Trek 2001 7300

Price Paid:  $469.00 at bike barn

Bike Setup:
stock

Summary:
i've temporarily cut back, but for about two months i was cummuting approx 150 miles per week on city streets, on and off curbs, and absolutlely atrocious sidewalks. Moreover, short distances over land, quite a few miles in the rain, and i've been over the handlebars at 17 mph once so far. it has not needed any repairs, nor is it shaking, squeeking, or rattling. through it all, the bike has been solid, and i must say that i'm pleased with it, and would recommend it. for the type of riding i do, anything even a notch lower in quality might not hold up.

Strengths:
-fairly light weight
-quite maneuverable
-great brakes
-seems to be on the durable side so far.

Weaknesses:
-currently having some trouble getting the rear components to give me one gear change per click of the shifter
-reluctant to give me the very top gear
-seat has a bit of a mushy feel to it

Similar Products Used:
probably none. the last bike i had was a road bike i built in 1982 and rode for about a year.

Price Paid:  $429.00 at Wheel & Sprocket (Gr

Favorite Ride:
Glacial Drumlin State Trail

Summary:
Bought this bike in July 2001 and have since ridden it 800 miles (April '02). I have experienced virtually no problems thus far. I previously owned a Trek 800, but, since I rode so much on the road (not to mention the bike was too small) I picked up the 7300. It was a world of difference! My endurance increased by a good bit, and was a lot easier to ride.
Enjoyable ride for the bike path (paved/gravel) and the road. This bike is quite versatile, you can ride it on just about anything but singletrack - rough gravel, level gravel, pavement, grass, dirt. No doubt though, it was made for the pavement. The tires keep good grip on most surfaces (it has never slipped out from under me) including wet pavement & some snow.
Overall it's a great bike well worth the money considering how much I ride it. A good bike for the road or path (MUCH better than a mountain bike in this respect) but with versatility too. Still, as much as I like to ride it, singletrack trails keeps calling my name...

Strengths:
Good range of gears on bike: really low gears for up the hills, and high enough gears for any speed below 40 mph. Good reliability for the components, only one chain jump so far, and the brakes have stayed in perfect alignment since I bought it. The rims have also held up well with not even a hint of disfigure.

Weaknesses:
The seat can be uncomfortable after about 10 miles in the saddle. The rubber hand grip on the right side of the handlebars keeps slipping down the tube (it's difficult to twist back into place) Other than that no problems!

Similar Products Used:
Trek '99 700, Trek '99 7300, Trek '98 800.

Price Paid:  $580.00 at Treknology Bike 3

Favorite Ride:
Still looking for one..

Bike Setup:
Stock except the seat (changed to a narrower Bontrager saddle) and toe-clips

Summary:
I calculated that I have cycled nearly 25,000 km during my schooling years in India. That was on a typical Indian bike, the likes of which you see only in India, China and maybe Amsterdam.

This is my first modern bike and has helped me become a regular bike rider after a gap of almost 10 years. I bought the bike after a fair bit of research on the Internet. It has turned out to be more or less what I expected - smooth, predictable and dependable. I hope to exploit it fully by installing a rack and go touring.

I would recommend this bike to someone who is a 'serious' recreational rider. It gives fairly good value for money and even if you graduate to a more serious bike later on, it will remain handy as the one you can abuse without any serious monetary impact.

However if you are just looking for something to ride to the store and no more - most of the Singaporean cyclists do just that - you should stick to the el cheapo mountain bikes that litter the pavements.

Strengths:
Good first bike

Weaknesses:
Riser handlebar, no rack, platform(?) pedals.
The rear derailleur has a tendency to skip gears

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $469.00 at Mt Washington Bike Shop

Favorite Ride:
Camden Yards to Towson

Bike Setup:
Stock with profile 90 degree stem, Bontrager 5 degree handlebars, specialized comfort seat, clipless pedals

Summary:
First, know thyself and thy reason for buying this bike. Communting?, semi-serious road work (<20 miles)?, going to the grocery store? errand rider? Sunday afternoon rides on road/pavement/groomed trails? This is the ride for you! A wonderful city bike, the thing is responsive and fast in traffic, even if there is no suspension in this model (MTB Gloves are mandatory to offset some of the shock when riding on rough terrain, or in the city w/ cobblestones etc.)

Gear shifts are smooth and almost negligible in back, but a little more dramatic up front, but that is to be expected at this proce point. Brakes are wonderful and hey, they stop the thing in a small amount of real estate. Compared to the competition, the thing is priced reasonably enough to allow an entry level rider to purchase all the accessories (helmet, gloves, shorts, pump, bottles etc) that you would need for less than $600 total (incl. bike), while still providing a quality aluminum framed, American built, "name brand" hybrid bike that is a distant cousin to Lance Armstrong's carbon fiber rocketship!!

Beware of serious knee pain with clips and straps on this thing, and I strongly recommend clipless pedals if you plan to do regular rides over hilly terrain or if you have knee problems. Additionally, the bike is nice enough to get a lot of attention in the city (name, paint job), so get some real secure locks and be careful!! (I have already lost the suspension seat post and seat and some %$&^%$#! stuck a thumbtack in my tire while it was parked at work) Bike riding is enjoying a renaissance, and this ride is a nice target for folks who want you to finance their renaissance.
For those who plan on using this bike to get (back) into cycling, and don't want to break the bank on a high end ride that may be beyond your engine capabilities, this ride can do the job of getting you in real cycling shape quickly, because it makes riding so much fun. The cool thing is that after your progress to a higher end machine, it will still be a great commuter/city bike that you can continue to use for years.

Be warned though, the minute you deviate to the road or MTB side of the cycling spectrum, go get a specialized rig to handle that particular environment, because the 7300 ain't a specialized kinda bike!

There are high end hybrids out there (Specialized Sirrius, Trek 7500, 7700, C'dale bad boy, Roadwarrior) for the rider who wants to do a more extensive ride schedule. Listen, as nice as they may look, the value for money is just not there. No mater how nice the hybrid, it is still inferior given that the top of the line hybrid is STILL light years behind a purpose built road or MTB rig. Make a decision, and buy a bike designed for the riding you anticipate doing. Putting $300 Rolf vectors and high end componentry on a hybrid frame is just not as cost effective as if the same money was invested on a specific road or MTB rig, believe me. And for those who complain about the bent over position or road bikes (I was one) if you are fitted properly for the bike, the discomfort level will evaporate, trust me! (Okay! End of rant!)

Great bike for its purpose, fantastic value, enjoyable ride. 4 chalupas given the crappy pedals and seat....

Oh yeah, Mt. Washington Bike shop is awesome, and offer 2 YEARS free service on all bikes they sell....Only shop in MD that does...Check them out!!

Strengths:
Light, stout, Aluminum frame, American made, good component mix, trouble free, does its job very well, pretty fast(!), great paint job.

Weaknesses:
Stock seat is a squishy mess, nice enough to attract the wrong type of attention, pedal clips and straps completely kill your knees when riding long distances, suspension would be nice!

Similar Products Used:
Demo'd Gary fisher Utopia, Cannondale H300, some Raleigh rides, Specialized Sirrius

Price Paid:  $640.00 at Denmark

Bike Setup:
a good combo

Summary:
I'm typically a Cannondale slave, but I wanted to try this whole Trek thing out without any of my peers mocking me on the open road. I did a 60 miler over the first weekend that I had this to stress test and it was quite impressive. The next day my roommate's girlfriend took it to a skateboard park and let some Danish rodents crash it against the wall for a few hours. Totally pissed, the Danish bike shop that sold it to me gave me another one, as well as a hammer to bash the skulls of the hoods (as well as my roommate's).

I like the bike though. No complaints. Smooth ride. Chicks dig it.

Strengths:
Ultra-lite frame, good wheels, chic colors

Weaknesses:
Rapid-fire shimano gears need adjusting; pretty expensive (purchased overseas in Denmark)

Similar Products Used:
None