2020 FX 3 vs FX 4
 

hey. i'm looking to upgrade my everyday commuter from my craigslist trek 700. i went to the trek dealership and rode the fx 3 and loved it. i walked in right as they were closing, and they were still nice enough to talk to me and let me take a test drive. at the last second the guy said i should get the 4 instead, but floundered a bit when i asked why. i said i'd come in tomorrow to test ride it.

i understand that in addition to the nicer components, it is a slightly longer frame for a more aggressive posture. i have a road bike that i use for workout rides, so the fx would only be for getting around town. of course i'm going to test ride the 4 and that will factor largely into my decision, but test rides are not really enough to fully feel out a bike. if i have a separate road bike for my exercise rides, is there any reason to get the 4 over the 3? i can afford either, but i don't like to spend more money unless there's a good reason behind doing so.

i'm a 31-year-old male with a long history of cardio obsession, so my commuting ride style is slightly more aggressive than the average rider. but it's not like when i'm riding my road bike, trying to set personal bests every time i step foot on the bike. i've learned it's not always safe to be doing 20mph in the little lane between traffic-jammed cars on the left and parked cars on the right.

i plan on riding through the chicago winter, if that makes a difference.

also, if there is another brand you think perfectly meets my needs that i need to check out, i'm open to that suggestion. i don't enjoy shopping, so i don't want to ride all the different brands if they're more or less the same. only if someone thinks there is a giant or specialized or whatever that is absolutely perfect for what i'm describing. otherwise trek is what i know so whatever.

thanks!

I feel that based on your road experience, you would definitely benefit from the better groupset and extra gearing. Ultimately it’ll come down to how it feels on the test drive (and the colour too!)

Cannondale Quick 3 or even Quick 1 are worth considering. I was leaning towards the FX and then the Quick 1 crossed my path.

For what you describe, I don't see the point of paying the extra money for the 4 vs. the 3. I think the 3 would be a very capable bike for commuting.

If you're not set on having a carbon fork, another one to consider is the Giant Escape 2 Disc City, which comes standard with fenders and a rear rack.

thanks for the replies so far, all.


@Trav1s, can i ask what you preferred about the quick? the 2020 quick 2 looks awesome in that orange crush. currently there are no lbs with them on the floor. think riding the 3 would give me a good idea of what the 2 feels like? i'd pay the extra $200 for the color alone.

word. i wish the 2020 fx 3 had the viper red option from 2019. the rage red is pretty cool, but that bright red was hot.

@denada - Why the Quick? In short it was all about economics. I friend upgraded from the Quick 1 to a Specialized Roubaix and put the Quick up for sale. It was a year old, had 700 miles on it, and after riding it I was hooked. She is the same height as me and it took very little fine tuning to get really comfortable on it. I got a gently-used, adult-owned, and shop-maintained Quick 1 (in my size!!!!!) for less than the FX 3 Disc I was intending to purchase.

I also considered lower level Quicks (Quick 5 or 6) but they were not comparable to the FX3 and I did have a chance to move up the Quick line at that time.

Things I really LOVE are the 2x11 gears, the hydraulic discs, and the 105 components. I like 700x30C tires more than I expected and the bike is surprisingly fast with them. I will be upgrading to 700x35C tires next spring since the surface streets I travel to get to the trails can be very rough in places. I have put nearly 500 miles on it since June and went for my first 30+ mile ride last week.

As for color, I love the Vulcan Green on the 2019 Quick 3 and that would likely have been my choice had the Quick 1 not shown up.

back from test riding a quick 3. i prefer the feel of the fx 3. which is too bad, because the 2020 quick 2 is sexy as ****.

tomorrow i’m going to the trek dealership and riding the fx 3 and fx 4 back to back. will get one or the other.

if i pay sticker on the bike, is it reasonable to to ask them to throw in that duotrap sensor for free? or to cover sales tax on the bike?

From what I've read, there's not a huge profit margin on bikes themselves... more so on accessories. So you could certainly ask, but I don't think it's reasonable to expect them to say yes. Especially since you're looking at a 2020 model and not a 2019 or older. Typically they'll offer 10% or 20% off of accessories purchased with the bike, and/or a discount on future service (other than the customary free tune-up after the first few months of riding).

The FX 4 has a longer top Tube and a Longer Reach then the FX 3 : Are you taller or Short : I didn't pay attention to this unfortunately and Bought the FX 3 because it felt good in parking Lot : It was to short for me even though it Fit. Since it's late Season and I'm from a Snow State : I will likely wait until Spring : The FX 4, FX 5 and FX 6 Are longer reach bikes : I sold My FX 3 and was lucky to only lose $200.00 : But Learned a Lesson I've ridden an FX 6 and it's a much better geometrical Fit for My Body then the FX 3 was : The FX-4 and 5 have the same Reach and Top Tube length : So you'd better Ride them Geometry matters : Don't get me wrong I liked the FX 3 Great Bike Smooth Shifting : But it cut off some of My Air just the way it fit thru the Cockpit and reach area. I might even get it again next Spring : But I would need the XL to accomplish what I can in a Large with the FX 4 and Up

thanks for the heads up. i will make sure to pay attention to that when test riding.

i’m a short 5 10” and get large frame bikes. my 700 is 21” and it’s perfect. i absolutely hate feeling cramped on a bike.

they told me me about the longer geometry last time i was there. i would think the longer top tube would create a more aggressive riding posture.

i’m off to test ride them both today and will report back. hopefully with a new bike.

just got back from biking in the rain. had to, because today i got ...

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HIggFcbvr...00/trekfx4.jpg

2019 trek fx sport 4. 20 percent off. some of the 2020s are radically different from their 2019 counterparts. the only difference between the 2019 and 2020 fx 4 is logo placement and tire. exact same components and frame. went through the specs one by one with a bike shop rep to make sure. 20 ******g percent off!

i could not get one penny off a 2020 model. 20 percent off the 2019 was at another lbs. that was the extent of their discount. not a penny more. no discounts on accessories with the purchase of a discounted 2019. i certainly asked every way there was to ask. i know internet people like to beat their chest and say how they would have gotten more, but i was raised to pay bottom dollar and i'm positive that i did. i'm thrilled with the price i got and will repay the bike shop for their steep discount by picking up any accessories for this bike from them. i already got a front quick release replacement lock bolt -- or whatever you call that -- from them. i want a super light u-bolt, but we could not find one in stock while i was there. anyone one know of one? suggestions will be appreciated. with such a light bike, i'd hate to strap a brick of a bike lock to it.

in making my decision i rode the 2020 fx 3, 2020 fx 4, 2020 cannondale quick 3 (to get a feel for the quick 2, which wasn't on any floor), and the 2019 fx 4. the two fx 4s were hands down the nicest. like a razor cutting through asphalt marshmallow. nimble yet soft.

both derailleurs are tiagra. for another grand i could have gotten 105s, but the tiagras are already accurate and responsive as ****. plus the fx 5 and 6 are full carbon, and i'm not responsible enough for a full carbon frame. it's not guaranteed i'm gonna relapse again. but if i do, it's guaranteed i'm gonna crash my bike again. even the carbon fork on the fx 4 makes me nervous. but carbon forks are luxurious. and i do enjoy luxury.

reducing chainring count and upping cog count is straight gangster ...

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sjSvC80iq...temandweep.jpg

a 10 cog cassette. that's right, 10 cog! 11 - 34t. it's like some psychedelic fractal. and only two chainrings, 48t and 34t.

front and rear breaks are hydraulic disc.

i'm excited.

thanks again for everyone who provided guidance in this purchase!

Loving it denada - I would definitely ride the hell out of that! So clean lookin'

thanks, gazz! it's pouring right now but i still took it for quick ride. tomorrow i'll start to really pile the miles on. will have over a thousand by the end of this year.

well, maybe. i haven't ridden through a chicago winter yet. i'm holding off a second on selling my trek 700, thinking that might be my winter bike. i don't want to cake my new baby in salt right away. and i'm not sure how difficult it is to swap out tires on these different frames. don't have to worry about that quite yet. we still got a few months of earth's best season, fall.

i want to powder coat it ion yellow or pastel pink. pretty sure my cousin could do it for free (or cost). but i heard that's not as protective as gloss paint. i'd like to do something to disguise the fact is a $1k bike -- while keeping it pretty -- because i live in chicago. like in the city, not surrounding area.

so it's not lost in all the above text, does someone have a recommendation for a strong lock (that you can only get through with a grinder) that is way lighter than the standard kryptonite u-lock? even the smaller kryptonite u-locks were very heavy. i did replace the front wheel quick release with a keylock bolt. the guy at the bike store had some folding lock (like a kryptonite keeper or ABUS Bordo), but it was just as heavy as a u-lock.

SO DID YOU feel like teh FX 3 was more compact : Just from your Pictures It looks like the FX Stem sets taller then the FX-3 : Nice looking Bike CAN YOU mount a Kick Stand ?

Not sure what Brand it was : I talked with a rider at teh Bike Shop this summer that showed me a GPS tracking device that he had mounted inside of his Seat Post : It was pretty small.

I live in an area where nobody steals for the Most Part : They track you down and return what you lost :) So I didn't have a lot of interest in what he was showing me :

Now that I think about it : The thing was pretty cool. Hidden where nobody would think : I looked at AMAZON and only see sizes that would Mounted under your seat

Zhenya can be a masculine name as well; since for whatever reason you all like to imagine your bikes as feminine objects, you might want to take that into consideration ;)

As for locks, I'm afraid that all tough locks are gonna be heavy.

^i did not know zhenya could be a maculine name as well. learned my one thing for today. reality is, i'm not going to name my bike. nor paint it. was just super excited.

yes, the fx 3 top tube being shorter is noticeable when riding. the bike height did not feel any different, but you can certainly feel the extra reach outward for the handlebars on the fx 4.

thanks! and yeah, no kickstand. the fx 3 had one, but not the 4. i guess it's like excluding cup holders from sports cars. i will not be mounting one. would use it if it was there, but won't notice that it's not.

III just located an FX 4 Sport in XL for $360.00 > Must be an error Curious to get a review once you have ridden it for a weak or So. You are shorter then Me but not that much. So I am curios how you like the Fit : I;m please to hear the Size feels bigger then the FX -3 : The Trek Guys on like said other factors offset that : Which the other factors are plus not minus. Those online guys at Trek' Site Seem to go by what the manuals must say . Because 1/2 the time they can't answer questions : Other then what is already posted in the descriptions : Maybe next year they'll change the Color to Hot Pink or something : Although I like the color just fine.

That's awesome!
I suppose that probably describes my community as well, but I like the way you put it.

Great looking bike and I like the color. I was just looking at that color at the LBS the other day and fell in love. The funny thing was that when I viewed the color online or in a pic, I wasn't really that crazy about it. It's a whole other beast in person.

i returned this bike. too ******g fancy.

no idea if that was the right decision or not, but i like not caring if someone dings up my bike when locking their own. like not worrying about how to keep my bike washed while living in an apartment. like not having to bring my bike in every night. like knowing my bike is going to be there when i step back outside. like my bike having no value beyond an efficient way to get from a to b and back.

the fx 4 is a fantastic bike, if owning a $1k commuter bike meshes with your neighborhood and lifestyle.

really appreciate the bike shop not making the return a hassle. it was returned like new within the window, but they didn’t even make me feel bad about it.

Was looking forward to a 1 month review as I have been looking at this bike also. 5 days ago you posted that you loved this bike and were going to pile on the miles. What happened to change your mind?

i didn't need a nice thing to worry about.

nothing bad about the bike changed my mind.

I road an e-bike from Trek a Few days ago. Think it was called the Super commuter 8 : The New 2020 is called the Alliant : We rented them so I went 30 mile round trip. What a blast We averaged 19.5 MPH It took us just over 1.5 hours : Felt like I got just as much exercise as I would get going 15 miles on a regular Bike : Like I said What a Blast : I already have enough Trek's in Regular Bikes : Anyone who says the E-Bikes don't give you a workout is wrong : They do . They just make peddling in higher gears easier and faster : What Fun

My parents have four e-bikes. They are totally transformational for them. My mom (not a bicycler and weak in muscle) can go with my dad on 50 mile bike rides. Literally -- they'll go 25 miles out and 25 miles back and have a picnic lunch in the middle.

Riding her, normal. Riding him, not going there.