Trek 7.3 FX Bike Review
The Trek 7.3 FX is an entry level bike that can manage both off-road rough and tumble along with the urban sprawl for a true hybrid experience. For 2012 the FX 7.3 is lighter, tighter and generally better than its predecessors, promising to help you have fun if you are trying to keep fit or just attempting to get to work without relying on public transport or a gas-guzzling car.
Kicking off the list of the Trek 7.3 FX specifications is the Alpha Gold alloy frame. This has been remodelled in order to be lighter than last year’s offering without limiting its strength or suppleness in any way. The alloy fork is a good fit for this, featuring tapered walls which decrease in thickness to reduce weight and also improve shock absorption. Because this bike is expected to be used on paved surfaces for the majority of the time it is setup to give you precise handling for traffic traversal and enough comfort-oriented features to reduce the amount of vibrations which shudder their way up from the wheels and into your body. Trek has definitely made this new 7.3 FX better at achieving these goals than ever before.
Shimano components contribute to the gearing while the brakes are Tektro linear-pull alloy options. The Bontrager Satellite Plus IsoZone OS handlebars and grips are slightly oversized, just like the Bontrager SSR stem, enhancing the responsiveness of the bike and giving you that feeling that you are in total command of it at all times.
Adverse weather conditions can be the enemy of the average hybrid bike but Trek has kitted out the FX 7.3 with Bontrager Race All-Weather Hard-Case tyres. These are not only resistant to the hazardous materials that are strewn across city streets and can puncture inner tubes with ease. They are also balanced between offering grip in the wet weather and fast-rolling slickness when it is dry, so you will never feel like you are fighting against the tyres but will rather be working with them to get to where you want to go.
Hybrid bikes tend to be quite understated in their designs and this is certainly true of the Trek 7.3 FX in its new guise for 2012. Either a plain black or blue frame is on offer and while this might not set your heart racing you will be able to appreciate the finer details once you get up close and personal. Great care has been taken to build the bike to a high standard and there are no poorly finished parts which you feel like you might break after just a few miles on the road. This is all the more impressive given the modest price point of this particular hybrid.
There is no questioning the all-round competence of the Trek FX 7.3. This is a bike that can suit cycling for pleasure, exercise or simply for commuting from A to B. It will not get skittish in the wet nor feel sluggish in the dry, so give it a try.
