nationaljoe

Hello. I've been out of the sport of biking for several years, wanting to buy a decent Trek hybrid to get back into it again. I'm trying to decide between the FX-3 or the Verve 3. I really appreciate any recommendations or suggestions here.

I'm likely going to make my decision pretty soon since I want to save some $$$ on the Trek Fest sale that ends this weekend and be ready to go once the weather warms up here (hopefully soon).

I'm in my 40s, about 6-2 and 180 lbs, and I live near Minneapolis, Minnesota. I'm divorced, with a young daughter who is just learning to ride, and I want something simple and easy to ride around the neighborhood with her, but also versatile and fun enough to go out and about for a few hours on my own, as well. I'm probably not going to commute with it, since my workplace is almost 30 miles away.

Last real bike I purchased was a Gary Fisher Big Sur back in 1998. I rode that pretty good for a few years and then due to some life changes it has basically just sat in my garage collecting dust for the past 10-15 years. I still have it and was thinking of selling it, but I might just keep it, for those occasions when I might want to hit some local trails again. I had another mountain bike before that, and then a couple decent road bikes before that.

I like the light weight and speed of the FX-3, but I also like the versatility and comfort appeal of the Verve. For those who already own either bike, what do you like most about your bike? Please feel free to share any insights or thoughts, I really appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

pakeboi

I was in a similar situation about a year and a half ago when I rode these 2 bikes back to back .
I chose the Verve 3 because it was more comfortable .
Now I'm ready to give up a bit of comfort for the lighter weight and speed of the FX-3 .
But , for riding around the neighborhood with your young daughter , the Verve 3 is the way to go .

I made it even more comfortable for me , by swapping out the straight bars for swept back FSA Metropolitan handle bars .
And a more comfortable saddle .

StarBiker

Did somebody say Metropolitan?



Sorry I couldn't resist.

hokiefyd 

The Verve will definitely get you an upright riding position. Ride both bikes to see what you like. Chances are, you'll come out of it loving one or the other; that's the one to buy.

finch204

I had a Verve 2 a few years ago. I regret selling it. The Verve is going to be slower than the FX but it is much more comfortable. It is the bike you will want to ride if you wanted to just ride and not worry about anything. I honestly think you need both bikes as they offer a different riding experience. For starters, you can get the Verve first.

Bothrops

Hey Joe (couldn’t pass it up),
I hadn’t really ridden in over 20 years. I have a Diamondback Apex from the early 90’s that was great at the time but is pretty heavy and not very efficient for recreational riding on suburban streets and MUPs. I swapped out the knobby tires for Continental Town & Country tires, installed bar ends, a titanium bar and a rack but it wasn’t as much fun riding like it was in my mountain biking days.
I went through a similar decision process last year and rode the FX 3 and Verve 3 back-to-back. I wanted something lighter and more efficient. By your description, you are in a lot better shape than I am. I have lower back issues and wanted my back in a neutral position while riding. I bought the FX3. The Trek store worked with me to ensure the stem and saddle were at the right height so I could keep my back in a neutral position. Believe it or not, I find that I am actually a little more upright on the FX3 than my old mountain bike.
I actually did my back-to-back comparisons two different times about a week apart. Compared to my chromoly steel mountain bike, the FX3 is light and fast. I’m riding further than I did with my old bike and really enjoying my rides. It’s so light that I have no issues bringing it up from the basement.
Give some thought to where you may be with your cycling in 2-3 years. If you anticipate you will be putting in more miles in a few years, I think you may be happier with the FX3 as long as you have no physical issues that require a more upright riding position. Hope this helps.

rummy

Try both.
FX for speed and Verve for comfort. I personally preferred FX as it felt more comfortable to me.

pakeboi

Buy the bike your comfortable on now .
The FX , if not as comfortable may discourage you .
Also , the Verve , being upright , is the better one for watching your daughter .

finch204

I just picked up a Giant Roam 2 over the weekend and it is an eye opener. If you prefer to only have one bike to do both duties (ride with daughter and solo rides), the Giant Roam might be a better option. It is a comfy ride, but not slow. You can certainly use it for fitness rides. If you are limited to only getting a bike from Trek, then you should also consider a Trek DS. A Trek DS 2 or DS 3 would be good option.

Ric14221

I ride the Verve 3 Also have a Giant Escape 1. Verve most comfortable bike I ever road

livedarklions

I bought my FX 3 last Memorial Day and have already put on 700+ miles on it. I've never ridden a Verve so I can't compare, but I can tell you that the FX 3 is by far the most comfortable bike I've ever had, and that includes a couple of comfort bikes. It's a fun ride fast and slow. I'm 57 years old, and I can ride it faster than almost all of the riders on road bikes I encounter on the road and paved paths. I've also toured around slowly on it, and it's a great smooth ride with a nice upright position when I need it. I added bar ends for extra hand positions and that's a little bit of a hassle because you need an adapter for the nonstandard handlebar size, but I love the handlebar carbon fork combo as it works much better than any cheap front suspension.

I agree with the try them both theory, but my experience is that the FX 3 is actually more versatile on paper than the Verve, but try them both with the seat at the proper height, and I doubt you'll regret your choice either way.

livedarklions

One more thing, I just looked at the specs on the Verve 3,and it has a suspension seat post. My experience is those are maintenance problems and extra weight without any noticeable benefit. If you've never had one, it sounds good in theory, but ends up just being a part that wears out. You'll still feel the bumps if you don't get off the seat.

pjthomas

Verge is the bike you want to rent on vacation. FX is the bike you want to own in the long haul.

hokiefyd 

A suspension seat post definitely takes the edge off certain types of impacts. There is benefit to them, but there are also drawbacks. As with everything in life, right? I own two suspension seat posts (the cheap kind); one came on my 2015 Verve 3 and the other came on my wife's 2006 Trek 7100. She likes hers, but I've taken mine off. The thing I disliked about it was the amount of yaw it had (left-and-right twist) when riding. It just didn't feel stable. Seat posts are super cheap, though -- a rigid one can be had for 10 bucks. And that's what I did -- I bought a rigid replacement seat post. Fortunately, nearly all of our bikes use 27.2mm seat posts, so we can swap stuff around as we desire.

Regarding comfort, everyone's idea of that will differ. People like different saddles, people like different riding styles, people like different bike geometry. This is why I strongly recommend, to anyone asking about the difference between two or more bikes, to get out and ride them. Only the buyer can decide what comfort means to him or her.

livedarklions

Absolutely agree with that, and the suspension seat thing is a great example--I'm totally not bothered by rear wheel bumps probably because I stand up a lot and also have a pretty tough butt, which may be why I don't notice any benefit to them. And the yaw thing is just endemic with the cheap ones. I always felt like the play might actually damage the frame.

I was really reacting to people just kind of assuming the FX 3 was the less comfortable bike of the 2, and just throwing in that I find it extremely comfortable AND fast. The OP has a totally different body type from me, so I have no idea if he'd feel the same way. Just wanted to encourage him to try BOTH and not just assume Verve will give him the best leisure ride.

ShaneC80

My wife was debating between the two and settled on the FX3. It's the "sportier" bike between the two and still upright enough to watch the kid (even though I'm usually on kid duty while we're biking).

In response to the Giant Roam mentioned above, there's also the Trek DS series which is very similar to the Roams

cycling705

I'd lean toward the FX-3 and then alter it as needed to make it more comfortable (adjustable stem, seat, tires, etc.).

If you want a faster ride later, you can always revert back to the original setup.

The Verve is designed more for casual riding. That's not a bad thing, especially if that's what you desire.

You can refer to this thread, which was my version of your predicament.

Let us know what you decide. Good luck.

Brooke1687

Sunnytadpole

the yaw that is mentioned here is the main thing i didnt like about the verve3. It kept twisting to the right and it felt far too unstable for me. That and it is too casual of a bike for what I want. Some good points regarding swapping the handlebars on the FX3 for something a bit more swept back. I may consider this.

Rubin1977

I tried both and settled on the Verve. Why. It seemed just as fast as the FX if not faster,better seating position,adjustable handle bars,you can go on for long rides without having to worry about being uncomfortable . Still usable on flat dirt trails. I ve done over 30 trips of 25+ miles for total of 1100 miles this summer on the verve without any issue while enjoying every moment.i am in good condition and can go faster than most people with faster bikes. The only advantage on the FX may be that it can absorb bumps better but i ride mostly on flat surface.for what i need that s not enuff to give up comfort without giving up speed. I m 42, 6'3, 240 , at this point i dont need to bend my back for hours if i dont have to. Good luck