Giant FCR 1 vs Trek 7.5 FX vs Spec Sirrus Elite

[danielcpaterson]

Hi guys, this is my 1st post on this forum so I hope I get some good feedback!

I'm trying to decide on which Hybrid road bike to buy for around £450. I need something that is fast but quite comfy, can do hills, can be used in the city and can manage short-medium road trips. I won't be using it off-road or on very bumpy tracks. The reason I have not listed any true road bikes is that I dont want drops or too harsh a ride.
I have looked at various bikes but the best seem to be the Giant FCR 1 (2008) at £464, the Trek 7.5 FX (2008) at £444 and the Specialized Sirrus Elite (2008) at £450.

I am leaning towards to the Giant FCR 1 as the 2009 model is about £200 more expensive, so this 2008 model is quite good value. Also apparently the components are a slightly higher spec than my other 2 choices. I also gather that the Spec. Sirrus is quite keen and can be a harsh ride on certain conditions and that the default tyres are prone to puncturing often, although it is a very popular and fast bike. Apparently the Trek FX is similar but sometimes even less comfortable.

Please vote in the poll and post a reason why you voted and if you want to suggest other equally good bikes, that would be excellent. Thankyou so much for your time and I look forward to your votes and feedback!

Daniel

 

[Maz]

Hi/Welcome

I've had the Sirrus Elite for a few years now, have used it for my daily commute and can heartily recommend it. However, you need to try them for yourself and see which one you like best.

 

[DeeP]

I have just bought a 23' 2008 Giant CRS alliance and so far am very pleased with it. Part carbon frame very comfy & light (compared to previous Trek) , can take full mudguards (1 minor adjustment) and Rack. What is even better is that I got it for £448 (retail £750). The Retail for the 09 version is more like £900. Ash cycles in Chingford is where I got it and they still have some in stock although the smaller versions are £544. From what I can see it is similar design to the FCR 1 except for the carbon in the frame. Hope this helps.
David.

 

[danielcpaterson]

Hi there

Many thanks for your detailed reply and for the others who voted. I am leaning towards the Giant myself due to it's solidity, comfort and high-spec components. Would you reccomend the CRS over the FCR? The CRS is billed as a city hybrid bike is it not? The FCR is definitely a flatbar road. What do you mainly use yours for? Have you ever ridden any other Giants?

Does anyone know what the main noticeable differences are between the FCR and the other 2 bikes I mentioned? Ie. Handling, speed, comfort, factory default tyres, maintenance etc. This will really help me make a decision.

Thanks again guys!
Daniel

 

[4F]

Chap at work here has the FCR and it is a very tidy bike and not given him any problems. You are really going to have to try them both and see which one is more comfortable for you.

 

[mitchy]

hi daniel i have a hybrid and in the past it was fitted with same tyres as the elite running at 100psi ,the hybrid has front suspention and rear seatpost suspention .

i purchased the elite last year, yes its much lighter than my hybrid and feels quicker, i do not use the elite on anything other than fairly descent roads.

i normally wear padded undershorts when using the elite because i find in general terms the ride is faily harsh, 30 mile round trip is enough for me,

going over something like pink traffic calming strips is very noticibly harsh compared to my other cycles.

i have a old road style cycle ,steel rims ,steel frame old size tyres still feels less harsh ride than the elite, this could be that the tyres have more meat.

 

[008]

I tried the 2007 Sirrus Elite & FCR (2 i think, rather than 1) a couple of years ago and couldn't split them... both good bikes. In the end, an offer came up for the Sirrus Elite which meant a £70 saving over the FCR... so I got the Sirrus.

I found the FCR slightly faster but the Sirrus seemed more comfy... I've since upgraded the tyres (Schwalbe Stelvio Plus 23c) which made a big difference in speed over the original 28c tyres and without the loss of comfort. I've also recently upgraded the wheels as well (Mavic Open Sports on tiagra hub) and again the bike feels faster.

Looking at the 2008 model specs alone, I'd probably go for the FCR but it's a tough call. fwiw, I also tried a couple Marins (Fairfax & Sausalito) and a Genesis Day... which all looked good on paper but were 'not right' when I rode them, so it just goes to show, like others have said, you gotta try them before deciding.

 

[longers]

As others have already said, the best bike for you is the one which feels best.
Give them a ride.

I did vote for the Sirrus as I have one and it's been very versatile for me.

 

[DeeP]

Daniel,
This is my first Giant. Have previously owned a Trek hybrid - alu frame, nexus hub gears and various Mountain bikes. The Giant CRS is a replacement for the Trek as It was getting a bit worn out after 5 years, I hated the hub gears and I suspected after a while it was a bit too small. I use the Giant as my commute bike, 5-10 miles each way depending on route. From what I can see the FCR is just a bit closer to a 'road' bike - CRS - 32 tryes, 'v' breaks, triple chainset. FCR -25 tyres, dual pivot breaks, double chainset. I went for the Giant CRS mainly due to price which was in my budget and I like a bargain! Didn't try it before (!) although I did look at a cannodale hybrid and a few others at a LBS. The gearing is the highest I have used before 52,42,30 and I definately use the 42,30 more with paniers on the back so for me I would find the double (50, 34) on the FCR a bit hard work/limiting for commuting with hills involved. A lot of this depends on the fine detail of how you will use it. Hope this helps.

 

[mitchy]

hi all phoned specialised re the weight of my sirrus elite ,i could not recall what it was (56cm frame 2009 model is 21.13lbs) however i have the 2008 model.

it appears that some changes have occured looking at 2009 specs vs 2008.

my 2008 50-39-30 front rear 11-28 27 speed

looked at 2009 spec front 48-38-28 rear 12-25 24 speed


price is simular, seems to have lost a cog somewhere???

 

[danielcpaterson]

Hi guys

Hi guys,
Remember that I am looking for something that WILL be able to cope with city roads, hills, the occasional pot-hole, uneven slabs and perhaps some rougher pavements and roads. I want to use it in the city and on 40mile road trips and some bike paths. However, I will NOT be using it on tracks or off road, so not on any very loose, rocky, muddy, gravelly surfaces.
With this in mind, the Specialized Sirrus Elite 2008 may be out of the question because several people on various forums have suggested that it is quite a harsh ride and doesn't cope with city roads particularly well. Also they complain of frequent punctures with the factory default tyres and say the handlebars shake considerably on even semi-rough surfaces. However I have posted a few polls and so far it has the most votes but this may be due in large part to familarity and popularity/availability. Also the Giant FCR 1 2008 is a road bike with flatbars. It is really designed only for the road so someone suggested I look at the Giant CRS Alliance 2008 which is apparently comfortable, fast and more versatile.
I am already aware that the Trek 7.5 Fx 2008 is highly rated, very popular, light, versatile, quite fast and can cope with some long road trips and some rough surfaces. People say the cons of this bike are the narrow hand grips and hard seat - both of which can be easily upgraded.
There are very few reviews of the Giant CRS Alliance so I would appreciate it if anyone could give me the heads up on it? What are the pros and cons? How does it compare to the Trek 7.5 fx?
I think I am almost at a decision of what to test-ride.

Any help would be great and thanks for your help so far, you've been great!
Daniel