hokiefyd 

Absolutely -- if your calipers are inside the rear triangle, as many are these days, a standard rack will do just fine.

Drdiaboloco

That's what I figured. Then I saw a post up the thread with someone who'd obviously used a "disc" rack on their new FX and it had me wonderin'.

Drdiaboloco

What bags are you sportin' there? (sorry, can't repost your pic because of my own post count)

-Seat pack looks like a BV "Y" series. Just not sure of the size. If this is what you have, is that a Large?

-Top tube pack... which one is that?

csrpenfab

Good call on the BV tail bag. I got it from Amazon and it's the large size. Great bag for the price: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The top tube "bento box" is a Revelate Designs bag. A bit pricey at $65, but worth every penny. The magnetic catch on the flap makes it a one hand operation and easy to access while riding. It holds my phone, energy bar, wallet etc...I have the model with a strap for the top tube, but they also make a bolt-on model if you're lucky enough to have top tube bosses.

https://www.rei.com/product/150462/r...0-top-tube-bag

csrpenfab

Good call on the BV tail bag. I got it from Amazon and it's the large size. Great bag for the price: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The top tube "bento box" is a Revelate Designs bag. A bit pricey at $65, but worth every penny. The magnetic catch on the flap makes it a one hand operation and easy to access while riding. It holds my phone, energy bar, wallet etc...I have the model with a strap for the top tube, but they also make a bolt-on model if you're lucky enough to have top tube bosses.

https://www.rei.com/product/150462/r...0-top-tube-bag

Drdiaboloco

Thanks for the info on the BV. Was thinking about that one but just can't get over the concept of a $12 bag being any good or being durable. Presently using a 25y/o Avenir bag that has held up great but it's been pilfered from another bike and I want to put it back.

As for the Revelate do you hit your knees on that thing? That's a common complaint from people using the larger bags that have, say, a place for your cell phone on the top. I was thinking of going REALLY small, just big enough to FIT my phone (not on display), a credit card and a set of keys. Or maybe bite the bullet and activate my LTE watch so I don't carry the phone at all, but not sure I'm gonna go that far.

timgriffin2

I've been enjoying riding the old 2007 Trek 7.2 FX after it sat in the garage for several years neglected

csrpenfab

No issues with hitting knees on the Revelate bento box. The top tube on the FX6 is wide and flat, and just about the same size as the bag. It sits nice and flat and stays put. I was just at REI today and I noticed they also have a huge "jumbo" version of that same bag. It was quite large, and I imagine on that one you would hit your knees when standing to climb.

Drdiaboloco

Followup:
Boy did my Trek dealer have a cow when I wanted to buy the BackRack Deluxe (non-disc) rack for my FX3 an hour or so ago. Three different salespeople tried to talk me out of it... even when I pulled an identical bike off the display and sorta "test fitted" it to the frame. No interference between the rack and the brake caliper, but the third salesperson said "your screws could hit the caliper", to which I suggested I could either put in a washer or simply cut the screw. Then the second salesperson came back and suggested with no small amount of condescension that we could "walk it over to the mechanics and have them explain it". So finally the mechanic says "well with SOME discs you need the disc rack but with THIS one you might get away with it". "Might". Then the third salesman tried the "you realize the regular disc rack is cheaper, right?" angle. Finally the fourth salesperson "allowed" me to buy it.

What a harrowing experience. Now I sure do hope I'm not wrong.

Drdiaboloco

Yep, I saw the two sizes on REI and presumed yours was the smaller one.

nuxx 

Revitalised my trusty old 7.6 FX last year. New wheels, seatpost and whatnot. I should take better pictures of it.

Drdiaboloco

Very nice... But lordy is that a lot of seatpost showing! Even with a few spacers below the stem and a small positive angle on the stem itself, and accounting for the angle of the photo, it appears your seat is several inches above the handlebars. Do they measure your height in "hands", by any chance?

nuxx 

Just 6’3”

ColonelSanders

What size is your FX?

sjanzeir

How's this for plenty of seat post? This is a 400mm Bontrager Comp on my size 15" 7.6. Even though I'm only 5'3" (160cm) short, the factory 330mm seat post somehow was too short for me to ride comfortably without my knees catching fire, even beyond its minimum insertion mark. My other 7.6 is a size 17.5"; no issues with that.

nuxx 

I think it might be 56cm... I got it quite a few years ago. But it does the job of being a rainy day bike/park in the street bike vs all my composites

ColonelSanders

Did Trek use road bike sizing to describe the different sizes of FX's, for the model year of your bike?

I know they use to use mountain bike sizing like 17", 19", 22" etc and now they have moved to Small, Medium, Large and X-Large for their FX's.

Regardless, I can't help but think your bike may be a size or two, too small for you.

nuxx 

You don't need to think about that at all... I'm capable of fitting a bike ...and yes I've grown in the ~13 years since... but it might be 58cm... I just can't recall right now.

Edit: https://archive.trekbikes.com/us/en/...k/76fx/details ...I would presume it's the 22.5" model so roughly 58cm... only slightly short of the 60cm I generally ride.

I only use it sporadically when it rains or I need to park "unsafely" ...I have much more interesting bikes in my arsenal.

ColonelSanders

Yes you have some very nice bikes in your collection.

Drdiaboloco

csrpenfab

I took my FXS6 out Saturday for a ride with my hardcore road riding buddy. He was shocked how well the FX6 kept up with his drop bar road bike! We did 40 miles total; 20 miles straight up Euclid Avenue to the base of Mt. Baldy. It's a good steady climb the whole way, with the last mile being quite steep. When we turned around to head back down, we quickly hit speeds of 40mph, and the FX6 felt rock solid. Nice to have the hydro brakes at those speeds.

I was contemplating switching my FX6 to a drop bar configuration, but after talking it over with the wrench at my LBS last week, I think I'll pass and just wait to get another drop bar gravel bike. The swap was going to run several hundred $$ due to the cost of the 105 shifter/levers. Just not worth it at that price. I prefer drop bars after putting a few hundred miles on my other bike (Giant TCX SLR2 Gravel Bike) and I've found the drops keep my right hand from going numb like it does on the flat bar.

Rick53

I rode Dirt Bike for 40 years Still do top some degree: Wouldn't it be better to have drop bars on the Rodey and the flats on the Hybrid for gravel ? Nice Bike Though :

Rick53

Beautiful Bike : I wonder if I really need to spend FX6 type money : These are 799.00 Is an FX 6 really that much nicer quality ? Or I should say better ride :

CarloM

A fellow So Cal native!

In a nice coincidence I too just recently took my FXS6 out, just a quick 10 mile ride to the beach and back. I have to admit ever since buying the Cannondale SuperSix Evo Di2 I've been riding that 95% of the time, including a nice weekend ride from Solimar to Carpinteria and back. But for whatever reason last night I was really feeling like it was the Trek's turn.

Interestingly enough, I checked tire pressure. I usually run dead in the middle of recommended at 80psi. Because it had been a while, the tires had gone down to 60psi. 55 is the minimum recommended. I decided to leave it at that and see how the ride felt.

The comfort was such a pleasant surprise! I had grown accustomed to the SuperSix, which is built for speed, and I run Conti 5K at 90psi on them. I had forgotten how much more forgiving the FX frame is, and lowering the pressure to 60...I'll never run it at 80 again. Sure I may have had to work a little harder for the same speed, but given how the majority of my FX riding is in and around the city, with it's plethora of stoplights, I rarely get to top speed anyway. In fact, waiting for so many stoplights, my ride to the beach and back was pretty close to the S6.

I think I'm going to fall into a pattern where I will choose to do a considerable amount of riding that has lots of stops/starts with the FX, since it's a little harder to pedal, I can get my strength up. Maybe take some hills on it too. Then on weekend rides when I travel some distance to ride long straightaways, I'll feel stronger when I'm on the SuperSix!

CarloM

I'd highly recommend riding both and decide for yourself. Some people ride Audi, BMW, Lexus and think it's worth it over Honda, Toyota, etc. And some people don't think the improvement justifies the expense. It's a highly individual value judgment.

Having just been where you are (Memorial Day 2019), here's how my experience went.

1. Walked into LBS, just getting back into cycling after nearly 30 years of not being on a bike. Wanted to spend under a grand. Tried FX3 Disc. Liked it. Saw the FX4 which had a $100 discount due to Mem Day sale, so since it closed the gap in price I asked to test ride it.
2. Rode the FX4. The shedding of about 3lbs, plus the improvement from the Acera 3x9 to the Tiagra 2x10 was noticeable. Also the ride felt a little bit...not stiffer...but it felt like it was easier to pedal, like more of my effort was going to the wheels and translating into slightly faster speed for the same or less effort.
3. Black has always been one of my favorite colors for vehicles. Of course, the FXS5 was right beside the FX4 on the rack. I lifted the bike and even though on paper it lists as only 1lbs lighter, it seemed more. I had never ridden a carbon bike, so I was intrigued, even though I had already hit my budget limit with the FX4. That was a revelatory experience. I immediately knew that if I bought the 4, I'd spend the next year(s) second-guessing not ponying up for the CF frame. Same Tiagra transmission, but the CF frame literally felt like a different class of vehicle. I went faster with less effort. Cornering was tight as a drum. A stupid smile emerged and stayed on my face. This was definitely going to be the one.
4. Until I saw the 6 right beside it. The LBS manager mentioned that at over $2K, the Mem Day discount jumped to $200 off. And the LBS was having a "they pay sales tax" special, so the difference then was only $100 between the 5 and 6. Let's just say that I'd have paid the entire $200 difference after experiencing the 105 group set.

I realize that I had a $200 discount and no-tax so that doesn't apply to today's prices. But despite having spent nearly double my $1K budget, I haven't regretted it for one moment. If it's not going to change your quality of life, and if you plan on riding a lot, it's money well spent imho.