 FX is designed to provide the comfort of a road bike with the versatility of a mountain bike.

This makes it suitable for various terrains, from city streets to unpaved trails. Made with Trek's Alpha Gold Aluminum, the frame is lightweight yet durable. This ensures the bike offers a swift ride without compromising on strength.

What We Loved

As we rode the Trek 7.2 FX, we couldn't help but appreciate its versatility. This bike combines the best road and city bikes, perfect for commuting and light trail riding adventures.

The comfortable handlebar position and responsive brakes make it a joy to ride. Packed with features like Bontrager wheels, this hybrid is quick and maneuverable.

One thing that stood out during our ride on this bike is how easy it is to customize to fit our needs. It adapts well if we need it for fitness, commuting, or leisure rides. Plus, its affordability doesn't hurt either.

What Could Be Improved

No bike is perfect, and the Trek 7.2 FX is no exception. Some areas we feel could use improvement include the availability of the bike at local Trek shops, due to supply chain issues.

The weight limit (combined weight of bicycle, rider, and cargo) could be higher for those who plan to carry heavier loads during their rides. A comparison to the Giant Escape might be useful for potential buyers who are considering alternative options.

While the Trek 7.2 FX comes equipped with puncture-resistant tires, we believe the puncture-resistant belt 700x35c could be further improved for increased durability.

The steel fork provides function at the cost of adding weight, and an upgrade to a lighter material, such as carbon or aluminum, might be desirable for some riders.

In terms of gearing, the Trek 7.2 FX features Shimano Altus EF51 8-speed components. While it gets the job done, we found ourselves wishing for more (or more refined) gear options, particularly for steep inclines or tougher trails.

Key Features Of The Trek 7.2 FX

One issue with an old bike like this is that it can be difficult to find it brand new. For that reason, retailer prices may vary. You can still find it available for the manufacturer's suggested retail prices if you buy used too. Here are some of the key features that stand out.

Alpha Gold Aluminum Frame

The Trek 7.2 FX features a premium Alpha Gold Aluminum frame. This material strikes the perfect balance between lightness and strength, ensuring a nimble ride without compromising on durability.

Its design is robust and aesthetically sleek, offering a modern look for urban riders. The Trek 7.2 FX is a versatile bike that can easily handle city streets and urban environments while still being capable of tackling light off-road terrain.

Versatile 700c Wheels

Equipped with 700c wheels, the bike offers a combination of speed and stability. These larger wheels roll more efficiently, allowing riders to cover distances faster on paved roads. Meanwhile, the tread design ensures sufficient grip for light off-road trails.

Due to its lightweight aluminum frame, the bike delivers smooth and stable handling at various speeds, making it enjoyable and safe to ride. Pair this with the 700c wheels, and you have a top-rated bike.

Ergonomic Design for Comfort

Prioritizing rider comfort, the 7.2 FX boasts an ergonomic design. The handlebars and saddle are specifically shaped to provide optimum support during extended rides.

The bike's geometry also promotes an upright riding position, reducing the strain on the rider's back and shoulders, ideal for daily commutes and long weekend rides.

Although the Trek 7.2 FX is slower than road bikes because of its heavier and wider tires, it still offers quick and efficient pedaling, outperforming most city bikes. The gearing system contributes to its ability to maintain an optimal riding speed on different terrains.

Easily Customizable Mounts

To cater to the diverse needs of riders, the 7.2 FX comes with multiple mounts. These allow for easy attachment of accessories like racks, fenders, and lights.

Whether you're commuting with cargo, bracing for wet weather, or riding in the dark, these mounts make customization straightforward and efficient. They pair well with the pre-production painted frames.

Riding Experience With The Trek 7.2 FX

Navigating city streets or cruising on weekend trails, the Trek 7.2 FX promises a unique blend of performance and comfort. Dive into this section to uncover firsthand insights into the riding experience this versatile hybrid bike offers.

Gravel Roads

Riding the Trek 7.2 FX on gravel roads is a breeze. The off-road experience might not be as comfortable as a dedicated mountain bike, but this bike offers excellent climbing performance.

You can also expect a lightning-fast response time and a wide 3x8 gear range, making riding on gravel roads enjoyable.

City Commutes

The 7.2 FX boasts excellent handling and stability. Wide, puncture-resistant tires and 700c Bontrager wheels provide smooth riding at quick speeds.

Although it is slower than most road bikes, it easily passes city bikes while commuting. The lightweight aluminum body with an alloy cage allows for easy handling during city commutes, and the slim-stack semi-cartridge bearings sealed pedal set keeps your ride smooth.

On pavement, the Trek 7.2 FX shines as it provides a smooth and efficient ride, perfect for commuting to work, running errands, or just enjoying a leisurely cruise. The wide gear range, coupled with the puncture-resistant belt 700x35c tires, helps the bike take on various urban terrains.

The Tektro alloy linear-pull brakes ensure reliable stopping power, allowing you to tackle any pavement situation confidently.

Riding the Trek 7.2 FX on trails offers a versatile experience suitable for riders with diverse needs. This bike is great for those who wish to commute to work or start a fitness program but still want the capability to explore nature trails on the weekends.

Though the 7.2 FX might not be as agile as a dedicated mountain bike, it does provide an overall enjoyable experience for casual trail rides. Some notable features include:

• W puncture-resistant belt
• W lowrider mounts Clix protection
• Tensile steel w lowrider mounts
• Lowrider mounts Clix dropouts
• Lite w puncture-resistant protection
• Slimstak semi cartridge bearings
• Durable body w alloy cage
• Additional nylon body w alloy protection

How Long Does The Trek 7.2 FX Bike Last?

As avid cyclists, we love the Trek 7.2 FX for its unique blend of city bike comfort, road bike handling, and stability. It's a versatile machine that is built to withstand various weather conditions and lasts for years. But how long does it really last? Let's dive into some details.

The Trek 7.2 FX hybrid bike's lightweight alpha silver aluminum duotrap frame and robust components are designed to endure long-term use and resist wear and tear, making it a durable choice for those who commute or ride regularly.

On this bike, you'll find features like puncture-resistant Bontrager H2 hard case tires and a reliable Shimano drivetrain to help maintain its longevity. Now, keep in mind that any bike's lifespan largely depends on factors like how it's used, the terrain it's exposed to, and how well the owner maintains it.

Regular maintenance, like cleaning and lubricating the chain, checking the tires for punctures, and adjusting the brakes, will extend the life of your Trek 7.2 FX. Aside from proper maintenance, it's essential to consider other factors, like the maximum total weight limit the bike can handle, including the rider and cargo.

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About THE AUTHOR

Danny Lawson

Mountain biking is more than just a hobby for me - it's a way of life. I love the challenge and excitement that comes with it, and I'm always pushing myself to go faster and ride harder. Some people might think that mountain biking is dangerous, but I see it as the only way to live.

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About PedalChef

PedalChef is a blog on all things cycling. We are a group of people who love bikes, and we want to share the joy that comes with the experience. You can read more about us here .

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Is The Trek 7.2 FX A Good Hybrid Bike? [Trek 7.2 FX Review]

Table of Contents

The Trek 7.2 FX is a comfortable hybrid bike with a rigid fork that debuted in 2006 and was discontinued in 2016.

It’s a Trek bike from five years ago. More people are riding the Trek 7.2 FX hybrid bike today. What distinguishes it?

Below, we will go over the Trek 7.2 FX hybrid bike’s pros and cons one by one, as well as the differences between the last three versions, its performance in gravel riding and commuting, components, and specifications.

If you’re looking to buy the best hybrid bike, we’ve included some hybrid bike comparisons so you can spend less time deciding.

Alternatively, check out our Top 10 Best Hybrid Bikes Under $500-1000 [Review].

Gravel Roads

The rigid fork on the Trek 7.2 FX provides a responsive ride. The 7.2 FX 2016 has a high-strength steel fork that is both strong and resistant to deformation.

And the 7.2 FX excels at riding on small gravel. For sit-to-stand riding, the head tube angle is relatively loose.

A quick-ride barrel axle and a slightly swept-back handlebar provide stability and control on fast descents. The puncture-resistant tires settle into angular rock crevices and, surprisingly, have excellent traction when riding over rough gravel terrain.

Off-road, the Trek 7.2 FX isn’t as comfortable as a mountain bike, but the excellent climbing performance, lightning-fast response time, and wide 3×8 gear range make for an enjoyable ride.

Overall, it is easy to ride on gravel roads.

Whether you look at the Trek 7.2 FX from a frame design or comfort standpoint, it’s ideal for commuting on the road.

On-road surfaces, the 35c tires are very easy to handle.

However, because its tread is mid-width, it does not ride as fast as the 25c tires. However, it will be superior to a road bike for commuting in wet weather.

There are also mounting holes for fender brackets to keep mud and water off your clothes. The tires on the hybrid bike are less abrasive, making the commuter ride more comfortable.

Components and Specifications

Fx alpha silver aluminum frame (4.7/5).

This bike is one of the more popular Trek hybrid bike frames under $1000 these days, and it’s also one of my favorite body frames.

It’s both light and strong. It’s also compatible with the DuoTrap S, which is great for workouts or commuting rides because you can connect it to an app on your phone to see where you’re going or how far you’ve ridden.

Because of the relatively steep head tube angle, it is very easy to encounter slopes greater than 30° and has a quick response time. The bike also has a water bottle holder mounting position and rack mounting holes. T

he rack’s maximum load capacity is 55 pounds. More than your average low-cost hybrid bike.

3X8 drivetrain (4.2/5)

The Trek 7.2 FX comes standard with a Shimano Altus front derailleur and a Shimano Acera M360 rear derailleur, both of which are not high-end components but have lasted well over 2000 miles of riding.

The Wellgo nylon body with alloy cage pedals also leaves us with little to complain about, so the drivetrain on this 7.2 FX is very solid.

Brakes (4.0/5)

The use of mechanical disc brakes or not distinguishes the Trek 7.2 FX and 7.2 FX Disc.

Although I prefer disc brakes, alloy pull line brakes are adequate for commuters. In terms of the braking effect, there isn’t much of a difference if the terrain isn’t unusual.

The Tektro alloy linear-pull on the Trek 7.2 FX is slightly less effective on long downhill roads, but not on another terrain.

Bontrager Comp Stem (4.5/5)

The Trek 7.2 FX has a slimmer stem, with a 31.8 mm stem commonly used today. The 7.2 FX is 25.4mm, with a 10-degree back sweep.

The handlebar is also equipped with a fixed collection bracket, which makes it easier for casual riders to navigate and connect headphones to hear the music they want to listen to.

Wheels (4.5/5)

It is equipped with 700x35c tires, which are the largest tire size that this bike can accommodate.

If you want to ride at a faster pace. You can replace it with a slim 25c tire, but it comes with an inner tube, so you must also replace the corresponding inner tube when you replace the smaller size.

The Bontrager AT-750 double-wall alloy rims, the foundation of a smooth gravel ride, are resistant to mutation and hard enough to be scratched by gravel.

As a result, it will last you more than ten years.

Benefits of the Trek 7.2 FX

• Affordable price
• Versatile and lightweight frame
• Handlebars for comfortable riding
• Tough and durable tires and rims
• 3X8 drivetrain for a wider gear range
• Very fast ride response for smooth riding on gravel
• Sturdy and durable pedals

What we don’t like about it

• A bit stiff seat
• Chain is a little noisy

Trek 7.2 FX Specs

• What is Trek 7.2 fx weight?

The body weight of the Trek 7.2 FX with a 20″ frame is 11.95 kg / 26.35 lbs.

• What frame sizes are available for the Trek 7.2 FX?

15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, and 25 foot frames.

• What body colors are available for the Trek 7.2 FX?

Starry Night Black/Volt Green, Chi Red, Waterloo Blue.

• What is the price of the Trek 7.2 FX?

The MSRP was $489.99 back in 2016.

• How much is Trek 7.2 FX used price?

As of today most used Trek 7.2 FX’s are worth around $150. It will depend on the condition of the bike.

• Does the Trek 7.2 FX come in a women’s version?

The women’s version of the Trek 7.2 FX is the 7.2 FX Women’s.

Comparison table

Trek fx 1 disc vs 7.2 fx.

There are many similarities between the Trek 7.2 FX and the Trek FX 1 Disc components. And, as a result, the prices are very similar.

The Alpha Gold Aluminum, 700x35c Bontrager H2 Comp Tire, 3X7 drivetrain, and Tektro MD-U310 mechanical disc Brake come standard with the Trek FX 1 Disc.

The tires are the same size, and both have aluminum frames, but the drivetrain has been shortened, and it now has mechanical disc brakes. This is just a tad less than the Trek 7.2 FX Disc.

However, as a hybrid bike, the Trek FX 1 Disc is the best alternative to the 7.2 FX. On the plus side, the Trek FX 1 Disc has a more streamlined appearance and better internal alignment.

If you’re a Trek fan, the Trek FX 1 Disc is a bike you should look into.

Trek Dual Sport 2 vs Trek 7.2 FX

With a sturdy frame and 63mm travel shock fork with a locking feature that allows you to switch freely between flat and rough roads when combined with a mountain bike, the Trek Dual Sport 2 provides a more immersive riding experience.

On rough roads, the ride is more comfortable, and it is identical to the Trek 7.2 FX in that it can be outfitted with fenders, water bottle cages, racks, and phone mounts.

The popular 2X9 drivetrain makes it easy for beginners to shift. It’s the superior hybrid bike.

If you live in a hilly area, the Trek Dual Sport 2 hybrid bike is the one to try to make your commute more enjoyable.

Schwinn GTX vs Trek 7.2 FX

The Schwinn GTX is a hybrid bike that is very comfortable to ride.

Similar in configuration to the Trek 7.2 FX, the Schwinn GTX features an aluminum dual sport frame, versatile riding style, and mechanical disc brakes for mountain riding and easy handling in the face of complex gravel roads.

With a very wide range of colors and wider frame size options, the Schwinn GTX is one of the very best choices if you need a suitable commuter bike for your child.

Learn more: Schwinn GTX Comfort Adult Hybrid Bike Review

Final Verdict (4.5/5)

The Trek 7.2 FX has more early versions, with the most recent model, the 7.2 FX 2016, featuring many modern features. The drivetrain is 3X8 and the body is light. Its lightweight and 3X8 drivetrain make it ideal for commuting or gravel riding. As a result, the Trek 7.2 FX is an excellent hybrid bike. We gave it a final score of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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1 thought on “is the trek 7.2 fx a good hybrid bike [trek 7.2 fx review]”.

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Trek 7.2 FX (2014) : ChooseMyBicycle.com Expert Review

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Things We Like

• Comfortable Bontrager saddle
• Smooth rolling 700c wheels

Things We Don't Like

Lightweight Frame

Lightweight Fork.

Crisp and Accurate Gears

Swift and sharp braking.

Smooth rolling 700c wheels.

Technical Specifications

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The Trek's FX series of Hybrids have varied capabalities and can be ridden by anyone for city commuting use and long distances rides. E got the oppurtunity to test ride the Trek 7.2 FX 2014 and here what wethought.

• Aesthetically not the best looking bicycle out there
• Not fast enough for longer rides

Frame, Fit and Comfort

The 7.2 FX gives a relatively comfortable, upright ride. It's not going to be particularly fast, especially on the stock 35mm tires. No time trial or long distance performances here but you'll be able to keep up with rush hour traffic downtown on your commute. The 7.2 has some room for fitting - there are several spacers on the steerer and the stem can be flipped, so you can set it up with a slightly more aggressive position if you want to get out of the wind, but it's nothing like having drop bars, of course. The frame is light and the build takes out any unwanted extra weight from the bicycle making it light enough for /the perfect hybrid.

Shifters and Shifting

When it comes to gear-shifting and components on this bicycle, you are effectively dealing with a major component manufacturer: Shimano. At this price, you want Shimano. The Alvio-Altus 8 speed does not lack at anything and is the best you can get at the more economical end of things. Shimano has been at it longer and produces indestructible drive train components (cogs and chain rings) to give you the needed smooth shifting for your city rides. The Shifters and Drivetrain performed as advertised; crisp and accurate.

Brakes and Steering

The lack of a disc brake on the Trek 7.2 FX does not hamper the ride quality at all. That is only because of the supreme quality of the Tektro alloy linear-pull rim brakes, which does the job perfectly. The braking was swift and really sharp. You really don't need high end disc brakes or the like when you're not going to be travelling too fast anyway.

Ride Quality

The fit, comfort, and component quality will matter more than colours when it comes to actually riding your bicycle. The high tensile steel fork does give out more vibrations but that is compensated by the build quality of the frame. The Alpha aluminium frame and the easy rolling 700c wheels makes a combination that lets you ride further and faster with the same effort.

TrekŠ—'s build quality loaded with trusted components makes this bicycle a perfect pick for anyoneŠ—Ès first bicycle. It may not be the best if youŠ—Ère looking at breaking timing records, but i's great for daily commute or a casual weekend ride.

Prices are subject to change by the brand, without due notice

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The Best Hybrid Bike

By Christine Ryan

Christine Ryan is an editor overseeing coverage of travel and outdoors gear, which has entailed testing down-filled vests in Iceland in June.

If you’re seeking a bike for your daily commute and your weekend exercise, a fitness hybrid—that is, a road bike with flat handlebars—may be the right choice.

Over the past six years, we’ve spent 60 hours sifting through nearly 75 options, test-ridden more than a dozen bikes, and concluded that the Marin Fairfax 1 is the best hybrid for most people. It provides a stable, comfortable ride on city streets, and it’s a better value now than when we first tested it.

Everything we recommend

Marin Fairfax 1

Our favorite hybrid bike.

This fun-to-ride and capable commuter bike is equally comfortable on longer weekend outings—and it offers far better value than its competitors.

Buying Options

Jamis Coda S2

Still the smooth one.

This steel-framed bike provides a vibration-dampening ride and some nice extras—brand-name tires and sturdy pedals. But the trade-off is less maneuverability and a steepish uptick in price.

Upgrade pick

Priority Continuum Onyx

For the neatnik diyer.

A belt-drive bike that has an easy-to-use internally geared rear hub means less maintenance and no grease on your work clothes. You have to assemble it yourself though (or pay someone else to).

These days, global supply chains have mostly recovered from their pandemic-related problems, and many bike companies are now facing inventory gluts rather than shortages. However, the list prices that rose during that time generally haven’t come down, at least not permanently. We are seeing discounts on bikes this summer, so it’s worth shopping around for a deal.

Or consider getting a used bike—we have advice on how to buy secondhand gear, including bikes, online without being scammed . Sites such as BicycleBlueBook and The Pro’s Closet sell used bikes; both require sellers to provide serial numbers for the bikes. (The Pro’s Closet specializes in higher-end bikes—that is, those costing at least $1,500 when new—and gives the bikes an inspection and a tune-up before selling them.)

One point that we’d like to underline: No matter where you end up buying a used bike, ask the seller for the bike’s serial number so that you can see if the bike has been reported stolen. ( Bike Index , a nationwide nonprofit registry, maintains a list of stolen bikes.) Don’t help bike thieves profit from their misdeeds.

Our top pick, the Marin Fairfax 1 , ticks most of the boxes on our hybrid-bike checklist: durable-enough components, a chrome-moly steel fork that’s forgiving on potholes and rough city streets (and of higher quality than the high-tensile steel forks used on many other, pricier bikes), rack and fender mounts, and hill-friendly gearing (including a rear cassette, rather than a cheaper and outdated freewheel cogset). When we first tested this bike, it earned extra credit for its well-designed aluminum frame, which provided more-agile handling and zippier acceleration than the competition. Marin has since revamped the frame to make the bike more stable and possibly less sprightly (we couldn’t detect a difference when we rode it). However, given the growing price difference between the Fairfax 1 (it’s $500, the same as it’s been for the past couple of years) and similarly equipped bikes from other companies, we believe it’s still the best option, despite any possible downsides to the redesign. (The Fairfax 1 is available in a step-through option at the same price.)

The Jamis Coda S2 is a very good option if you’re looking for the comfort of a steel frame (steel does a much better job than aluminum at dampening the vibrations caused by rough pavement) without the weight penalty that lower-priced steel frames often impose. (Such frames are often made with heavier high-tensile steel, rather than the chrome-moly that the Coda S2 has in both its frame and fork.) That means an easy time carrying this bike up stairs and lifting it onto bus- or car-mounted bike racks. The Coda S2 comes with well-rated Vittoria Randonneur tires—that is, tires from a “real” tire company that you can buy in a bike shop, and now in a wider and cushier size—and steel-wrapped resin pedals. (This bike is also available in a women's version , which essentially means smaller sizing and a women’s-specific saddle.) The main drawbacks with this model are maneuverability—it’s not quite as nimble as the other bikes we tested, which could be a function of its geometry (more on that in How we picked and tested )—and price. In 2018, the Coda Sport (as it used to be called) cost $530; now, the Coda S2, which has very similar components, costs $770.

For commuters, belt-drive systems make a lot of sense. The belts don’t wear out as quickly as chains, and they don’t need to be oiled, so there’s less bike grease in your life and on your clothes. And the internally geared rear hubs let you change gears when you’re standing still (like at a traffic light). The downside is the cost: Reliable internally geared hubs are expensive, and that makes bikes with belt drives pricier than our other picks. But the aluminum Priority Continuum Onyx is a bargain for this category, especially considering that it comes with hydraulic disc brakes, the well-respected Gates Carbon Drive belt, and an Enviolo continuous gearing rear hub, plus upgrades, such as internal gear cable routing and dynamo-charged front and rear lights. (This bike does not, however, come in a step-through version.)

The research

Who this is for, why you should trust me, how we picked and tested, our pick: marin fairfax 1, also great: jamis coda s2, upgrade pick: priority continuum onyx, the competition.

If you’d like to start regularly riding to work or school, and your ride will last half an hour or more, you’ll probably want what’s often called a fitness hybrid bike, or a performance hybrid. That term gets you what is basically a road bike with flat, mountain-bike-style handlebars. A bike like this will be agile enough to maneuver around the potholes you see, tough enough to weather the ones you don’t, and speedy enough that you can roll it out on the weekend to get some exercise with the family, or even join a charity ride. But it’s not as twitchy, in terms of handling, as an actual drop-bar road bike would be, and, given that you’ll be sitting up rather than hunched over, it’ll be a lot more comfortable to ride. And should you get to the point where you are snagging all the local KOMs or QOMs (translation: you’ve bought a fancy road bike) or shredding the singletrack gnar (translation: you’ve bought a fancy mountain bike), you can still use your trusty hybrid as your townie bike—the one you can load down with groceries (hurray, rack mounts!) or lock up outside without too much fear of theft (hurray, low price!).

If you start searching online for “hybrid bikes,” by the way, you’ll no doubt discover that the term covers a vast range of options. For super-short commutes—a couple of miles or so—you could get away with one of those cruiser-type “comfort hybrids,” where you sit up straight in a big squishy saddle. But for anything longer, that kind of seat will soon become a literal pain in the posterior. Your sit bones, as the yoga teachers call them, need a firm base to support the rest of you. And if you’re never going to use the bike for anything other than commuting, you could get an urban or utility hybrid, which comes outfitted with integrated racks and fenders and lights. But you’ll pay more for accessories that might not suit your particular needs—and you’ll have to get another bike for your fun rides.

For the original 2017 version of this review, I interviewed mechanics and proprietors at shops specializing in commuter bikes all over the country—from Boston and Washington, DC, to New Orleans and Chicago to Minneapolis and San Francisco—who see and repair bikes that are ridden in all kinds of conditions. I also talked to bike manufacturers and component suppliers, spent multiple days surveying every booth at various bike trade shows, and, of course, checked in with everyday riders, including members of San Francisco’s local bike coalition.

Over the years since, I’ve continued to test new iterations of our picks, to make sure they’ve retained the features we liked, and I’ve researched and considered new models from other manufacturers, testing those that seemed promising.

Years ago, I myself started riding an eight-speed hybrid from San Francisco’s Bernal Heights to my downtown office, and even after I’d switched to a road bike for a longer commute, I kept the sturdy little bike around as my city ride. I also used to work part-time at my local bike shop, where my duties included advising the shop’s commuter clientele on fenders, racks, and panniers—and installing them, too.

Performance hybrid bikes don’t attract the kind of enthusiasts who keep endless threads going on road-bike or mountain-bike forums, debating the merits and flaws of different brands and models. Magazines like Bicycling and Outside and Men’s Journal will occasionally cover hybrid bikes or recommend one in the context of a larger bike roundup. Still, we dug up what reviews we could find, looking for praise and dings.

The sweet spot for a starter bike like this used to be $500. Drop much lower, and you were stuck with outmoded or truly poorly made parts that might be hard to replace once they wear out; spend more, and you can get a nicer bike, with lighter components, but that defeats the purpose of a starter bike. However, many of the $500 bikes we looked at a few years back have gone up in price, some by as much as 35% as of the spring of 2023. We did still find some hybrids from reputable manufacturers that cost $500, but almost all of those had one or more deal-breaking problems. In fact, those dealbreakers are now appearing in bikes costing as much as $650.

After seeing what’s available now, consulting buying guides both online and in print (our library of more than a dozen bike-repair manuals), and interviewing commuters, bike-shop owners, and mechanics, we settled on what we’d like to see in the ideal basic hybrid-fitness bike.

Fitness-appropriate geometry: When bike people talk about “geometry,” they’re talking about the angles at which the tubes that make up the bike’s frame meet. Change the degrees of the angles, and you change the way the bike handles on corners and going up and down hills. The more vertical the head tube is—that’s the tube connecting the handlebars to the front fork and wheel—the more quickly the bike will turn. Which sounds good, but if the bike is too responsive, it could feel squirrelly and unstable. For efficiency’s sake, the design of your hybrid’s frame should be closer to that of a road bike than to that of a comfort bike, or a porteur -style retro bike (the ones with swept-back handlebars and, sometimes, a front rack like the ones Parisian newsboys once used). You don’t want to sit straight up, especially on a longer weekend ride. Why? You’ll have to fight the wind more if you’re sitting up, and, adds Kevin Womac of downtown Chicago’s Boulevard Bikes , “If you lean over, you can use more of your core muscles to pedal, so your legs aren’t getting as tired.”

Flat handlebars: These are more user-friendly than the drop bars you see on a road bike, and since you will be more upright, your field of vision will be broader—a plus in city traffic.

Safe, strong brakes: On a flat-bar bike like this, you’ll have a choice of traditional V brakes or disc brakes. Although mechanical (or cable-actuated) disc brakes have become common on low-priced hybrids, we don’t see them as a necessity as much as a nice thing to have if you live in a place with a lot of rain and snow and hills. As Loren Copsey , co-owner of The Daily Rider in Washington, DC, said, “On these bikes you’re going to get entry-level disc brakes, which are hard to set up and hard to keep adjusted, and lower-quality pads—and they’re not necessarily even more powerful than rim brakes. So you might get more value at that price point with the one that has the V brake and the nicer drivetrain.” Also, bikes with disc brakes are almost always heavier than comparable bikes with rim brakes, and a lighter bike is easier to ride uphill, and easier to lift onto a bike rack or carry up a flight of stairs. However, it’s unusual to find a hybrid now, in 2023, equipped with V brakes that doesn’t also come with serious flaws elsewhere on the bike.

Fender and rack mounts: Instead of using a backpack to carry your laptop or groceries, using panniers attached to a rear rack lowers your center of gravity, which is a good thing. Also, no sweaty back. Fenders will keep you (and your riding companions) at least a little drier when you’re riding in the rain—or on wet roads, after the rain has ended.

Puncture-resistant tires: Such tires are heavier and slower than the speedy slicks you’d use on a road bike, but any time that you might lose due to the extra weight is time you’ll probably gain back (and more!) by not having to stop to fix a flat. Unfortunately, fewer entry-level bikes come equipped with this kind of tire than when we first published this guide.

Gearing appropriate for your terrain: By this we mean, for the most part, that the bike should have gears and not be a single-speed. Not that single speeds don’t have their place. In parts of the country that are flat and have vicious winters—hello, Minnesota!—the fewer moving parts in a drivetrain, the better. But most of us have at least a few hills to climb or headwinds to battle, and gears will come in handy. Almost all geared fitness hybrids come with three chainrings in front and seven or eight gears in the back, for a total of 21 or 24 gears, which would give you enough options for pretty much anywhere you’ll be riding. Something we’ve seen more of lately are hybrids with just a single chainring up front and no front derailleur, and a bigger set of gears in the back. (This type of setup has been popular on mountain bikes for years now; a derailleur is, by the way, the mechanism that moves your bike’s chain from one gear to another when you trigger the shifter.) Having one fewer shifter to deal with is appealing, but to get the equivalent range of gears without two or three chainrings, you need big—and expensive and heavy—cassettes in the rear. So we eliminated such hybrids.

A sturdy yet reasonably lightweight frame: You do want to be able to carry your bike up steps or down into the subway, or be able to lift it onto a bus or a bike rack. But you also want something that can withstand being knocked around a little. So you’ll probably be looking at an aluminum frame. Aluminum’s a third of the weight of steel, and it doesn’t cost nearly as much as carbon (though the ride can be stiff and a bit jarring). Steel provides a cushier ride, but a good-quality, lightweight steel frame will not be cheap. Almost all of the bikes we looked at, though, do have steel-bladed forks; the slight increase in weight that they add is worth the vibration dampening they provide. (Of these forks, we preferred those made from chrome-moly , a type of steel that’s stronger than high-tensile steel , which you tend to see in very cheap bikes.)

Decent-quality components: Here, it’s a matter of finding the right balance of price, quality, and durability. Before 2020, most of the front and rear derailleurs on these bikes—and shifters and brake levers, too—were made by Shimano, and although they were not top (or even middle) of the line, they worked just fine and would last at least a few commuting seasons. During the pandemic-induced bike boom, manufacturers were scrambling for components and often having to use those from less well known companies such as ProWheel and microSHIFT. Now, the boom has waned, but inflation hasn’t quite, yet, so we’re still seeing these cheaper off-brand components on bikes. By all accounts, according to the many rider forums we’ve dug through, they’re functional enough. “If you’re not racing, a slightly heavier derailleur isn’t going to make a big difference. I don’t think somebody’s going to notice performance issues right off the bat, and when the derailleur needs to be replaced, the cost will be fairly minimal—$20 to $30,” said Womac. “Yes, cheaper derailleurs do look uglier, but that’s just aesthetics.” One thing we would avoid, though, are bikes that come with old-fashioned freewheel cogsets on the rear wheel, instead of the more modern cassettes. A common complaint on the few hybrid user threads we’d found was being stuck with a wheel whose hub was compatible only with freewheel cogs, which are becoming hard to find, especially high-level ones. What you really don’t want to buy is a bike with a freewheel and disc brakes—and we’re seeing more and more of them. If that rear wheel gets stolen or irreparably damaged, good luck replacing it, said Copsey: “You just can’t find those two things on an off-the-shelf wheel.”

Wide rims: The wider the rims on the wheels, the wider the tire you can use, and the lower the air pressure you need, which gives you a more comfortable ride. “A big fat tire is the poor man’s suspension,” said Michael Ferrand, owner of Bicycle Michael’s , in New Orleans. The norm for these bikes’ rims is 32 mm—you’ll want at least that. (One welcome trend is the increasing number of hybrids being sold with wider tires: Instead of the usual 35s, they’re coming with 38 mm tires and even 40 mm.) Speaking of suspension, none of our experts would recommend getting a $500 bike with front suspension, no matter how bad the roads are in your city. As Emily Thibodeau, owner of Hub Bicycle (now closed), in Cambridge, Massachusetts, put it, “At this price point, the shocks you’d get are really heavy and can’t be adjusted—it’s like having a glorified pogo stick on the front of your bike.”

When we first compiled this guide, in 2017, we started with a master list of 45 bikes and filtered it down to 16 using the above requirements. For our next update, in 2019, we started with those 16 bikes, checking to see which aspects and components had changed and which had remained the same. When necessary, we called in models that had undergone any substantial changes. In 2021 and 2023, we dove deep into the latest specs for all the bikes we’d ever looked at, as well as those of our picks, and of any new bikes on the scene.

Next came the test-riding stage. The highlight was what I like to call the Supermarket Slalom: riding up and down a steep little driveway leading to my local Safeway, while weaving in and out of the soft-hit poles that separate the cars from the pedestrians, to test the bikes’ handling. (I promise: No pedestrians were harmed, or startled, in the course of researching this story.) San Francisco even obliged with a few rainstorms, which made the abundant broken glass in the parking lot even more appealing to tires and made the pedestrian walkway’s plastic surface even more slippery—and allowed me to vet all of the bikes’ brakes for wet-weather performance.

Here are two things to remember when you’re shopping. First, you should try to test-ride any bike you’re considering buying—how a bike feels to you and how your body feels while riding it are intensely personal. And that raises the question of women-specific design (aka WSD). Though most companies do offer step-through or low-rise versions of each bike (we’ll point out when our picks do), more than a few are now offering parallel models (or even complete brands of bikes) designed for smaller riders with proportionally shorter arms, narrower shoulders, longer legs, and smaller hands. Usually, these riders are women, which means that these models and brands have tended to come in what the companies believe are female-friendly colors (and sometimes, sadly, with components that are not quite as good). Still, no matter what gender you identify as, if your body resembles the description above, you’d be smart to try WSD models too—you might just find a bike that fits you perfectly. Conversely, if you’re a tall person of any gender who has broad shoulders, WSD bikes might not be for you. The second thing to bear in mind is that bikes don’t often change that much—or at all—from one model year to the next. If the bike you like isn’t available anymore but the dealer says that next year’s model will be available soon, ask if it’s a “carry-forward” model. If it is, nothing will be changing.

After a redesign for 2022, the Marin Fairfax 1 remains at the top of our list for many reasons: the two most important being value for money and how it feels to ride. When I initially got on the bike, the first year we tested it, and pedaled off down the street, the bike felt quick—not in a nervous, edgy way, but in a sprightly way. Accelerating felt easy. When I measured the bike’s chainstays (the parts of the frame that connect the rear wheel to the bottom bracket), they were shorter, 432 mm, than those on any other bike we tested. As a rule, the shorter the chainstay, the quicker the bike accelerates and the easier it climbs—at least until the front wheel starts lifting off the ground. Also, the Fairfax chainstays are flattened (a design meant to increase stiffness; that is, more of your pedaling power makes it to the rear wheel), and the seat stays (the parts of the frame that connect the rear wheel to the seat tube) join the seat tube at a relatively low point, tightening the rear triangle, which also increases the bike’s responsiveness.

In the 2022 model we tested, the flat design of the chainstays hasn’t changed, nor has the low point at which the seat stays join the frame, but the chainstays are now longer at 445 mm. (We tested a step-through version, which is the bike shown in the photos above and below.) The Fairfax didn’t seem sluggish to us, and at a time when prices for similarly equipped hybrids from the big companies (Cannondale, Fuji, Giant, Specialized, Trek) hover around $650, the Fairfax still costs only $500. (The 2023 model uses the same frame and mostly the same components—the only difference being the disc brakes. They’re now being sourced from a British company, Clarks , known for supplying big bike companies with their house-brand brakes.)

In 2019, this bike started coming with mechanical disc brakes. As we said earlier, we believe that disc brakes (whether the cheaper, less effective, but easier-to-maintain cable-actuated mechanical versions, or the pricier, somewhat fussier hydraulic ones) are overkill on hybrids, unless you ride a lot in bad weather. They also tend to add weight and cost to a bike. In this case, the bike gained 3.79 pounds and Marin downgraded the quality of the rear derailleur a level in Shimano’s range from an Acera to the Tourney; downgraded the quality of the tires (more about that below); and went from eight cogs in the rear to seven (multiply them by the three chainrings up front, for a total of 21 gears in all).

Going from 24 gears to 21 is less of a problem than you might think, as long as the distance between the highest and lowest gears doesn’t decrease. The cassette on the old Fairfax had eight gears ranging from 11 to 32 teeth; the cassette on the newer one has seven gears ranging from 11 to 34 teeth, so the gearing range increased. That’d be a good thing—especially if you’re facing a steep hill and will be needing that extra-easy big gear in the back—except that the bigger jumps between fewer gears might make the shifting feel rough. (This isn’t something we noticed with the Fairfax, though.)

Having only seven gears in back is common among the other hybrids we saw in the Fairfax’s price range; what makes the Fairfax stand out is that Marin is using a true seven-speed cassette, not a freewheel cogset (see our criteria in the How we picked section). None of the other 21-speed bikes we considered came with a cassette at the time, and this remains the case in 2023. In fact, now we’re seeing bikes costing as much as $650—such as the Giant Escape 3 Disc —coming with a freewheel cogset. (The Fairfax’s front gearing is like that of all the bikes we tested, apart from the belt-drive ones: a Shimano Tourney triple set of chainrings with 48, 38, and 28 teeth.) Otherwise, this model has the same components as its predecessor, and the same sprightly aluminum frame and shock-dampening chrome-moly steel fork.

Apart from the changes in the Fairfax’s geometry, the most recent redesign did result in two definite improvements. First, the shifter cables are once again routed internally, and now the brake cables are as well—an unexpectedly high-end touch in an entry-level bike. Running the shifter or brake cables inside the frame tubes protects the cables from damage in much the same way that cable housing does, only better. (Grit can work its way in between the cable and the housing and make your bike’s shifting slow or ragged.) Second, the frame now has clearance for bigger tires, which means that if you so choose, you can replace the 35 mm tires that come stock on the bike with cushier 38s or even 40s (I checked and they’ll fit).

For those riders who prefer a step-through or low-rise frame, Marin now makes a version of the Fairfax 1 called the Fairfax 1 ST ; it’s identical to the Fairfax, apart from having a lower top tube.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

In 2019, Marin went with a private-label tire with no claim of flat protection for the Fairfax 1, instead of with the previous Schwalbe Road Cruisers, which came from one of the most respected tire makers in the business and did have a protective layer of Kevlar fiber. The 2023 Fairfax 1 still comes with the private-label tire.

In the years since we first tested the Jamis Coda S2 (formerly called the Coda Sport), the bike’s specs haven’t changed in any substantive way, though the price has steadily marched upward, from $520 in 2017 to $530 to $580 to $700 in 2021 to $770 this year. The 2023 version currently available is very similar to the 2017 that we tested; the only difference is the color, which is now either a deep blue or black. This model still has the same Shimano Tourney front derailleur and triple crankset (with 48, 38, and 28 teeth), Acera rear derailleur and eight-cog, 11-32-tooth cassette, and Tektro V brakes, as well as steel-wrapped resin pedals, and it once again comes with Vittoria Randonneur tires after a brief downgrade, two years ago, to Kenda Kwick tires. Now, however, the Randonneurs are 40mm instead of the old 32s, which should make the ride even smoother. The heart of the Coda S2 is still relatively lightweight (27 pounds for the 19-inch size) steel frame, which quiets the road chatter you might otherwise feel while riding on rough pavement. (Jamis does make a “women’s” version of the Coda S2 ; the only differences, though, are that it comes in one smaller size, different colors, and with a slightly wider saddle.)

Along with a silky ride feel, another advantage steel offers is that if it bends, it can be bent back. So if the hanger that attaches the rear derailleur to the frame gets bent—as can happen if the bike is in a crash or even, say, jostled roughly on a train—it can be straightened again without risk that it will snap. With aluminum, sometimes such an operation is successful and sometimes … not. This is why modern bikes with aluminum frames—like all of the aluminum hybrids we tested—use replaceable derailleur hangers, which can be swapped out if they get bent. These aren’t expensive parts to replace, but they come in a bewildering array of sizes and shapes. So it can be a minor pain, even for a professional mechanic, to identify the hanger that’s on your bike and then to find a new one.

In terms of acceleration, the Coda has relatively short chainstays—435 mm for the smaller three sizes, and 440 mm for the two larger—which makes this bike a bit sprightlier than the run-of-the-mill steel bike.

If you plan on commuting during foul weather or spend a lot of time riding on dirt roads, you might want to consider a bike with disc brakes, which maintain their stopping power in the rain (they also don’t get clogged up with mud or slush the way rim brakes can). But if your daily routine takes you on rough pavement or potholed city streets, the Coda S1 could be the bike for you.

Although the aluminum-framed Priority Continuum Onyx retails (as of this writing) at $1,300—a little over two and a half times the cost of the Marin Fairfax 1 —it’s actually inexpensive for a belt-drive hybrid. The Continuum comes with hydraulic disc brakes, an aluminum fork, a Gates Carbon Drive belt (Gates being the most well-made option from a high-quality manufacturer), and, most intriguingly, an Enviolo continuous internally geared rear hub drive (instead of the cassette-and-derailleur system on the regular fitness hybrids we researched). But this bike is also available only through the Priority website, which means diving into the sometimes-problematic world of online bike shopping.

One plus of using a carbon belt to turn your bike’s gears and wheels is that a belt is far cleaner than a chain, since a belt drive doesn’t need to be lubricated, so it doesn’t pick up dirt the way chain lube does. (No bike grease on your pant leg!) However, belt-drive hybrids tend to be quite a bit more expensive than traditional hybrids, because using a belt drive requires using an internally geared rear hub, which can cost anywhere from about $100 for a three-speed Sturmey-Archer to $1,500 for a Rohloff 14-speed. (Compare this with $45 for the Shimano eight-speed cassette and hubs that are on most of the bikes we looked at.)

More-affordable belt-drive bikes have definitely been a trend. What sets the Continuum Onyx apart is the type of internally geared rear hub it has, and how you buy the bike.

Rather than changing gears one by one, with an audible click, you twist the grip shifter of the Continuum Onyx smoothly in one direction to make the pedals easier to turn (and the bike easier to ride up hills), and in the other direction to make the pedals harder to turn (which will make the bike go faster on flat ground). The workings of ordinary internally geared hubs are difficult enough to grasp—picture something like the inside of an old, expensive watch —and when you add in the concept of continuous gearing, with no indexing, it seems like magic. However, the hub does have upper and lower limits in terms of ease and difficulty: According to Enviolo, the range of “gears” is broader than with a Shimano Nexus eight-speed hub, which is what Marin’s Presidio 3 belt-drive commuter bike (selling for $1,150) comes with—and the Priority does seem to climb just a little bit better.

The Continuum Onyx that we tested came with a front headlight that’s powered by the front wheel’s dynamo hub, so you don’t need to replace batteries or plug it in to recharge it, and a removable, rechargeable (by USB) rear light; all the Onyxes now shipping, however, are equipped with a rear light that’s permanently attached and wired to the front hub’s dynamo as well. The headlight on our test bike was strong enough for city use—I’d supplement it with our commuter headlight pick if I were taking it on dark suburban bike paths, say—but it had a strobe-y effect that I found distracting. Other than that, the Continuum Onyx was sturdy, comfortable, and fun to ride around town.

The downside to buying a Priority bike is that you’re buying a bike online. There are many, many reasons to be wary of doing so, not the least of which is that you can’t test-ride the bike ahead of time to make sure you like it and that it fits you. And once the bike arrives, you have to finish putting it together. This was the case when we tested this Continuum Onyx, as well as its predecessor, the first Continuum. (One advantage of an internally geared hub and a belt drive is that at least you don’t have to fiddle with derailleurs; you do, however, still need to make sure your brakes are set up correctly and your bike is bolted together properly.) Both bikes we tested—the original Continuum, which we tested six years ago, and the current Continuum Onyx—came from Priority in fine shape, and the hydraulic brakes didn’t need to be bled on either of them.

Since our testing, Priority has created a couple of workarounds. The first involves an outfit called Beeline Connect ; Priority ships your bike to the bike shop closest to you that works with Beeline, and the shop assembles it for a fee of $130. The second is to pick up the bike, fully assembled, at Priority’s showroom in lower Manhattan (for a fee, again, of $130). If neither of those options work for you, and you have the bike shipped directly to you (this costs $30), we recommend that you have a bike shop assemble your bike for you or at least check your work. You should expect to pay the shop its standard service rate and maybe even a “corkage” fee—a small fee for bringing in a bike you bought online instead of purchasing one at the shop. (If there is a fee, pay it, and don’t be a jerk about it.) As Michael Ferrard points out, bringing in a bike you’ve bought online for them to put together is like “driving your meat to McDonald’s and asking them to fry it up and put some porcini and portobello mushrooms on it.”

The Trek FX 2 Disc  and the Trek FX 2 Disc Stagger step-through , which both come with hydraulic brakes, now cost a cool $800 each, a $70 increase from 2021 and a $260 increase over 2019. The bikes do still feature Trek’s proprietary Blendr stem and DuoTrap S capability. The first lets you fasten Blendr-compatible mounts for lights or bike computers or cameras to the handlebar end of the stem, freeing up valuable real estate on your handlebars. The second means that you can install Bontrager’s DuoTrap S speed and cadence sensor into the chainstay—no zip ties! But if you’re that interested in performance metrics, odds are good you’ll soon be graduating from a hybrid to a road bike anyway. (Trek’s entry-level FX, the FX 1, is still available in rim-brake and mechanical-disc-brake versions , for $600 and $700, respectively. But both models use a freewheel cogset, not a cassette, which we regard as a dealbreaker.)

In the past, we’ve criticized the Giant Escape 2 for its aluminum fork, which we could feel transmitting the roughness in the pavement through the handlebars to a much greater extent than with the bikes we tested that had steel forks. After eliminating the rim-brake version of the Escape 2 entirely in 2020 and switching the disc-brake version from a triple chainring in front to a double (which helps the bike shed a little weight but also reduces the number of gearing options; the cassette remains 8-speed), Giant has kept the Escape 2 Disc (with hydraulic disc brakes) largely the same for the current model, apart from giving it wider, 38 mm tires. However, since 2020 the price has jumped $170, to $750. (The cheaper Escape 3 still comes in both rim-brake and mechanical-disc versions, but those use freewheel cogsets—a dealbreaker, as we said above .)

In a laudable commitment to women’s cycling, Giant has an entire women-specific brand, Liv. The Liv equivalent to the Escape line is called Alight; the Alight 2 comes only in a hydraulic-disc-brake version , and the Alight 3 comes in rim-brake and mechanical-disc models, also with freewheel cogsets. The same changes in the Escape bikes hold true for the Alight models: bigger tires and higher price tags.

The 2019 version of the Specialized Sirrus (the name was changed to the Sirrus 1.0 ), one of our also-great picks from four years ago, went up in price from $430 to $475, despite having suffered cuts in component quality. In 2020, the price remained the same, but the bike had a double chainring in front, in place of the old triple. This reduced the number of gearing options to 14 (as the rear cassette remains a seven-speed), and those gears spanned a narrower range (12 to 32) than the Marin Fairfax 1 covers (11 to 34). For 2021—and now 2023—not much changed except the price, which rose to $650.

As for Cannondale, it eliminated the entire lower end of its Quick range of fitness hybrids for 2020: no more Quick 8 or Quick 7. The line starts with the Quick 6, which has V brakes, triple chainrings, and a seven-speed cassette (instead of the nine-speed one it used to have). The price is $660 for the men’s and the women’s versions; they are identical apart from the range of sizes and colors available, and the fact that the women’s version has a step-through frame.

We dismissed Batch Bicycles’ Fitness Bicycle because it uses a freewheel cogset rather than a cassette. We had been planning to test the steel Roebling , from Brooklyn Bicycle Co., but it now comes with a single chainring up front instead of the original triple chainring, which is a dealbreaker. Jamis makes a cheaper version of the Coda S2 called the Coda S3 , but its handlebars are very upright and look more suited to a comfort bike—another dealbreaker.

M. Loren Copsey, co-owner of The Daily Rider, Washington, DC , phone interview , September 29, 2016

Kevin Womac, owner of Boulevard Bikes, Chicago , phone interview , September 29, 2016

Michael Ferrand, owner of Bicycle Michael’s, New Orleans , phone interview , September 29, 2016

Emily Thibodeau, former owner of Hub Bicycle, Cambridge, Massachusetts , phone interview , September 29, 2016

Gene Oberpriller, owner of One on One Bicycle Studio, Minneapolis , phone interview , September 29, 2016

S.B. Phillips, mechanic, The New Wheel, San Francisco , interview , October 1, 2016

Meet your guide

Christine Ryan

Christine Ryan is a senior editor at Wirecutter overseeing the teams that cover travel, outdoors gear, beds and linens, home decor, and more. (She also edits and writes about cycling equipment, which gives her an excuse to sneak away from her desk and go for a ride.) Previously, she was an editor at European Travel & Life, Gourmet, and Sunset.

Further reading

The Best Bike Helmet for Commuters

by Lindsay Warner

In our ninth year of testing bike helmets, we now recommend the Met Downtown Mips for most commuters. We also have other picks for other needs.

The Best Bike Storage Ideas

by Christine Ryan

After 30-plus hours of research and testing, we think the Delta Cycle Michelangelo Gravity Stand  is the best bike rack for storing bikes in limited-space homes.

The Best Kids Bike Seats

by Caitlin Giddings

A kids seat mounted to your bike is a good way to begin to nurture your child’s own love of riding for transportation—or just for fun.

The Best Bike Panniers

by Eve O'Neill

After spending four years testing dozens of panniers, we’ve chosen six that’ll be great for daily duty no matter what you’re toting or where you’re going.

Trek 7.2 FX

December 10, 2014

We've long been fans of the Trek 7.2 FX. This bike has been a top seller in our shop for years, and has pretty much dominated our fitness bike category. It's just a great all around bike, at a really accessible price point.

Trek 7.2 FX Hybrid Bike Review

With new 2015 models now on the floor, it's good to see that Trek is continuing the FX tradition of value. They've added a disc brake option to the line up to ensure stopping power under any condition, but even with this upgrade the bike comes in below $600.00, and the non-disc versions are below $500.

What makes the 7.2 such a popular bike is its versatility. This is your explore the city, ride the Veloway, go to the farmers market, commuting machine. The relaxed road geometry of the frame coupled with the flat bars and mountain bike style shifters make the 7.2 comfortable, yet still much quicker and responsive than any cruiser on the market. Another weight saving addition is the rust proof and lightweight aluminum frame.

With integrated rack and fender tabs, the 7.2 gives you the option to add multiple storage solutions to the frame and keep them off of your back. This is a nice option to have if you planning on riding in the summer. Unless, of course, you're a fan of back sweat.

To complete the package, the 7.2 comes with Bontrager Hard Case Lite tires and a Shimano drivetrain. These puncture resistant tires are incredibly durable and the Shimano components are industry leading. If you do happen to have an issue, just swing by the shop. Every bike we sell comes with lifetime brake and derailleur adjustments. Or even better, attend one of our Monday Maintenance Clinics to learn how to do these things yourself.

We have size runs of these bikes in stock for both men and women, so come by our bike shop to check out the 7.2 in person. Austin is such a bike accessible town and the FX series is the perfect way to explore our city.

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Trek FX 2 Disc Equipped review: Unspectacular but effective

The trek fx 2 disc is a versatile all-rounder with surprising levels of comfort and stability.

Cyclingnews Verdict

Built around a frame with a superb balance between responsiveness and comfort, the Trek FX 2 Disc Equipped will tackle any task required of a hybrid bike in an effective, if unspectacular, manner

The frame has a great balance between responsiveness and comfort

Equipped for night riding, bikepacking or commuting

Can carry a decent amount of weight

Stable ride for long distances

Would need a drivetrain upgrade to become a serious fitness bike

On the heavy side for a rigid frame

You can trust Cyclingnews Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

A hybrid bike can and will mean different things to different people. But sometimes it is simply the bike that fills the gaps, that doesn't do any one thing but in fact does it all. Purists may scoff and say to compromise is to ruin the essence of life: if you are not something, you are nothing. But Trek has offered a repost: if you can't be something, be everything.

That certainly appears to be the aim of the Trek FX 2 Disc Equipped. It's the jack-of-all-trades, odd-jobber of a bike. It comes, as the name suggests, fully loaded with a pannier rack, lights, mudguards and even a kickstand but what elevates it to a place among the best budget hybrid bikes available today is that, as part of Trek's fitness range, all that versatility does not come at the cost of all rideability. 

And that's a crucial element. Just because a bike has more practical functions – going to the shops, commuting, family bike rides etc – doesn't mean it can't be fun, have its own personality and leave us looking forward to running that next errand.

Trek's FX range of bikes is quite extensive, starting at the £500.00/$599.99 FX 1 and going all the way to the full-carbon £3,050.00/$2,799.99 FX Sport 6. The FX 2 is available with a step-through frame – in both the Equipped and standard versions – and has been updated for 2023, with the main difference from the 2021 model being a move from a 3x8 to a 2x9 gearing system.

The FX 2 Disc Equipped is priced at £740.00 - it's not currently available in the USA - which is £90 more than the FX 2 Disc standard (£650.00/$799.99) which foregoes the rack, lights, mudguards and kickstand. Although it does come in a couple of extra colour options.

Design and specification

Recognising alloy frames' bad reputation for comfort compared to steel and carbon, Trek set itself a goal to "build more compliant frames that retain the acceleration and affordability that have always made aluminium popular" – and it is the fruit of that labour that the FX 2 Disc Equipped is designed around. 

The Alpha Gold Aluminium frame, while not the lightest, does offer a great balance between responsiveness and comfort. It is also strong: according to Trek, the FX 2 Disc can take weights of up to 136kg (for bike, rider, and cargo combined), which fares well compared to other hybrid bikes in the same class such as the Merida Speeder 200 (120kg) and Scott Sub Cross 50 (128kg). The pannier rack that comes with it is also very solid and suitable for carrying loads up to 25kg despite weighing less than 600g itself.

My size large test bike as a whole weighed in at 13.4kg with pedals. The rack, lights, mudguards, and kickstand account for just over a kilogram of that weight but it's still a touch on the heavy side for a fixed-frame hybrid in this price range. 

While the focus is on the practicality of the frame, it is by no means ugly – especially when stripped of all the accessories – with internal cable routing, a gentle curve to the top tube that is reminiscent of the Specialized Sirrus (one of the classic beauties of the hybrid world) and the choice of a striking Viper Red or classy Lithium grey colourway. The geometry is pretty much what you would expect from a hybrid, with perhaps a slightly longer chainstay length adding to its stability. It is not as upright as, say, the Sirrus but similar to the Cannondale Quick 3 – which is a good bike to use as a comparison in general.

Like the Quick 3, the Trek FX 2 comes with a Shimano Acera/Altus 2x9 drivetrain and has an integrated mounting system in the stem, as well as the ability to track cadence and other metrics using an integrated wireless sensor. 

Trek's Blendr stem system is designed for easy installation of computers, lights and other accessories to your cockpit. It does, rather annoyingly, require an additional base to be purchased (which plugs into the stem) and then a further mount for the specific accessory (which attaches to the base) but that does allow for a wide range of options to suit all needs.  

The DuoTrap S is a Bluetooth/ANT+ sensor that integrates into the chainstay and wirelessly transmits to a smartphone or computer to track cadence and other metrics. Again, it requires a separate purchase, but the frame is set up for it to be attached without the need for zip wires or other ungainly fasteners.   

Trek has made an effort to include ergonomic grips on the FX 2 Disc Equipped, although they are a little on the basic side, especially compared to those on the more expensive models in the FX range. 

The lights, however, are far more impressive, particularly the AXA Greenline 35 headlight. USB-charging, it has a wide beam, is also designed to be visible from the side and is discreetly mounted on the top of the fork, which avoids cluttering the cockpit.

The Tektro HD-R280 hydraulic disc brakes are pretty standard now for mid-range hybrids. My test bike came with Bontrager H2 Comp 700x32c tyres but with the mudguards fitted there is room for up to 35mm and Bontrager H2 Hard-Case Light 700x35c tyres are listed as an option on the spec sheet. Without the mudguards, Trek says the frame can accommodate tyres up to 38mm in width.

Performance

Trek deserves credit here for really delivering on its aim of a responsive-yet-compliant frame. It's one thing coming up with the jargon, but another bringing it to fruition at a genuinely affordable price. While the FX 2 Disc Equipped might come across as a bit of a plodder on paper, in reality, it has a surprising amount of responsiveness. Loaded up with a carry pack on top of the pannier rack, I was happy overtaking other cyclists on reasonably fast country roads, knowing I had the acceleration to get past and back across to the side of the road in ample time.

Yes, it's no speed demon – it doesn't have the playfulness of the Boardman URB 8.9 or the lightweight climbing ability of the Merida Speeder 200, two bikes at a similar price point – but where it completely outscores both is in comfort and stability, even with a rack, mudguards, light, kickstand all bolted on. 

Interestingly enough, I took it for a ride with all those added extras stripped off and, while significantly lighter – making an obvious difference on climbs – there was not a huge noticeable change in its performance on the flat. 

My test bike came with a slightly-different-to-advertised Microshift Marvo front derailleur instead of Acera T3000, which is roughly equivalent, and I had no issues with it. However, as a whole, I did find the drivetrain to be under-par for a fitness bike. It's perfectly functional and will get you pretty much wherever you need to go, but it is a little clunky and I noted that the next bike up in the FX range, the FX 3 Disc Equipped , comes with a 10-speed Shimano Deore groupset which, in my experience, is a huge step up in performance. 

In particular, I could not get to grips with the drastic change when switching chainrings on the 46/30 chainset. If I didn't downshift on the 4th sprocket or earlier I found myself spinning out – and this is perhaps a rare example of the FX 2 Disc Equipped coming a little unstuck wanting to satisfy in all areas. That 16-tooth difference in the chainrings (the same difference as a 50/34 compact road chainset, for example) means the bike has the range to get up steep hills while also having enough gas on the flats, but the user experience is compromised a little in doing so. 

Where it doesn't compromise, however, is in its comfort and handling, whether I took it on potholed roads, bike paths, or light gravel it felt so balanced and stable. I was even happy taking it on the grassy, rutted track of a nearby nature reserve – and this was all with the standard 32 mm tyres it came with. Even when there was a little rattling, you could tell it was coming from the rack, fenders, and lights rather than the frame. 

Taking it out at night in light rain did little to change my faith in its dependability and the lights were superb, particularly the wide-beam fork-mounted headlamp – a marked improvement from the usual glorified-torch-on-the-handlebars setup I usually use. Neither front nor rear light offered an intermittent option but, having been driven to distraction on long night rides behind blinking bulbs in the past, that was no great loss to me.

I took the Trek FX 2 Disc Equipped on rides around the countryside, trips to the shops, rides with the kids, rides at night, in the rain, for exercise, for errands and more, and on every occasion, it delivered. It is solid and dependable without feeling clunky or cumbersome. It's not sexy but it's not ugly. It's not overly fun but it's no chore to ride.

It will do what it needs to do in almost every situation you will need a hybrid bike for. Not necessarily to the highest level, but to a high enough level that you won't feel like you are missing out. 

Yes, I did find the Altus/Acera groupset to be restrictive in terms of performance but drivetrains can be upgraded, along with wheels and grips and seatposts etc. Having a top frame is such a great building block. I would stress, however, this frame still has a ceiling to what it can do as a fitness bike, even if it were upgraded in all those areas. It is built for sturdiness as much as anything else and the fact that its performance was similar with and without the rack, fenders, kickstand et al is quite telling. I'm not going to use it to take on the Brecon Beacons in the Dragon Ride but I might choose it over a more expensive performance-oriented bike for a long-distance overnight ride such as the Dunwich Dynamo , where comfort, stability and safety are the overriding priorities.

Tech specs: Trek FX 2 Disc Equipped

• Price Trek FX2 Disc Equipped : £740.00 / $N/A
• Price Trek FX2 Disc : £650.00 / $799.99 
• Sizes : S, M, L, XL
• Weight : 13.4kg (actual, size L, with pedals)
• Frame : Alpha Gold Aluminium
• Fork : FX Alloy
• Shifters : Shimano Altus M2010, 9-speed
• Front derailleur : Microshift Marvo
• Rear derailleur : Shimano Altus M2000
• Crankset : 46/30
• Cassette : Shimano HG200, 11-36, 9-speed
• Brakes : Tektro HD-R280 hydraulic disc
• Wheels : Bontrager Connection
• Tyres : Bontrager H2 Comp, 700x32c
• Saddle : Bontrager Sport
• Seatpost : Bontrager Alloy, 12mm offset
• Stem : Bontrager Comp, Blendr Compatible, 7-degree, 90mm length
• Handlebars : Bontrager alloy, 31.8mm, 15mm rise
• Extras : Rack, Eurofender Snello mudguards, Spanninga SOLO rear light and AXA Greenline 35 headlight, Bontrager Satellite grips, kickstand

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Ben has been a sports journalist for 16 years, covering everything from park football to the Olympic Games. As well as cycling, his passions include podcasts, tennis and speaking enough Italian to get by on his snowboarding trips to the Dolomites. A DIY rider who is almost as happy in the toolbox as he is in the saddle, he is still trying to emulate the feelings he experienced as a nine-year-old on his first Peugeot racer – he couldn’t fathom the down-tube friction shifters then and he’s still wrestling with groupsets now. When he isn’t making a beeline for the nearest Chiltern hill, he is probably tinkering or teaching his kids how to clean a bike properly. He rides a heavily modified 1980 Peugeot PVN10 Super Competition (steel is real) when the road is smooth and dry, and a BMC Alpenchallenge when it’s not.

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Most Popular

Trek Introduces Livestrong Series of FX Hybrids

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A drastic contrast from the various mountain bike releases over the last few weeks, Trek’s latest announcement involves their most popular platform, the FX Fitness hybrid. Not surprisingly, Trek has teamed up wtih Livestrong to produce two special Livestrong Edition FX bikes that will be available through Trek retailers this coming year. More than just a paint job, $50 from the sale of each bike will be donated directly to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The Livestrong FX bikes are essentially a Trek 7.2 FX with the custom Livestrong paint job. With a normal retail of $549.99 for the 7.2, the Livestrong FX comes in at $609.99. Initially the Livestrong Collection of bikes will only include a men’s and women’s Livestrong FX, but additional models will be introduces later in the year.

Check out the Livestrong FX WSD after the break!

Trek Introduces LIVESTRONG Collection of Bicycles

Sale of every Trek-LIVE STRONG bike supports the fight against cancer

(Waterloo, WI) – Trek Bicycle has created a lineup of LIVE STRONG -themed bikes to support the fight against cancer. With the sale of each iconic yellow and black bike, $50 will be donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the organization established in 1997 by the cancer survivor and champion cyclist to serve people living with cancer and empower communities to take action.  The foundation is now known publicly by its powerful brand — LIVE STRONG — and is a leader in the global movement on behalf of 28 million people around the world living with cancer today.

The model year 2012 bikes will carry an exclusive LIVE STRONG aesthetic and will be an addition to Trek’s most popular line of bikes globally; the FX series of fitness hybrids. The FX, renowned in bike shops around the world for its versatility as a bike that can be ridden for fun, fitness, or commuting, will now have model that carries a message of hope and strength. The LIVE STRONG FX will be available in a men’s and women’s frame with the addition of the LIVE STRONG FX WSD.

“We are grateful to Trek for supporting the LIVE STRONG movement through this innovative collection,” said Doug Ulman, LIVE STRONG president and CEO.  “People can practice a healthy lifestyle while supporting our cause and we hope that double benefit provides an added incentive for consumers.

Trek will introduce additional models to Trek’s LIVE STRONG Collection later this year.

The LIVE STRONG Collection can be seen at:  www.trekbikes.com/livestrong/

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor . He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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Trek 7.2 FX WSD

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At a glance

Have fun and get in shape on Trek’s sporty 7.2 FX WSD. This sleek, versatile bike features a great-fitting, low-step women’s-specific aluminum frame with easy-rolling, road bike-sized 700c wheels, a combination that makes every ride seemingly effortless. It sports a hill-flattening 24-speed drivetrain and confidence-inspiring linear-pull brakes. And, you’ll love the reliable Bontrager parts and the puncture-resistant tires that keep you pedaling worry free.

Where To Buy

Specifications

• Fork High-tensile steel w/low-rider mounts
• Hubs Formula aluminum
• Crank Shimano M131
• Front Derailleur Shimano Altus
• Rear Derailleur Shimano Acera
• Saddle Bontrager SSR WSD

Q: How much is a 2016 Trek 7.2 FX WSD?

A 2016 Trek 7.2 FX WSD is typically priced around $490 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: What size 2016 Trek 7.2 FX WSD should I get?

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It works really well as a get around town commuter, just hop on and power away. The frame is stiff enough to transfer anything you put through the pedals in to forward speed. This is where the disadvantage of the upright position comes in though: once you are up to a decent speed (especially if you’ve been racing the roadies from the traffic lights, and this bike is particularly good at that) it’s not so easy to keep it up. The bike is so short – more so than some other hybrids – that the upright position makes you act as a very effective airbrake. I swapped the stock stem out for a 130mm unit just to get a little bit lower.

The Isozone dampener works a treat to make the ride comfortable, but once you load it up you do notice there’s a bit of wobble. That wobble turned into a scary shimmy descending with luggage at over 30mph at one point, which is not great. I used the bike quite a lot with my son in a child seat and had to be very careful to keep the speed down coming down hills. It's much better when it's unloaded at the back.

The drivetrain works really well and I loved the 105 flat bar controls, they give a very positive shift (clunk!). You can trim the front mech (two positions) in the granny and middle rings which is helpful, but I did get a bit confused with the gear indicator for the rear block. This doesn’t seem to have changed from the nine speed mountain biking kit, yet it has to fit 10 gears in what’s designed for three blocks of three: the lowest gear didn’t match up with the lowest position on the indicator. Consequently I found myself looking at the block to know what gear I was in. The bike is sprightly up the climbs – it's better going up than down – but felt a bit overgeared on the steep stuff, especially with a child seat or luggage on the back.

The brakes are a bit of a let down compared to the quality feel of the shifters and drivetrain. They’re perfectly functional and will stop you in no distance at all but they feel a bit cheap and modulation isn't good. Maybe this is where Trek made a saving to fit some of the other kit in, but performance-wise they don't match up to the rest of the spec.

I liked the wheels, they coped admirably with me and my son, even on roughstuff. I particularly liked the underrated (in my opinion) Bonty race lite hardcase tyres. They roll well and feel more racy then you’d expect from a 28. They are good in the wet and above all they are very puncture resistant.

The Trek 7.7FX is comfortable and great fun to ride. Thanks to its light weight and elements of road bike geometry it’s quick off the mark but its upright position is not ideal for bigger rides. The 105 controls are great and it’s a nippy around town bike, but it's not really set up for longer distances.

road.cc test report

Make and model: Trek 7.7FX

Size tested: 20"

About the bike

State the frame and fork material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.

Frame: FX Alpha Black Aluminum w/IsoZone monostay

Fork: Bontrager Nebula, carbon

Wheels: Bontrager Race

Tires: Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase, 700x28c; 60tpi

Shifters: Shimano R770, 10 speed

Front Derailleur: Shimano R773

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra

Crank: Shimano 105 50/39/30

Cassette: Shimano 105 12-27, 10 speed

Pedals: Wellgo single sided, clipless

Saddle: Bontrager Nebula Plus

Seat Post: Bontrager Nebula Elite, carbon

Handlebars: Bontrager Race, 25mm rise, 31.8mm (15.5, 17.5": 0mm rise)

Stem: Bontrager Nebula, 12 degree, 31.8mm

Headset: Aheadset Slimstak w/cartridge bearings, sealed, alloy

Brakeset: Tektro RX 1.0 w/Tektro alloy levers

Tell us what the bike is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Trek state: “Designed to fit every riding need, the FX Platform is the all-day, every day ride for recreation, transportation or exercise. A versatile, upright riding position coupled with features like Flex Form and IsoZone technology provide optimal comfort for going the distance on the bike path or burning through a quick workout.”

It certainly is a very nice, very comfortable, and really quite nippy bike for recreational riding on the road, bike paths or trails.

Transportation works to a certain degree: because of the IsoZone damping widget at the top of the seatstays, it’s never going to be the stablest load carrier.

Going the distance? It depends what you call distance. 10-20 miles and I’m with Trek. Anything longer than that, especially in sub-optimal weather, and I’d want something less upright.

Similarly, it depends what you want out of a workout. It’s a really nice bike that you’ll want to ride, so I reckon it fits the bill. I don’t think anybody would mistake it for a machine that’ll make you quicker at your next time trial.

Frame and fork

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

The frame and fork both seem of a decent quality. Normal use during the test period didn’t cause any blemishes on the finish. Although I don’t like the looks partly painted carbon fork, the finish quality seems decent.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

The Trek 7.7FX’s frame is made from 6000-series aluminium, with the fork made of carbon. The clever bit is this IsoZone insert that sits just above the rear V-brake, where the seatstays join together into a monostay. Trek reckon they’ve “killed vibration in the range a rider feels most (between 40-50 Hz), a rate of twice that of any other system currently on the market.” I can’t vouch for the numbers, but the bike certainly feels comfortable because of it.

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

My experience of the geometry is pretty much as Trek describe it: practically a road bike, but with an upright riding position. It felt really quite short with the stock stem for a bike that was evidently my size in every other dimension. Swapping out the stem to a 130mm road one sorted this out to a certain extent for me.

Where I noticed the road bike geometry most is that the seat tube angle seemed almost racing bike steep. The consequence of this is that your sitting relatively far forward, with your weight pretty close to the bottom bracket, which is really good for putting the power down.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

The carbon fork, Isozone insert and the carbon seatpost certainly soak up the road buzz. I found the saddle extremely comfortable, especially so for the upright riding position (which is what the saddle is specifically designed for).

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too felxible?

The bike has the right stiffness for what it’s designed for. Power transfer is good, but it’s flexible enough to be comfortable.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Power transfer is exceptional on this bike, put your foot down at the traffic light and you’ll have no problem keeping up with the roadies. Because of it’s upright position, you’ll have to work hard to keep that speed going though.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so, was it a problem?

There was no overlap.

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively, neutral or unresponsive? neutral

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

Unloaded, the bike feels stable and handles very well. As soon as you add a rack with any significant weight, you can feel that the bike was not really designed for this purpose.

Commuting with a couple of small panniers full of clothes, you notice that the back-end starts to wobble a bit. More worrying is that descending with this type of load (around the 10kg mark) the bike starts shimmying around 30-35mph.

Similarly, with a 2.5yr old boy on the back, you have to be careful. Once you’re cruising it’s fine, but manoeuvring at low speeds can be tricky. I wouldn’t even dream of taking the bike up to 35mph with my son on the back.

The drivetrain

Wheels and tyres, your verdict.

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Not really for me

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Possibly, depends what they are looking for.

Overall rating: 7 /10

About the tester

Age: 32   Height: 1.78m   Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: All of them!   My best bike is: Cervelo Dual

I've been riding for: Over 20 years   I ride: Every day   I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, touring, club rides, fixed/singlespeed, Audax

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Greet the authors of the site. Want to express thanks for good work.Your article very useful and interesting.

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I love to ride on Trek 7.7FX. It’s really amazing and comfortable bike for riding. Its brakes are a tad of a let down evaluated to the superiority feel of the shifters and drive teaches.

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Trek FX 2 Review: Ultimate Guide To The Fitness Hybrid Gravel Grinder

• by Riding With Ryan (Official)

My first bike from a legitimate bike shop was a Trek FX 2 Disc. There have been several changes over the years, almost all making this bike even better. If you are just getting into cycling and are interested in this Trek FX 2 review, be very careful. This bike will draw you into cycling, and soon you will start obsessing about saving grams, LYCRA, and Strava KOMs. Also, be sure to check out this 2022 Trek FX 3 review .

No need to worry about high prices with this bike. In other words, the Trek FX 2 is an awesome bike with a low price point, below $1,000. So what kind of bike is it, and who is it good for? These are both questions we will answer, and more, in this Trek FX 2 review. After that, you will want to call your bike shop to setup a test ride.

What Kind Of Bike Is The Trek FX 2?

The Trek FX 2 is a fitness hybrid bike. A hybrid bike is simply any bike that doesn’t fall into a specific category like road bike, mountain bike or cruiser. Fitness hybrids are bikes with similar geometry to an endurance road bike, but it will have flat handlebars instead of traditional road bike drop bars.

Fitness hybrid bikes can be ridden in the road, on light gravel, or a combination of the two. They make great bikes for commuting, as well as making an awesome gravel bike with flat bars. It really is a do-it all bike that’s good at everything, great at nothing.

For a long time I ran two different sets of wheels on my Trek FX 2. I had a set of wheels with 40mm gravel tires, and I replaced the stock 35mm tires for some slightly more aggressive 32mm road tires for the factory wheelset. Eventually tire upgrades were not enough and I started buying upgraded bikes. However, I love my Trek FX 2 so much I still own it today.

Who Is The Trek FX 2 Good For?

The Trek FX 2 is made for anyone looking for a high quality ride without sacrificing comfort. This bike is incredibly fast to anyone not already riding a road bike. With beefier tires its a capable endurance bike.

The Trek FX 2 has multiple rack and fender mounts for commuters, and plenty of storage add-ons available for tourers.

It’s not often a single bike fills the holes of so many different riding disciplines. This Trek FX 2 review may be the first bike review I’ve done that covers road biking, fitness, gravel, and recreational riding. All of which are extremely fun and comfortable on the FX 2. The only riding discipline the FX 2 isn’t good for is mountain biking.

Trek FX 2 Gravel Upgrades

One of the most popular questions in the bike shop these days is about gravel bikes. Its an awesome riding discipline that has exploded in popularity for good reason. An easy and affordable way to ride gravel is with the Trek FX 2.

The maximum tire size recommended by Trek for the FX 2 Disc model is a 38mm tire. I have first hand experience fitting 40mm tires on my Trek FX 2 without a single issue. Above all, you don’t want to risk your warranty. It’s best to stay within the specifications Trek recommends. Adding fenders restricts that maximum tire size to 35mm.

After the new tires the FX 2 is ready to shred your next gravel trail. Modifying grips and saddles, as well as adding clipless pedals are all recommendations I would make. Getting those accessories specifically for gravel riding will only enhance your riding experience.

Gravel Purists, or Gravel Snobs, will not appreciate your flat bar gravel bike. Gravel bikes have drop handlebars. Some forged bar ends hanging down should be the final touch to keep everyone happy. They will also give you some additional hand positions on longer rides.

Is the Trek FX 2 Worth It?

Yes, the 2022 Trek FX 2 Disc is certainly worth it’s $779.99 price tag. Save the extra $150 to afford the Trek FX 3 Disc. It comes with an upgraded group set and a carbon fork to eat up additional vibrations from the road. In other words, you can’t go wrong with any Trek FX model.

The 2022 Trek FX 2 Disc bikes come in two color options. Firstly, is Trek’s traditional Satin Lithium Gray that has been a color option every year on the FX model. The second color option is absolute fire. It is Satin Viper Red and it looks amazing.

I love the Viper Red for two reasons. Firstly, it makes the bike look great and look fast. Secondly, is the way the color stands out. Someone driving by is going to see this Viper Red bike. If they see you they are less likely to run you over. Which is, you know, a great thing!

If you are looking for a great way to transport your bikes read: Kuat NV 2.0 Review .

Trek FX 2 Disc vs Rim Brakes

Trek offers the FX 1 and 2 models in rim brake and disc brake versions. The FX 3 is disc brakes only. What exactly is the difference, and are disc brakes worth the upgrade? Lets dive into those details.

First, the difference between disc and rim brakes can be dramatic. Disc brakes provide better stopping power in all conditions. The Tour De France was won on rim brakes for over 100 years, but you can’t argue against disc brake stopping ability.

The only reason someone should consider rim brakes over disc brakes is if their budget requires it. Riding a rim brake bike is better than riding no bike at all. Also, many dry climates won’t notice much difference between disc and rim brakes. The differences are more noticeable in wet riding conditions.

In conclusion, if you aren’t sure which model of FX is best for you I’d recommend browsing through the details on Trek’s website. Also, you can read this 2022 Trek FX 3 review .

1 thought on “Trek FX 2 Review: Ultimate Guide To The Fitness Hybrid Gravel Grinder”

I just bought a Trek FX 2 Disc at Scheels Grand Forks, North Dakota on July 22nd, 2023. They installed cheap brake: RUSH bake system and Cheap tire 700x32c with no name on it into my bike. These components were not as specifications on sale list at Scheels Grand Forks, North Dakota. The bake system should be Tektro HD-R280 and the tires should be Bontrager H2 Comp, 700x35c. First, they said that they will replace the brake and the tire as the specifications on the sale list. Then they call me to come back to the store and told me they only change the tires to the Bontrager H2 Comp, and if I want to change the brake I have to pay for the labor. I really disappointed about this. To my experience, you should check out the component of the Trek bike before you buy it. If you don’t, maybe your Trek bike get a cheap component installed on it.

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Trek 7.3 FX Hybrid Bike

• USER REVIEWS

It will go anywhere

Not a fast bike on the road

Flexible , light, fast, perfect saddle.my best bike EVER love it

None at all

Very fast and nimble light quality materials comfy grips cool color scheme not too flashy smooth shifting. Brick Masonry

None so far.

Bought a 7.3 FX when... maybe in 2008? I have never treated it well. It lives outside, and I hang it by the saddle nose from a low tree branch. Bird shit, rain, dirt, whatever. For the recent year, I've been just leaving it lying in my pickup truck bed. If someone steals it, then I'll be forced to buy something else. I flog this bike 5 times weekly on a short ride consisting of pavement, root bumps, gravel, bumpy grass, single track and plain old dirt. Still has the original cables, although rather rusty and some filaments are broken. I occasionally wipe off the rust and apply some lithium grease as needed. It's a real beater, but can't be destroyed. I thought i'd buy a carbon road bike like a Trek Domane or a Specialized Roubaix or even a Diverge, but I can't see springing for that money on a carbon bike made in Chinka and can't tell the inner quality. Plus carbon bikes get dings and chips and if you crash it, who knows how the frame intergrity is? So, I may eventually do a SUPER upgrade to a titaninum American made bike. For now, the old beater is still reliable, and only cost $500 new in 2008

Weakness? Yeah, it lasts so damn long, and no one wants to steal it out of my truck bed.

build to last, non stop machine, something you can trust and won't stuck you in the middle of the road, responsive. light weight and harmony shifting.

custom stickers | print stickers | business printing | printing company

Reliability, ease of use and repair, durability, versatility, comfort, all around do-anything flexibility

It is what it is, so there are a lot of things it's not. But if you could have only one bicycle for commuting, fitness, off-road, touring, multi-use trails, this would be a great pick.

uncomfortable seat I would recommend to buy comfortable seat if you doing long distances .

I bought mine in 2008 this bike is well built. I had over 5,000 miles NO problems at all than changing flat tires. really surprised from the quality of this bike. from the first ride I tried I bought it. I would recommend for people who wants to have it for long time.

Fast not bad on long 50 mile rides comfortable seat if your used to road bikes that have a brick for a seat

Brakes frame quality

I bought a trek 7.2 put 500 miles on it then my front derailer and cable decided to down shift all the way and threw me off the bike I take it in the shop told them about looked in to it found out those cables were flawed and were recalled so a year later at about 2500 miles I take it in and the shop told me my frame was bent and waited a month and a half for them to tell me that trek won't replace it because park tool says .30mm is the limit my frame is .60mm twice as much which come to fine out was caused by the bike down shifting and throwing me in the dirt the bike shop told me it was flawed from the factory so now I have 5300 miles on it I will be scraping it or selling it in a year and never buying an other trek this is the second trek both were really bad last is dead if you ride everyday like I do don't buy if it's only once in a while sure go for it

Very fast and nimble light quality materials comfy grips cool color scheme not too flashy smooth shifting

Seat hard as a rock but all the hybrid bikes I tester were no better. To many hot chick's trying to stop me cause I look so good on it. Forgetting to make my car payment cause I never use it anymore.

Ok people I'll start off by saying I bought this bike right after I bought a brand new car. It's a nice car nothing special "2014 chevy malibu". Im actually and genuinely more excited in the morning to ride my bike then to drive my car. I work about 10 miles from my house and it takes me 15 extra minutes by bike but I don't care. Just an extra 15 minutes of wind in my hair. Bullet proof frame smooth shifting and come grips make it a joy to ride. I paid a little more than the msrp because I live in San Francisco and bikes are in high demand $639 but the shop gave me $50 in free accessories. I almost made the mistake of buying a fixie but the shop keep set me straight. 100% satisfied and would recommend it to any one thanks Trek.

One of the best bikes I ever owned ! Now it is 5 yrs old, and it is in good shape. Only things I had to replace were the brake pads. This year I had to replace the pedals for the first time. Last season I had made 1500 km mainly on the roads with various surfaces. Bike is built from good quality parts.

One of the best bikes I ever owned ! Now it is 5 yrs old, and it is in good shape. Only things I had to replace were the brake pads. This year I had to replace the pedals for the first time. Last season 2012 I had made 1500 km mainly on the roads with various surfaces. Bike is built from good quality parts.

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This is the blog for Scheller's Fitness and Cycling. Find posts about events in the community, cycling products, fitness products and other interesting and useful bike and fitness information.

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[REVIEW] Hybrid Bike- 2014 Trek 7.7 FX

The trek 7.7 fx is comfortable and great fun to ride — any and every day of the week.

Good review!! Thank you so much for sharing your story and tips . They can be helpful to those who are looking for good bike deals. earlybikes

For those of you unsure on what specifically a hybrid's bike is; it's essentially a mix of road and mountain bike; appropriate for many general purpose rides over a spread of piece of land coolcycling.net .

A great share. I love it look at here now here are the findings read more

Hi! Nice blog .You have done a great job. Keep on working.. roadmaster mountain bike

A hybrid bike has the necessary features to give you a mountain biking and road biking experience. best bike 2017

Thanks for sharing such a useful post.

Thanks for sharing this information. This is a good choice of yours if you are thinking of buying an economical bike. And there is a lot to consider when you are looking for a bike to buy and ride. These include the type of bicycle, its material, color, type of seat, height, and length adjustability all matter in this. Don't worry, at Hybrid Bike Guide , you get the best roadmaster bike review 2021 . Visit us and buy the best one.

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• Rider Notes

2011 Trek 7.2 FX

A 700c aluminum frame fitness bike with mid-range components and rim brakes. Compare the full range

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A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

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Last updated June 29 Not listed for 2,501 days