Sh00k,
What kinda of warranty did you get on that Trek 7.7FX? Reading some of the other threads here on the Hybrid forum that touch on the subject of carbon forks has got me skeered all of a sudden. I'm getting paranoid that I might crash a year or two into the bike and be SOL.
I still have quite some time to go before I make my first significant bike purchase. Currently I have a throwaway that I bought for $70 at my local target, virtually everything stopped working on it within 1 week but it gets me out and gives me a real good workout...just not as fast as I'd like.
Reading this thread about your happiness with 7.7FX and seeing the Specs on the 7.7FX on bikepedia has got me drooling. I love the beautiful white. The Trek 7.5 FX and the Sirrus Comp were my front runners for a Hybrid under $1000 but the 2010 7.7 FX looks real nice and has some nice components although it's double the price. A fast Hybrid is really what I'm looking for...one that will be used on paved bike paths and surface streets.
I am new to bicycling and have been reading and learning alot simply by reading on this forum. The 7.7FX seems to be closer to a true 'road bike with flat bars' than the 7.5 FX because of the crankset and it being a 10 speed. It seems most of the roadbikes I've looked at online have a 50+ tooth Cog and are designated 10 speeds. I'm wondering if the 7.7FX is substantially faster than the 7.5FX?
What is the difference between the two? Is it faster? Is it just better quality components? Is it worth paying twice as much?
The 7.5FX is 9 speed and the 7.7FX is a 10 speed. I'm just starting to have a limited understanding of the chainring and the cassette but the 9 and 10 speed has me confused. Would someone mind explaining to me what component dictates whether a bike is an 8,9, or 10 speed? And what bearing, if any, does it have on the speed of a bike?