Desertbikerz

Hi All, I am new here and live in Dubai. I am looking at buying a bike to ride mostly on tarmac but also just a bit of gravel. I shortlisted Trek Verve within my budget as the seating position is upright and I am a big guy who needs to lose weight; which is my primary motivation. Unfortunately, Trek does not sell the Verve here and the alternative they are offering is a bike called FX1. It fits my budget but the online review suggest the seat needs to be replaced and that it can't go off tarmac at all. Should I be looking at a Fat Bike or something else from Trek? I am trying to simplify my search and start riding around real quick rather than researching this to death. The other brands easily available here are Decathlon and Schwinn.

Tony P.

I agree with your take on the FX-1. The seat is something that's an individual choice but changing it is easy. The issue with off-tarmac riding relates to the Bontrager H2 tires which are pretty much road tires.

I'm not a fan of Schwinn or Decathlon. With the warranty I'd stick with Trek and speak to your dealer about alternatives.

alo

Decide for yourself. Check out the different bikes and see what you think.

However, fat bikes are good for heavy people, in that the tires spread the weight out more. If you want to ride in sand or mud, a fat bike is good. Fat bikes are also good in gravel, in that the tires absorb the small bumps.

But we don't know how heavy you are. If you are not very heavy, a regular mountain bike will do fine.

TakingMyTime

The Verve is more of a "comfort" bike. It will weigh considerably more than the FX and there is really no upgrade path for a Verve. The FX1 is about as entry level as the FX line goes, so there is plenty of room for improvement if you decide you want different wheels, tires, handlebar, seat, almost anything. Don't let the reports about a bad saddle turn you off. If you haven't ridden in a long time or not at all, you're going to be complaining about how sore your butt is after your first ride. Probably more than 50% of the people who buy a bike upgrade to a different saddle.

MRT2

First, when you say you are a big guy who needs to lose weight, what are you talking about in terms of height and weight? They both matter as a bike needs to hold your weight, but it also needs to fit for your height.

As others have said, the Verve is what is called a comfort bike. And this is where you need to think about what you want. An FX1 could be adapted to some light gravel, even dirt, but would mostly be for paved surfaces. All you need to do is switch out to a different size, and maybe type of tire. If you want to ride mostly gravel, the Trek best suited for that would be the DS line.

Finally, saddles are personal. So I wouldn't make a purchase decision on a bike based on the saddle. I am a fan of Brooks saddles, but YMMV.

hokiefyd 

The Verve would probably be a great choice for you because it allows a much larger tire than you could fit on an FX (it comes stock with 45mm, the Verve, and you could probably go up to 48-50mm). Trek have really modernized the Verve with updated drivetrain options and hydraulic disc brakes. But, it's a moot point if it's not available to you.

I probably would recommend against an entry level FX (like an FX 1) if it's sold with a freewheel hub in your market. Ask your local bike shop; they'll know the answer. Freewheel hubs aren't as strong as cassette hubs and you may experience periodic bent axle shafts with freewheel hubs. That's one reason they're pretty much extinct except for the most entry level models. I would recommend at least an FX 2, in the FX line. If your budget allows, the FX 3 comes with a carbon fork, which will probably be more comfortable (as well as Trek's proprietary IsoZone handlebar and grips).

Desertbikerz

175cm tall and 94kg

Thank you. That's exactly what I was hoping for, other options from Trek. I will go take a look at it at the store today. I am ruling out FX1 and the Verve is not available anyway.

Thank you, that is very helpful. I will go look at Fx2 and FX3 and see if I can afford them.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Thank you. I suspected Schwinn and Decathlon to be inferior quality.

Grandthings

+1

I have an FX3 and I love my bike to peices. It is 4 years old. It got stolen once and went missing for one month before I found it. It still runs like a dream. My partner has an FX 1, it is just over 2 years old and is has just broken without any trauma to the wheel.
Maintenance fees can quickly exceed paying more for better components.

iLLb

Great info here. Im looking to pick up one soon too.