Hybrid vs Flat Bar Road bike

Alot of replies. Hope you get to read mine's. If you're in the
market for a Trek 7000 series, I'd like to reccomend the 7000FX
series. The difference is it doesn't have the front shocks, so
you don't lose power to the crank. It's basically a faster bike.
You still have the seat post shock, though. I have a 7200FX and
my wife has a 7100. Both are good quality machines, but I think
the FX is just all around better. Cheaper, too, because it
doesn't have that front shock, there. The FX line has many in
your price range. I can ride it all day with no discomfort, and I
do not have bar ends added on. Good luck with your search for a
new bike. I know I was a pain in the ass to my LBS for a while
before I decided.

~Rob



"Ken M" wrote in message
oups.com...
: I am having a heck of time trying to decide what type of bike
to buy
: for my first 'NEW' bike. At first I was leaning towards a
hardtail mtb,
: like the Trek 3700 or 4300, then after thinking about it for a
day or
: so I decided that that would be 'more bike than I need' so then
I was
: considering the Trek 7000 series hybrids particularly the 7300,
or the
: Giant Cypress DX. But then I started looking at a couple of
'Flat Bar
: Road Bikes' like the Ibex Corrida or one of the K2 flat bar
models. I
: think it's called the 'Astral' or something like that.
:
: I like and can tolerate the more upright geometry that the
hardtails
: give, which seems to be the same with the hybrids, but I like
the
: lightweightness of a road bike.
:
: I have been only trying to look in the local bike shops so I
can 'put
: my hands' on the bikes and 'see' them in person. But with only
two LBS
: my selection seems a little limited ( 5 brands ), Trek,
Raliegh,
: Cannondale, Giant, and Sun recumbents.
:
: I know that as a first time bike buyer I 'should' by from a
local
: dealer. But if I decide to buy over the net are there any
little
: mistakes I could make that will turn into huge probelms? I know
about
: sizing, is there any thing else I need to consider?
:
: Ken
: