[Daekwan]

@Judd 165610 wrote:

If you’re in Bowie, I’d recommend Proteus in College Park which has a fantastic reputation. It’s the bike shop that it seems most of my Maryland friends go to. According to their website, a basic tune up is $90. Like Jeff said, a good shop will throw your bike into the stand and look it over for free and tell you that you don’t need a full tune up if something else will take care of the issue.

Thanks that one is much closer. Like about 10min from my house!

@TwoWheelsDC 165611 wrote:

I would just caveat that by adding you probably shouldn’t just say “my bike needs a tuneup”…I think even good shops will just give you what you ask for in that situation. If you can point to a certain issue, then also say “and please also check out xyz” you may get better results.

Just went over the bike myself and the right pad from the rear linear brake is sticking to the rim. That explains why the bike feels sluggish. Im embarrassed to even think how long that pad had been dragging me down. I fiddled around with it for 30mins or so.. but still can’t figure it out. Oh well I’d like the both f/r brakes looked over.. and I’ve noticed when shifting it now a delay and hops up one, even two gears. Definitely needs some TLC!

[Daekwan]

@LhasaCM 165601 wrote:

Did you have a particular location/part of the metro area in mind? That pricing is pretty typical from what I’ve seen at area shops (including the great folks at Bikenetic Judd mentioned), so a better question might be “where’s a good shop to get service close to _____?”

I live in Bowie, MD.. but work in Washington, DC. So Im in DC almost everyday of the week. I dont mind traveling a little bit to get the best service for the money. More than anything I just a shop to go over the bike, get it running like new again and not try to upsell me on bunch of unnecessary stuff. The bike was fine as is on day 1.. and should be fine as is on day 900.. with the proper TLC and service. I’m pretty much open to any shop in DC or off the 495 beltway.

I actually bought the bike from Spokes in Alexandria, VA. But feel weary returning there for service as their quoted price for service is $120!!!!! But I believe the services they list.. are the ones that my bike will need after 3 years of ownership and weekly rides.

http://spokesetc.com/about/service-repair-center-pg1155.htm

Deluxe Tune-Up Package – $120*
*Parts are additional

Recommended in your owner’s manual, this package covers the periodic maintenance necessary to keep your bike in excellent riding condition based on normal usage. This package includes adjustments to all of the major systems, including:

Shifting system – derailleur and cable’s adjusted and lubed
Braking system – brake, brake pads and cable’s adjusted and lubed
Wheel system – hub adjustments, true and tension spokes
Tires – inspect for wear, properly adjust air pressure
Steering system – headset adjustment
Bottom Bracket – adjustment
Chain – inspected, wiped down and lubed

[Daekwan]

I’ll put the bar end adapter on my list of things to go over with the shop.

Heading to Spokes in Alexandria to pick it up now. So excited!!

[Daekwan]

@Supermau 117840 wrote:

I must add, those bar end adapters really helped my comfort on the longer rides and big hills. Might be worth looking into.

Which particular model did you go with?

I know some of them kinda suck. The Specialized comes with bar ends.. and from everything I’ve read they suck lol.

[Daekwan]

@DismalScientist 117731 wrote:

Once you’ve decided to buy, you should have a discussion with the shop about trading out things like seats and stems. Certainly the shop should adjust stem angle on adjustable stems, stem height and seat setback and angle for free before you leave. They probably won’t any of this for just a test ride.

This is excellent advice. Thanks!!! I pick up the 7.4 today. Will make sure to question them about seats, seatposts, stems and angle.

They did ‘fit’ me for the bike before ordering. But it was basically two store employees “eying” the correct riding position on the bike, adjust the seat height and choosing a frame that fit my size/inseam.

@Supermau 117739 wrote:

I bought a new 2014 7.3 last spring and I thought it was a great all-around bike. But as my mileage increased so did my fatigue so I sold it this spring and moved to a drop bar bike. Still, the FX is a solid ride. I rode mine through all kinds of weather and it never let me down with the exception of the stock brake pads – they sucked. Kool Stops to the rescue.

How much were you able to sell it for? One of the reasons for going with a more recognized name like Trek is resale value. If I do decide to sell this bike in a year or so for a better model.. I hope to only lose a max of around $200 in depreciation. At that point I consider it a one year rental bike for $200. Which is still a decent deal IMO.

In a perfect world.. I’d eventually like to move up to something like the FX 7.5, but with disc brakes. I’d go 7.5 because of the higher class components like the 20spd drivetrain. I also want disc brakes because look/work better under all conditions. Yeah I know the linear pull ones will do the job just fine.. but I still want discs. Trek is really missing a golden opportunity here as the $769 7.4 has the carbon fork, but no disc brakes (nor mounts for them) & the more expensive $879 7.4 Disc model has them of course.. but does not have the carbon fork. Meaning you have to pick your poison. For the consumer like me who wants to spend less than a $1000 on a hybrid/commuter bike, Trek doesn’t offer an option with both carbon fork & disc brakes. Every other major brand name manufacturer does and I did consider each one.

I’d imagine with the popularity of disc brakes the above scenario wont continue much longer. My guess is the 2016 or 2017 models with the see the 7.4 disc model upgraded to carbon fork and price right around $999. That will directly match what Specialized is offereing with their $990 Sirrus Elite Disc model: http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/multi-use/sirrus/sirrus-elite-disc

Thanks for the tip on Kool-Stop.. I’d seen from many reviews of the FX bikes that the stock pads suck. I’ll either get a set of those ordered today from Amazon or if the bike shop has competitive pricing, I might just get them to install a set there.
Did you go with the dual compound? Or the regular? I’m guessing i’ll need the road bike version as the FX Hybrid is more road bike.. than mountain bike.

@vvill 117741 wrote:

A lot of it can come down simply to tires/tire pressure, and how well you fit the bike (it’s possible your riding position and fit on the Trek out of the shop just suits you better than the Specialized)..

Agreed on that, if anything the Specialized should have been the better riding bike. I’d imagine with both bikes fitted for me & properly tuned.. the Specialized would be a bit better.

However air pressure was not the problem. The tires were properly inflated on all of the bikes I test road. I watched the store employees check & inflate the tires. Furthermore with over 2 hours seat time riding the 7.3 rental bike.. and another hour or so testing various 7.x models. In every scenario.. every Trek I tried simply felt better & easier to ride. You could take the names & pricetags off the bikes.. and I’d still make the same choice. It was that much of a difference.

@hybriduser 117686 wrote:

I was at Hudson Trail Outfitters in Rockville today and although I didn’t see this model you seek, they are a Fuji and Scott dealer.

Anyway, might be worth checking out their inventory.

I checked Hudson Trail in Arlington, VA (Pentagon City mall) about a month ago and it was a waste of time. While they are a Fuji dealer they said all of the stores were completely out of Absolute 1.1 & 1.3 models. I believe they did have a couple of 1.4 models in stock.. but nothing in my size. They had mostly 15 & 17″ frames.. and I’m 6-3.

The mechanic at the Arlington store even went as far to say that distrubitor for all of North America is completely sold out of all 2015 1.1 and 1.3 for the entire model year. It was at that point I gave up and went looking for other options. I even went as far to try ordering the 1.1 from Evans Cycles in the UK and having it shipped to Maryland. But Evans would not do that, because a bike from a European distributor cannot be sold to North America.. and vice versa. Knowing that I came here for one last try with the “locals” who might know of a smaller bike shop in the DC area with some 1.1’s sitting in the back warehouse.

[Daekwan]

That’s a very plausible explanation for your enthusiasm towards ordering from the internet and purchasing a bike because it’s better “on-paper”. While I don’t have anywhere near the riding experience of many of you, I do have experience riding (commuting) for a couple of years now. If there’s anything I’ve experienced first hand before buying a bike.. is that if at all possible you should make a point to ride it first. And the more expensive the bike, the sillier it is to purchase without testing first.

So many times a list of great components on paper ‘should’ equal an incredible experience and for whatever reason it does not. This is exactly what happened again.. at Spokes in Alexandria on Sunday. The Specialized Sirrus is almost identical to the FX series from Trek. Spokes had a $990 Sirrus Elite Disc in my size (XL). The Elite Disc is equipped with Sora shifting, hydraulics disc brakes, carbon fork.. thats about as good as it gets for under $1000 at brick & mortar bike store. Not only did I ride the Elite Disc, but I also rode the full-carbon $1799 version. On paper.. both of these bikes should have blown away the 7.4 from Trek. I can tell you with absolute confidence that neither Sirrus felt better to ride, than the FX 7.4 Even the cheaper the FX 7.3 ($660) that I rode on Saturday felt better than the Sirrus bikes. For unexplainable reasons the cheaper Treks climb hills easier, seemed to coast forever, were smoother to drive & were both just flat out less fatiguing to ride overall. I took each bike out on the same 3 mile trip and travelled at a pretty good pace. With the Sirrus getting first dibs, its even more intriguing why they took more effort to ride.

If you re-read my original post, the reason why I wanted the Fuji so badly was that I test rode a Fuji Absolute 1.7 at Performance Bikes in Bailey Crossroads and liked it very much. My only complaint was the cheaper components and rough shifting. Which is why I was very interested in the 1.1 (or even 1.3) and ready to blindly buy one without another test. It was my belief that a test ride wasnt necessary with those bikes, because the 1.1/1.3 is essentially the same bike with better components & carbon fork.

[Daekwan]

Interesting in a thread that is titled “Where to buy a Fuji Absolute”.. that has concluded with me purchasing a Trek FX from a local bike shop.. that you are continuing this discussion with yourself about an internet ordered Motobecane from BikesDirect.com. In fact the only person who has mentioned either.. has been you.

Are you an employee of Motobecane or BikesDirect.com? Do you receive an incentive for each unit they sell?

You certainly seem to be hellbent on selling their product.

[Daekwan]

For any other noobs out there myself looking for a hybrid/commuter bike. This is the article that convinced me to give the Trek FX series a try:

http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-hybrid-commuter-bike/

[Daekwan]

Test rode the 7.3 in 22.5 for 2+ hours with Bikeandrolldc.com on Saturday. Was only $20 bucks.
Test rode the 7.2 in 22.5, 7.4 in 22.5, 7.4 disc in 20 and a top of the line $1799 Specialized Sirrus (all carbon) in XL at Spokes, Etc in Alexandria VA this past Sunday. No 7.5’s in stock.

Pulled the trigger on a 7.4 in 22.5 for $770. Honestly the 7.3 in 22.5 for $650 was perfect.. but figured the carbon fork & upgraded components (shifter, crankset, both der.) on the 7.4.. for the extra $120 was worth the price. Furthermore they would have been upgrades that I’d probably look to do in the next year or two. Spokes also gave me free maintenance for the next year.. including unlimited tuneups. Which is exactly what I was looking for and a big reason why I didnt want to order a bike off the internet.

Overall I’m happy with the 7.4 decision. If anything.. I hate that I had to order the white one. The gray is sold out for 2015 distributors.. and only white & orange are available.
Is there anyway to temporarily paint/cover the white frame? I would much prefer something flat black that attracts much less attention. Remember this bike will get parked at a metro station almost every day spring/summer/fall. I’m think black Plasti-Dip. Its a black spray-on vinyl like coating.. that alot of car guys use to make their factory wheels look like aftermarket black wheels.

Thanks for the help everyone! Happy & safe riding!

[Daekwan]

Yeah I’ve pretty much called every Fuji dealer in the DC area looking for the 1.1. Forget lucking up on a size 23, no sizes whatsoever appear to be available at dealers. I’ve even reached out to dealers in California & the Pacific NW and while they do have a couple of bikes left.. its just small & medium frames at this point. Seems like Fuji’s stock for 2015 has dried up. Indian Head did give me some insight into how the distribution works. He said the supply trail would open soon, which Im interpreting as meaning Fuji will refresh their supply of 2015 bikes sometime around the 2nd week of June.

While I’m stalling for the 2015 Fuji supply to be refreshed.. I’ve heard great things about the Trek FX. Especially for the manner in which I would use it. So current plan to rent the Trek 7.3 from Bikeandrolldc.com (Union Station) this weekend (2 hour rental is around $20 bucks) and use that time to try the bike out on my actual commute. I’ve already ridden the Absolute 1.7 at Performance Bikes in Bailey’s Crossroads for about 30 minutes.. and was a bit disappointed at the rough shifting. Other than that I loved the weight & handling of the bike. I imagine the 1.3 & 1.1 models will shift much better due to the components. The 2014 1.1 actually comes with a 105 derailleur. The 2015 1.1 comes with all Tiagra components.

Every online heads up review between these two models show the Trek as the smoother, more comfortable bike to ride in an urban environment, while the Fuji is just as capable on city streets but is simply more aggressive and built for higher speeds. The Absolute is basically a road bike with a flat handlebar.

[Daekwan]

Thanks!

Didnt realize their website showed live inventory. I’ve gotten so used to calling around to LBS.. and getting disappointed after long conversations.. that I never checked their website.

Will give the Georgetown store a visit today!

[Daekwan]

Pretty simple. I want to buy one of the 4 bikes below at a local bike shop. Would greatly prefer the the Fuji, but would have no problem with Trek’s instead.

Does anybody know where these are in-stock, ready to buy now at a LBS? I’m 6’3″ and need the XL size from either brand.

1. Fuji Absolute 1.1D
2. Trek FX 7.4
3. Trek FX 7.4 disc
4. Trek FX 7.3

[Daekwan]

@DismalScientist 117421 wrote:

How ’bout this?
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/disc-brake-roadbikes/cafeturinopro-discbrake-roadbike.htm

Out of my budget. And would attract too much attention. This will mainly be a commuter bike thats locked up at the Metro stations around DC.

Fuji 1.1 sells for about $750. Trek 7.3 sells for about $600, 7.4 for about $700, 7.4disc for about $800.

Furthermore anything purchased from BD would need to be taken to a local bike shop to be assembled & tuned.. with is another $60-100 on top of the $1000 price.

Sure I could do that myself.. but why? When a bike purchased a LBS would get assembled & tuned for free. And usually with a follow up tune 60-90days later.

[Daekwan]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Unfortunately all the PB locations and the website are all sold out of the 1.1 models. The only thing they have in stock for size 23 is 1.7 and 1.9.

I would also consider the Trek FX 7.3 or 7.4. Will began calling around to see if that model is in stock anywhere in size 22.5. If anyone knows where.. please speak up!

[Author]

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