Our Bikes Reviewed--Trek FX Disc Series

At the beginning of spring 2020, when Susan and I were contemplating whether we could train enough to endure the 52 mile Capital Trail that runs from Jamestown, VA to Richmond, VA, we knew it was time to get a divorce.  From our old bikes.

Phillip's old Navigator 300 -- w/ broken front brake

Several years ago, Susan had purchased a hybrid bike from a major brand at a box sporting goods store, which ended up being a pretty low-end model.  Among the issues, much of the metal on the spokes and handlebar stem were rusty and pitted.  On the other hand, I had a Trek Navigator 300 hybrid bought maybe 14 years ago.  Bright red with grip shifters, I loved that bike.  Mostly.  Its tires were definitely more mountain bike than road bike, but without any of the other benefits of a true mountain bike.  And those wide knobby tires made me work my tail off to keep up with Susan.  At least, that’s the reason I kept telling myself every time I lagged behind.

With a number of life-changing events in front of us, in early May we decided to pull the trigger and purchase new bikes for ourselves -- gifts to each other.  Because our cycling takes us from road to dirt trails to sand-covered asphalt to aggregate set in concrete, we again decided that hybrids were the way to go.  Lesson learned the hard way, we wanted tires that leaned more toward road bikes than mountain bikes.  After visits to several different stores, we chose Trek Bicycle Williamsburg where we liked both the customer service and their products.  We were initially going to buy two of the same model in different colors, but the men’s model of what Susan wanted was sold out.  With a 2 month order back-log.  But they did have a men’s bike in stock, the next model up.  Sold.

To date we have logged in over 230 miles on these bikes and, though we spent more than we originally intended, have not regretted the purchase even once.


Susan’s bike is a FX2 Disc and mine is a FX3 Disc.  While some of the components on the FX3 are an upgrade, we have yet to notice much of a difference in performance.  Here are some comparisons of the more obvious components:

  • Both have front and rear hydraulic disc brakes with a non-removable nut on the skewer, making reattachment of the front tire both a little trickier, but also less guesswork when it comes to centering the tire between the forks.  There is a learning curve here.

  • The bikes are geared a bit differently, with the 18 speed FX3 having 2 gears on the chainring and 9 on the cog, while the 24 speed FX2 has 3 gears on the chainring and 8 on the cog.  Both feature thumb/index shifting.

  • The FX2 comes with Schrader valves on the tires and the FX3 comes with Presta valves.  The $1 adapter they sold didn’t work well for us (another learning curve), so we needed to buy some additional inflation equipment.  I’ll save that for another blog.

  • About the only thing Susan is actually jealous of on my bike are the grips.  Hers are called “Ergo Grips” and seem pretty standard, but mine are made with a sort of ledge that allows me to rest my hands very comfortably.

  • Susan did not enjoy her new saddle, and asked that her old bike’s seat replace the factory issue.  I have left my saddle on, but admit that after 20 miles or so, it gets a bit uncomfortable.  (Reading reviews of the bikes, this is where many of the negative comments originate.)

  • Both bikes’ pedals seem a bit more like paddles:  larger than what we are used to.  Perhaps they serve the commuter cyclist well with a larger footprint (pun intended), but we’ve never had trouble to begin with.

  • The store clerk tried to sell us bike lights for $70/pair.  We took a pass and purchased 2 sets on Amazon for about $15/pair.  Again, I will blog about those another day.

  • We did go ahead and buy $15 kickstands. Weight penalty be damned.


Trek Website: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/

Store Location: 4640-5 Monticello Avenue, Williamsburg, VA 23188

Purchase date:         May 8, 2020

    Susan’s bike: Phillip’s bike:

Model         FX2 Disc         FX3 Disc

Purchase price     ~$630 ~$800

Speeds         24         18

Frame                     aluminum                aluminum

Weight                    26.34 lbs                   25.88 lbs



What do these bikes do best?  Exactly what they are supposed to:  they transition from road to off-road nicely.  Where do they lack?  I wouldn’t want to take them on any road ride longer than 50 miles, and they should not be mistaken for mountain bikes—they do not have the suspension, tires, or gears for that sort of ride. Would we buy them again?  In a heartbeat.  You’ve heard people say they’ve purchased their forever homes?  These will be our forever bikes.



For a much more technical and complete review of the specifications of the Trek FX series, please see:  https://www.ridethecity.com/trek-fx


#suesuestrong

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