Nitron135

Hi all, I am getting my first new bike in a while. Using it for running around NYC and ferrying around my kid on a seat tube mounted Yepp on w-ends. Hopefully some longer rides with the kid too. After selling my beloved mtb, my bike is citi bike share here, pretty much year round (850+ rides over last couple years).

Back issues require upright posture so a proper road bike is out. Kid on the back makes a single speed impractical. Ultimately that led to specialized sirrus (posture a bit too aggressive)/cannondale quick(too upright)/trek fx (about right). FX geometry feelt the best.

I'd prefer a carbon fork so that narrows to 7.4 and 7.5. 7.4 is 3x9 acera mtb gearing and 700x32 tires vs 7.5 with tiagra 2x10 road and 700x28 for $230 more. The color is boring gray on on the 7.5 vs brighter 7.4 orange also :-). Any advice on whether 7.5 upgrade is worth it? Or 28 vs 32 tires or road/mtb gearing with city/child seat situation?

Norboo

It's two different bike. 7.5 made for speed vs. 7.4 made for more versatility and has disc brakes.
Guess it comes down to how you ride.

Who Dey3334

I personally like the orange 7.4. Its much better looking, probably rides better because of the fatter tires, and you will save a little money also. They are both fantastic bikes though honestly. I cant believe you didnt like the Quick 4. I just bought one and love it. Ride them both and see which one thagt you like the best though. That orange is sweet on the 7.4 though I think.

canklecat

I rode a used Trek 7.5 fx last week at the local shop while they were replacing a wheel for me. I was surprised by how light it was -- maybe 25 lbs or less. But I'd need a stack of spacers to make the handlebar tolerable. To be comfortable for my permanently damaged neck, the bar has to be at least an inch above saddle height. And the 7.5's reach felt uncomfortably long as well, and I'd prefer a shorter stem. The LBS said the bike could handle those adjustments.

The ride was so different from my heavier comfort/hybrid that I can't really comment on the difference. The 7.5 fx really felt like a road bike, almost a bit twitchy. I'd want to ride one very carefully for a couple of weeks, especially on turns on rough and rutted roads, to be sure I didn't overestimate my capabilities -- my comfort hybrid with 700x40 tires handles that stuff easily. But it's probably pretty comparable to the difference between either the Trek 7.4 or 7.5 and the citi bikes you've been riding.

I don't carry kidlets but do lug 30-50 lbs of groceries about once a week, mostly on the rear rack. Makes a huge difference in handling. If I planned to carry a kidlet with me I'd probably go for the heavier, less expensive bike. Or whatever felt most stable under a load.

Grey.

He' isn't asking about the 7.4 Disc which does not have a carbon fork.

Jarrettsin

I don't know your riding ability, but if your carrying a kid wouldn't the 7.4's gearing be better?

Stick69

I like being able to stay in the middle chain ring for most of my flat ground riding. Here is a thread about the 50-34 chain ring and commuting.

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...commuting.html

Try both in your typical situation and see which gearing you like better.

MRT2

Honestly, for riding around NYC with kids in tow, no, I don't think so. You might want to consider getting something used, since any weight advantage of going with a carbon fork is negated by the 30 lbs or more of child/child seat. And for that sort of riding, you might want to consider going up a tire size to 35, or even 40.

NormanF

Install a stem riser and maybe swap bars - North Roads or cruiser. You can get an upright comfortable ride. As for grocery hauling a good quality rear rack and Basil D'Azur panniers will let you haul home a lot of groceries. Though you may find you may need to make a few round trips to bring home a month's worth of groceries from the store.

ColonelSanders

Trek's website lists a Size 20" as being 9.96KG/21.92lbs

Wanderer

I've always thought that the 7.4 was the sweet spot in that line.

Nitron135

Thank you everyone, very helpful! I ended up getting an orange 7.4. Tbh, color had something to do with it, it was hard to get excited about the 7.5 metallic gray :-). But spending a while test riding them, 7.4 felt more comfortable for me anyway. They are so similar so it has got to be the tire width.

Couple nerd reasons to get the 7.5 for anyone else who might also be looking. Shifter and break on the 7.4 are a single Acera unit, whereas they are separate on the 7.5. Easier upgrades/replacements and would be easier to convert to a 1x. Rims and hubs are different on the 7.5, 24 vs 32 spokes upfront and a cleaner look. 7.5 also weighs ~1.5lbs less than 7.4. One bit odd thing about the 7.5 components is that shifters and front derailleur are Tiagra but rear is an rd-r350 without a series.

Issue with 7.5 for me was that for carrying kids a 28mm tires didn't seem as sure-footed on our streets whereas 7.4's 32mm seemed perfect. Also any of the 1x changes/etc would push the bike easily over 1k initial cost and, seeing as how it being stolen is not out of the realm of possibility here, it would be more painful.

Now I am thinking that another couple of months would have brought the 2017 models, haha..

I am very happy with the 7.4, though, it just 'felt right' riding it after trying so many others.

Thanks again!

Who Dey3334

You made the right choice. Congrats on your new bike!

yashinon

Whay do you mean by "7.4 are a single Alivio unit"? Mine are seperate. Single unit to me sounds like STI shifter/brake combo found on modern road bikes.

Nitron135

I meant single Acera unit. Acera m390 has integrated brake and shifter.

Nitron135

Quick update, a couple weeks and ~60 miles in, riding it pretty much daily. Loving the bike! The ride feels smooth and precise over downtown nyc streets. It's light, color is great, makes me want to take it out. The shop replaced quickreleases with Pinheads, put in a duotrap s, and added couple of the small 'Glo' lights. Also added a TiGr Mini lock. Seems pretty much ideal for running around. Duotrap works perfectly, very clean with hole in the frame and blendr mount for the trip 300. Also 'just workeded' with starva over bt. Seems pretty great for ~100. TiGr Mini is a bit more of a mixed bag, harder to make it work with random signposts than a regular u lock and odd to have a small locking cylinder weigh more than the lock itself. Hoping it doesn't get clipped.

My son loves riding in the seat tube mounted Yepp Maxi so far, seems like that mount makes the ride pretty smooth for him. I mostly put him in on weekends, so easy on/off is very helpful.

The downsides so far are that I am still not crazy about triple in the front and the shifting setup is not top-shelf, skipping shifts pretty regularly now and grinds again the front derailleur in edge gears. Pretty annoying, maybe just needs to be tuned up, cables stretching and whatnot. But in the ideal world, would be great to have a 1x option like on District 9 with better components or maybe a belt and 11 internal like Spot Acme.