SlinkyWizard

A bit of background, I've had the TREK DS 8.5 2016 model, I love the bike, and have clocked 16,000km . It's been with me through all kinds of weather, rainy, snowy, icy, the bike and me even survived getting swept away after the river flooded the local bike paths here.

For Christmas, my brother offered to buy me a bike, at first I told him, I'm good, I got a bike I love, but in all probability, it will be the last Christmas that he will be here with us ( stage 4 pancreatic cancer ). So accepting his offer, he wanted me to get a carbon bike, a road bike, but I prefer flat bars to drop bars, so I started looking at models you can get in Korea, and the Trek FX S6 caught my eye, for the price and if it's going to be a gift, go big

If anyone has this bike in the 2018 model, any thoughts?

https://www.trekbikes.com/au/en_AU/b.../1347000-2018/

Thanks for any replies, of course, I will test ride this bike if they have one to ride, am looking forward to riding a bike without a bike rack and a bag weighing it down. On trips where the bike rack is needed , or the weather is dodgy, the DS will not be neglected

tyrion

Forget the Trek. Ask for a Van Nicholas Deveron Titanium bike with 18 speed Pinion gearbox.

https://www.vannicholas.com/touring-bikes/deveron

SlinkyWizard

I'm looking for something as close to a road bike with flat bars, carbon, and no racks, mud guards, and anything else to weigh the bike down, built for speed,

ksywa

Look at either some custom builds - seven for example, or for salsa - carbon or ti; you can get them in the geometry you want, with flat bars.

Trek - 105 2x11, compact crank; 700x32 tyres, so nice comfy ride and not so much rolling resistance. Certainly a nice package as long as you like the feel of the bike. Plenty of things for later ugrades - gruppo, wheels & tyres, brakes.. but that is a different story.

Now, if you really want to go big and custom - consider 2017 Domane S 6 Disc - carbon & Ultegra.. and ask LBR to swap drops for some nice carbon flatbars, change shifters and brakes to suit your taste and you will have a very
light and sharp bike.

linky to Domane S 6 - it is on sale ! so see how low LBS will go.
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...ode=white_blue


Enjoy the ride - and very sorry to hear about your brother.

/ksywa

fietsbob

Yea Trek FX will save you the weight load of the Suspension fork.

My LBS is a Trek Dealer , but they dont get the 2018, high end bikes , on spec,

because the customers dont want to spend that much money.. so they get the lower tier models..


https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...colorCode=grey

more money gets more carbon

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...olorCode=black..


including the 'decoupler' from the Domane design..





....

Scooty Puff Jr

Or try and find a 2017 FXS6, thats the last year it was based on the Domane frame. I had my 17 FXS6 frame replaced under warranty and they sent me a Domane S frame and fork, different color but the exact same frame.

Juggy_Gales

The Trek looks nice and I love the Gearing... If I went more road Bike.. I think I would Buy this one..
I really fell in love with the FastRoad CoMax 1 it really is a fast bike and looks sick.. Plus it is about $1k cheaper than the Trek..



https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/fastroad-comax-1-disc

SlinkyWizard

the FastRoad CoMax 1 is a bike that I looked at and can actually get in Korea, what makes the bike $1,000 cheaper?

badger1

It isn't. The difference (FXS6 and Fastroad Comax 1) is about 250 U.S.

The Giant is less expensive because ... well, because it's Giant: more value for money. The bikes are directly comparable: quality, drivetrain, etc.

By the way, the FXS6 frame is almost certainly manufactured by Giant (or another of the major Taiwan-based manufacturers) for Trek.

SlinkyWizard

I am intrigued with the Giant FastRoad CoMax 1.

Damn, to quote Neo from the Matrix " Choice. The problem is choice."

Scooty Puff Jr

That doesn’t matter, the Trek FXS6 frame is made in Taiwan in the Giant shop, but it’s made with Treks specs and materials that Trek finds will be much more quality than a typical “Giant” bike. Most bike frames are made in the same factory, but it doesn’t mean they’re “the same”. Every bike frame is made by different specs and quality depending on the brand.

A good example is that many Toyota, Nissan and GM parts are made by the the same manufacturer, but they are made to the specs that they want. GM may want to use cheap metal and cheap die cast, but Toyota may want better metal and metal better casts for their parts.

badger1

We'll have to disagree on this point.

Absolutely true that whoever is making Trek's carbon frames in Taiwan is making them to Trek's design, and Trek's specifications. However, there is no evidence at all that Giant's 'Giant' branded frames are, at a given price point in the market, of inferior quality to those they make for, e.g., Trek, or indeed to those of any other manufacturer. Different, yes; inferior, no. The current Giant Comax and Trek FXS6 framesets are clearly very different in design. I wouldn't want the former (geometry; appearance) and would definitely prefer the latter were I choosing between the two, no question. But that is not because one is intrinsically better than the other as far as quality is concerned.

Scooty Puff Jr

Whoohs, pump the brakes. I’m not giving any disrespect to Giant at all, just saying that most “parts” from different companies are made in the same factory. Most all bike frames and bike parts are all probably made in the Specs from each company to make their part/frame is the rule. Doesn’t mean that a Trek frame made in a Giant factory doesn’t conform to “perfect standards” by Trek. Though I had to warranty my Trek frame......

badger1

Oh come on ... if we can't quibble over small points, where's the fun?
Oh ... and Happy New Year! Hope all is well in Fla ... believe me, wish I was there!

Lt Stonez

Read this Cream, competent or cowboy - which factories are faking it? | Bicycle Business | BikeBiz

Delwis

Just ordered a new FX S 6. Hopefully, I'll be picking her up this weekend. Coming from a 2012 Trek 7300, I am very excited about my new bike and it's new frame!

Wanderer

They are both great looking bikes, superficially, and on paper! I certainly would not be afraid of either one..... One thing worth considering, the Trek comes with 32mm tires, and you may be able to fit even larger (must check first) for more comfort. The Giant comes with 25s -- how big can you go on that Giant frame may be worth checking on if that is a concern to you.

The deeper rims on the Giant, with more air volume, might make up for this?

In either case, they are both quality bikes, and very nice to look at, with quality components.

Which one looks the nicest to you? Which one rides the best to you. To me, Giant really makes nice looking stuff!

You wouldn't be disappointed with either one.

This would really be a nice decision to have to make.

MHO

Delwis

Giants are great bikes. I had a '08 OCR 3 that I put flat bars on. Sold it off when I got the Trek 7300 for more comfort. (I wish I would have hung on to it and put the drops back on.) I need that speed back. I also looked at the CoMax 1 along with the Cannon Quick Carbon 1 and Sirrus Expert/Pro Carbon. I was going to buy the Felt Verzaspeed 3 but there are none available in my size. Plus, it was a lot more dough. Got the FX S 6 with a 12% discount. Great time of year to buy here up north.

leonidnk

Yes! The Gearbox is the future for all bikes.

csrpenfab

I picked up my 2019 Trek FX6 Sport a couple of weeks ago, and I've got a couple hundred miles on her already. Absolutely love this bike. Very solid, light and fast. Perfect what I needed it for.