Trek 7300?

[lordofthemark]

At Phoenix this AM, test rode a Trek 7300. I think it had some kind of suspension and leans more to a mountain bikey kind of hybrid. It had 700×32 tires, which I guess were replacements since bikepedia says these sold with 700×35. It was equipped with fenders. Gearing is 3×8 with shift levers that were quite comfortable. I found it overall a pretty decent on my test tide. Phoenix lists it for $350. Right now the top of my list for new bikes is the Kona Dew, at $475 (after WABA discount) but Bikenetics offers free lifetime mntnce, which is very appealing considering my anxiety about keeping the bike in a state of good repair. I’m guessing the Trek is as good a deal as I can expect on used bikes?

What say ye?

Topic

[DismalScientist]

My wife has a 7300 from maybe 15 years ago. The only suspension that bike has is a suspended seat post and twist shifters. I don’t know about newer models. I think the bike rides like a tank. I would look at something lighter and with no suspension at all. If the bike won’t be ridden on dirt (much), I would look for bikes with 28 mm tires for general commuting. Also, I think $350 is too pricey. A quick glance at craigslist yields this:
A $320 Jamis Coda http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/4181638395.html
A $440 Masi Caffe Racer Solo http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/bik/4168269418.html
(This looks like a lot higher end bike, but it doesn’t have a carbon fork as stated)
An $85 Bianchi Avenue http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/4181478374.html
(A basic steel frame hybrid with fenders– but it’s only $85–what could go wrong?)
A $275 Fuji Absolute 2.0 http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/bik/4167690428.html
(which seems to be a better bike than the 7300 and might be the best deal if you don’t want to take a roller with an $85 bike)

[ShawnoftheDread]

Like Dismal says, not a good deal. Bike n Roll is selling their year-old Trek hybrids for $285 at the Union Station location.

[lordofthemark]

I don’t feel knowledgeable enough to feel comfortable buying a bike off Craigslist. If I get used, it will be from a shop – where I have some confidence they have refurbished it, and decently, that there are no major issues, etc. The folks at Phoenix seemed trustworthy.

The 7300 did have lever (?) shifters not twist, so it must be a more recent model – but it was not light. I guess I am still leaning towards the Kona.

Note the Kona Dew has 700×35 tires. I don’t think any of the hybrids I’m looking at have 28mm wide tires. Are those reliable on terrain of uneven quality (on my commute I go on the indifferently pave Eye street bike lane, and some gravelly stuff in LBJ grove, and of course here in Annandale there’s all kinds of roadside gunk, and parking lots, and curb hopping, and so forth.)

[lordofthemark]

@ShawnoftheDread 68827 wrote:

Like Dismal says, not a good deal. Bike n Roll is selling their year-old Trek hybrids for $285 at the Union Station location.

I thought that was only once a year and I missed it (I was out of town). I don’t intend to wait another year to buy.

[hozn]

@lordofthemark 68829 wrote:

Note the Kona Dew has 700×35 tires. I don’t think any of the hybrids I’m looking at have 28mm wide tires. Are those reliable on terrain of uneven quality (on my commute I go on the indifferently pave Eye street bike lane, and some gravelly stuff in LBJ grove, and of course here in Annandale there’s all kinds of roadside gunk, and parking lots, and curb hopping, and so forth.)

I had a Trek 7300 many years ago (2001 model year?) as a first adult bike before I started riding (mine had no suspension). It was fine but not something I would ever recommend for someone that rides regularly — and on roads. Nor would it be all the great off-road either. Typifies the hybrid conundrum, I guess.

I wouldn’t get hung up on tire size, just use it as an indicator of the type of bike you are buying. (Tires only last a few thousand miles.) It definitely sounds like you want the 700×28 type of bike. (Yeah, it sounds like 28mm tires would be fine on those surfaces.)

[rcannon100]

not a good deal.

Remember also what the money is going to support. Phoenix is a pretty incredible org. I overpaid for my trek at Phoenix. And I am thrilled at what my money is going to support.

Phoenix prices are sometimes interesting, but a couple of weeks ago they told me that they cannot hold onto mid sized road bikes. They sell immediately.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@lordofthemark 68831 wrote:

I thought that was only once a year and I missed it (I was out of town). I don’t intend to wait another year to buy.

Present tense used purposely.

http://bikethesites.com/Blog/bikes-for-sale-at-our-union-station-locale

[DismalScientist]

There are two notions, it seems, when it comes to idea of support by an LBS. The first is whether the (potentially used) bike is put well together. The second is whether the shop with support the bike for later maintenance.

On the first point, I would assume that all shops are similar, perhaps with the exception of shops like Phoenix. I would expect that Phoenix would put a bike together at roughly my ability: acceptable, but I don’t know everything. (This is not a cut against Phoenix: it is an excellent program, but it is giving high school kids a hands-on learning experience.)

On the second point, a bike is a bike and I would get maintenance at the closest competent LBS (if I wanted maintenance). There is likely less shop loyalty than for an auto dealer. Any LBS can service any brand of bicycle. So, unless a purchase accompanied by free future service, I wouldn’t care whether a shop offered “support” for my bicycle. (Actually, I probably wouldn’t bite a free service, as I would likely do it myself.)

As for buying off Craigslist, the only “major issues” that a bike might have are a damaged frame and a wheelset that cannot be trued. Craigslist ads saying that a tire is flat or that the shifters have problems are just signs that an uninformed seller is about ready to make a great deal for an informed buyer.:rolleyes:

[APKhaos]

@lordofthemark 68829 wrote:

I don’t feel knowledgeable enough to feel comfortable buying a bike off Craigslist. If I get used, it will be from a shop – where I have some confidence they have refurbished it, and decently, that there are no major issues, etc. The folks at Phoenix seemed trustworthy.

You’ve been looking for a while, so you probably have enough of a sense of value to at least keep your eye on CL. There are good honest deals to be had there, particularly if you are looking for a specific size and just a couple of specific models.
If you feel more secure with the idea of buying from an LBS with some recourse if there are problems, be sure that is what’s being offered.

[lordofthemark]

@ShawnoftheDread 68835 wrote:

Present tense used purposely.

http://bikethesites.com/Blog/bikes-for-sale-at-our-union-station-locale

thanks for the info.

[Author]

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