[jrstudman81]

Which is the better overall deal the Cannondale Quick sl 1 2012 for 1400 dollars or the Trek 7.7 fx 2012 for 2000 dollars. Does the Trek come with better components than the cannondale or what? I've been told by my Dad who worked in a bike store for a long time and LBS that you shouldn't spend more than 1,000 dollars on a hybrid bike, is this true. I see that the Trek comes with the carbon fork and carbon seat post. The cannondale comes with carbon fork. Both our aluminum bikes. I would think for 2,000 dollars that trek would make the 7.7fx with a carbon fiber frame I guess not.

[jrstudman81]

initially I was just going to buy a cannondale quick carbon 1 or 2 or a specialized sirrus limited but the guy at the LBS thought i was nuts wanting to buy a carbon fiber framed hybrid bike. He said that the crank on the quick carbon is also made of carbon which I didn't know. I guess to save on weight. He said it would probably break down in 6 months. What is the point of making these bikes, just to get people to buy them and take our money? May as well buy a road bike if I want a carbon fiber bike.

[Tao]

If you are new to cycling (like me) why not just get something cheaper to see what type of riding you like. Something like the quick 3 or 4 (I'm getting a quick 3) should be more than enough to see if you are going to take it seriously, if you are going to be going off road, if you are going to be using it enough to justify that type of money? Of course what you consider "expensive" may be quite different from what others feel about the word.

Whenever you start some new sport or activity it is very difficult for a beginner to tell the difference between high end and mid range products. I love snowboarding but when I first started I realized it would be stupid to go out and get the best possible board based on other people's opinions before I knew what type of style suited me. I think buying a bike is similar. You have to find out for yourself before you fork out big money.

That's my two cents worth anyway.