Trek FX 7.1
The FX 7.1 will be a fine bike for you. It is refreshing to see that many manufacturers are making more and more utilitarian bike models today. The vast majority of us don't need a featherweight racer or big knobby-tired full suspension mountain bike...
The only things I'd have on my wish list for the FX would be mechanical disk brakes, a compact double crankset and a carbon fork. I really like disk brakes today as they don't wear out the rims and they have more predictable control if wet. The triple ring crankset is a marking hype thing (of course your bike needs 28 speeds!). Indexed shifting and a triple chainring make for fiddly and not as reliable shifting. Before indexed shifting it was possible to over shift then trim back to initiate throwing the chain from one ring to the next, with indexed shifting the derailleur can't over shift. Its a good thing that Trek didn't go for a suspension fork but a carbon fork would have been nice (the fork is about the only place I have carbon fiber on my bikes). A carbon fork will soak up the high frequency buzz from the road better then a steel fork. With big 35C tires it won't be much of a problem though.
The saddle thing is difficult for sure, fit is vital and highly personal! Be sure to get the saddle height right and have is dead level with the ground. The saddle should be high enough that you knee is all but straight but if your hips rock at high cadence its too high. Raise it 1/8" and ride a couple miles, repeat till its clearly too high then back off.
Many people will find that a firmer saddle is best for high mileage. Soft saddles look good in the store but the pressure from your sit bones will cause you to sink through the padding until you rest on the saddle pan. Some form of padded shorts makes a huge difference, look at off road shorts if you don't want to do Spandex.
Oh and do wear a helmet, I'm not sure I'd be typing this if I wasn't wearing one. I landed on my head at about 15 mph on night in the dark. Destroyed the helmet but I was more or less fine. Amazingly I stayed clipped in and the bicycle didn't hit the ground at all! I bought a good bike light after that too
Phil
The FX 7.1 will be a fine bike for you. It is refreshing to see that many manufacturers are making more and more utilitarian bike models today. The vast majority of us don't need a featherweight racer or big knobby-tired full suspension mountain bike...
The only things I'd have on my wish list for the FX would be mechanical disk brakes, a compact double crankset and a carbon fork. I really like disk brakes today as they don't wear out the rims and they have more predictable control if wet. The triple ring crankset is a marking hype thing (of course your bike needs 28 speeds!). Indexed shifting and a triple chainring make for fiddly and not as reliable shifting. Before indexed shifting it was possible to over shift then trim back to initiate throwing the chain from one ring to the next, with indexed shifting the derailleur can't over shift. Its a good thing that Trek didn't go for a suspension fork but a carbon fork would have been nice (the fork is about the only place I have carbon fiber on my bikes). A carbon fork will soak up the high frequency buzz from the road better then a steel fork. With big 35C tires it won't be much of a problem though.
The saddle thing is difficult for sure, fit is vital and highly personal! Be sure to get the saddle height right and have is dead level with the ground. The saddle should be high enough that you knee is all but straight but if your hips rock at high cadence its too high. Raise it 1/8" and ride a couple miles, repeat till its clearly too high then back off.
Many people will find that a firmer saddle is best for high mileage. Soft saddles look good in the store but the pressure from your sit bones will cause you to sink through the padding until you rest on the saddle pan. Some form of padded shorts makes a huge difference, look at off road shorts if you don't want to do Spandex.
Oh and do wear a helmet, I'm not sure I'd be typing this if I wasn't wearing one. I landed on my head at about 15 mph on night in the dark. Destroyed the helmet but I was more or less fine. Amazingly I stayed clipped in and the bicycle didn't hit the ground at all! I bought a good bike light after that too
Phil
