"Seems capable of handling light offroad. Fairly comfortable even after 70 miles with padded shorts. Being a fixed frame it does get bouncy on poor roads, but I only had to have the wheels trued once in the 'bedding in phase' while riding on the road no less. I've hit pot holes, gravel roads and cattle grids (slowly) and the wheels have stayed straight (or round rather).



It can take front and rear pannier racks and seems to handle the extra weight well, but naturally it will become a little 'fat' feeling.



Tires are not the fastest, but do seem to resist punctures well. I've had no trouble in the wet and even with a lean on the bike seems to hang onto the road fine.



It's nice and light standard, but it's easy to fit mud guards, two water bottle holders and panniers. This version has the 32 spoke wheels which mean the wheels are slightly stronger for touring duties.



The 'granny' gearing means you can keep going even when your energy is spent, yet has enough cogs to let it fly down hills.



This bike is like a sample pot for all different riding styles which is good in a lot of ways because it does everything well, but nothing great.



As a day to day bike it's fantastic, but I warn you that you may end up coming back to Trek to get a bike specialised in your favourite area.



The bike looks good too and is easy to maintain. Everything still seems sweet as a nut. Keep the chain oiled, clean the gunk out of the rear gears and generally treat it well and I'm sure it will go many miles.



I'm 6 7 and the 25 inch frame fits me pretty well.



Finally the grips are OK, but you can't add bar ends with this (2011) model because the bar has foam integrated into it which means the bar is not not hollow. These are often useful for climbing or changing hand positions on longer rides.



For the price point it's a fantastic bike and well worth the money.



I hope to keep this bike for many years to come."

"2010 FX 7.3, 22.5". Purchased in July 2010 after 25 years off a bike, and have put on 1300 miles on rails-to-trails (Katy in MO and North Bend in VA), Centuries, and local roads since.



Tested Trek and Sp...d lines around this price point and up to 1K, and this model REALLY stood out: the component improvements over the 7.2 are WELL worth the money: smoother shifting, ride is faster and more comfortable, much better tires.



My additions: Replaced the seat with a racing gel model (great improvement for me, YMMV); Replaced the grips with clamp-type ergo bar ends (no slippage, highly recommended); Brake pads with soft salmons (NO rim grinding, better stopping power, highly recommended) and pedals with SPD type (improves power and distance riding). Added rack and panniers for errand runs and grocery shopping.



Shifting is very smooth, and the drivetrain noticeably quieter than other bikes--almost silent. Geometry and equipment are closer to that of a road bike than a comfort or hybrid, and that's perfect for me. Gearing has ultra-low 1.8 for those long hills, and 8.8 for high speed runs--I drop lots of people on hills! Ride is smooth at full tire pressure even on rail trails, and the 700x32 tires are tough (not one flat!) but fairly speedy and a good compromise for road/trail rides. I'd buy them again.



Choose your sizing carefully; I'm 6.0' 175lb, and got the 22.5" but might go for 25" today: longer top tube length for more agressive riding position. Still works well me though.



In short, I love this bike! It's a near-perfect all-around fitness/century rides/casual/commuter bike at a great price point! The compromises are intelligent and don't detract from it's flexibility and performance one iota. Component level is appropriate and good quality.



I plan on adding an endurance-road type machine for next year, but I absolutely recommend the 7.3FX as your first (or only) bike. You won't be disappointed."

"I bought the 7.3 FX after quite a bit of research and comparison. My daily commuting rides soon turned into day long journeys through town and to the next town, and on several of the rails-to-trails here in the state. In the 8 months I've had the bike I've logged over 3500 miles.



I recently put the 7.3 FX to the test with a trip across the state of Florida. Even heavily laden it handled well and was comfortable even after long days in the saddle.



This is a good bike for commuting, riding paved trails, and riding around town. It worked well as a touring bike. With cyclecross tires I've ridden crushed shell and dirt trails with no problem - not recommended on the stock Race Lites!



The bike is heavy, though. And the upright posture is not the most aerodynamic. But if you want all that get a real road bike."

"I traded a 2000 Schwinn Sierra on my 7.3FX. After putting about 50 miles on the Trek, I know two things for sure. First, the Sierra is a solid bike for the money. I ride a 6 mile course and on my Trek, I've only gotten within 2 mins of my fastest Sierra time set last Sep. Granted, I'm not in riding shape and I'm wearing lots of clothes but the Sierra was pretty fast.



Second, after looking at the Trek Navigator and 7300, I know I bought the right bike with the 7.3FX. This bike is quick, athletic and comfortable. I swapped out the seat before I brought it home to remove any potential issues. I love the handlebars and hand rest grips. The bikes components shift well. Not perfect but very well and much better than the Schwinn. Also love the tires on the 7.3. They are firm and provide lots of confidence in the conditions (sidewalk & pavement) I ride.



Added a rear rack as well and plan to use the bike for my 4 mile commute to work this summer. Also plan on some extended bike trips beyond my 6 mile route as that was the primary reason for trading up.



Love the bike, happy with the purchase, looking forward to racking up some serious miles in 2011."

"I bought the 7.3FX to replace my elderly Trek 720 and my swb recumbent. After comparing the ride against my old bike and recumbent, I was very pleased with how much technology and attention to detail Trek has put into the economical FX. You usually don't find a ride like this for less than $800 to $900. The frame soaks up the road vibration like a sponge without being penalized in a stiff responsive ride. I look forward to many happy miles shared with my 7.3FX.

I don't even own a car any longer, I use my Sun EZ3 for grocery runs and the FX will fill the bill for all my other needs.

Take a ride and see for yourself that FX owners mean it when they say WOW."

"Purchased at my LBS Trek dealer in Homewood, IL in March 2009. It had been 30+ years since I parked my Schwinn, and the my 7.3FX has not only reintroduced me to the joy of cycling, but also transformed me into an enthusiastic cyclist. I logged more than 1200 miles in 10 months, and I hope to double that, including a century or two in 2010. This bike has a great set of core components for an inexperienced cyclist. I changed the saddle, upgraded the grips, and swapped the platform pedals for clipless. Looking forward to a 2k-mile summer!"

"I couldn't be more pleased with this bike. I run 20-30 miles per week, and I wanted a bike that would be a good complement for my running-- and for my personality. I like being in motion. I run for health and enjoyment, not to race, so a road bike isn't my style. Fitness bikes are right for me.



After a lot of web research, I test rode hybrid/fitness bikes around my target price-- a few above and a few below--from all the major manufacturers, and the Trek 7.3FX was the best in its price range. The ride was smoother and more comfortable than some competitors' bikes costing more, and in my experience, offered a substantially better ride than its lower-priced sibling, the 7.2FX. In my opinion, for street riding, it performed much better than bikes with moderate suspension. (Hybrids with front suspension felt a bit sluggish.) In fact, of the eight or so bikes I tested, the only one I thought had a better ride was the Trek 7.5FX-- a ride that was simply beautiful. Unfortunately, it was out of my price range.



Of the 7.3FX, I can say that the brakes are dead-on, stop-on-a-dime, and the bike is quite zippy. Living in New York City, I am glad for both those attributes, as well as for the Bontrager puncture resistant tires and Camino rims. The bike is tough and fairly light, and overall it makes easy work of the streets and most of the hills in Central Park. The riding position is a good compromise between the upright position of a comfort bike and the aggressive position of a road bike.



I have been riding three times a week for about two hours at a time, and I like the bike better each time I am on it. I know I made a great choice, and I am glad I decided to "move up" from the original Trek bike that caught my interest-- the 7.2FX. I do think the 7.3FX is worth the extra money, and if it is in your price range, it's worthwhile to consider the upgrade.



If you are looking for a fitness bike, the 7.3FX should be on your list of bikes to try. It offers a lot of bike for the money. You won't be disappointed. I'm not."

"What's great about the 7.3 FX is it's versatility. It has rack mounts and braze-ons everywhere, including a caliper brake braze-on, 2 water bottle braze-ons, and mounts for front and rear racks and fenders.



It has good stem adjustability so that you can start upright as a casual rider, and gradually make your way into an aggressive position as a real rider.



It has a long geometry, which makes it great for touring or cyclocross.



It has the fantastic Bontrager Hard Case tires, which have a Kevlar belt and can run over almost anything. I popped 0 tubes in the first 16 months/3000 miles I owned the bike.



It has a Deore rear derailer, which is an enormous step up from the Altus/Acera/Alivio derailers found on similarly priced bikes and the 7.2, because it is double-sprung. It actually shifts quite nicely for the price. The importance of this cannot be overstated.



After 16 months, I overhauled mine, and added drop handlebars which meant new shifters and brake levers. The versatility of the bike allowed me to do this easily, in fact I did it by myself, no bike shop trip necessary.



Negatives - the HG40 is a pretty weak cassette and will only last a few thousand miles, but OTOH it is cheap to replace. Same with the chain. When you replace them, you can get a SRAM 850 or 870 for 50-60 bucks an be set for a long, long time. The brake pads are too wide for the rims, so you'll need to replace them after about 1000 miles. Again, one replacement for $10 a set of Kool-Stop pads and you'll be set for a long, long time. The shifters can be hard to read, especially the right one. However, if you open it, you can add a little mark with a magic marker to fix that.



Bottom line: great bike for new riders, people over 200 pounds, people over 40, people looking to tour on a flat bar bike, and people looking for the cheapest bike that can at least almost keep up with your friends on road bikes. It's a serious bike, almost. A HUGE step up from the 7.2 FX. Don't buy that, buy this."

"Comfort (4.5 out of 5 Stars)

After 3.5 hrs of riding I felt great. The InForm Grips and handlebars are the best feature of the bike in my mind. They take alot of the pressure off of your elbows and with the reduced vibrations my back and shoulders felt great. The only thing I did not like was the seat. it is super thin and pretty uncomfortable for long rides. It is a great seat but would be more suited for racing. My wife has the 7.1FX and her seat is fantastic.



Shifting (5 out of 5 Stars)

The shifting components on this are great especially for the price point. They are very smooth and there is no hang up/delay on the front derailleur. The shifting triggers are smooth and are placed absolutely perfect on the handlebars.



Braking (4.5 out of 5 Stars)

Brake system is excellent and efficient however the pads are a bit noisy and I will be interested to see how a top notch set of pads will improve the noise and feel.



Weight (5 out of 5 Stars)

I have the 17.5". It is extremely light. As stated before my wife had the 7.1 and even compared to hers it is extremely light. It is no problem for me to lug it up the stairs into our office of the house where we store them.



Steering (5 out of 5 Stars)

Im not an avid biker but this is the best bike I have ever owned for handling. It is nimble and has no problem weaving in and out of light poles/avoiding pot holes.



Components (5 out of 5 Stars)

Components are excellent for the price point. Yes you can get better but not without spending over 1k.



Overall Rating (5 out of 5 Stars)

This bike is incredible. I decided to start commuting this year and I bought a used bike that will go un-named. I got it and it needed a ton of work and so I decided to abandon it and buy a new 7.3 FX. I loved everything about this bike except for the saddle. I am not sure why the 7.3 which is an upgrade from the 7.1 has a less comfortable saddle.



If you are looking for an all around great bike with superb comfort and handling this is the bike for you. I cannot say enough about it. This bike rides like a million bucks."

"I recently happened upon a used 2009 7.3 FX in carrera blue, and I'm very pleased. This bike is light, fast, agile, and really a joy to ride. I ride it around my neighborhood all the time, and I'm looking forward to taking it to the bike path.



I don't like the seat. It's just not comfortable for me, so I'll probably be looking to replace that in the future. The brakes are a bit finicky. It took me a while to get them adjusted properly. So far they have stayed put.



Everything else seems to be wonderful. I love the frame. It's really light and fast. The tires roll great too. It's basically a road bike with a flat bar.



I've spent years owning bikes with drop bars that I rarely rode. I also owned a mountain bike, briefly, but it was actually too upright, and a bit slow with the 26 inch knobbies. This bike seems to have the perfect riding position for me. I really don't like riding on the street in the drops. I don't feel safe, because it is difficult to see around me. It is also much more enjoyable when I can see what is going on.



I used to have to force myself to get my bike out. Now I'll make any excuse to ride. I love my bike."