For years, I’ve had Trek’s everyday commuter, the FX+ 2, as the top pick in our list of the Best Electric Bikes. If you’re new to bikes, $2,500 is a reasonable price for a reliable, everyday commuter that you can expect someone competent to assemble and repair for you.
I was stoked to hear that Trek was updating the FX+ series, but I was a bit thrown by the move to the TQ HPR50 motor, which has a smooth pin ring drive—a more expensive drivetrain system that we first saw on Trek’s high-end mountain bikes. The new FX+ 7S is silent and more powerful, but it does raise the price quite a bit. Still, as someone who spent $5,000 on their own everyday commuter, $4,000 is within a reasonable commuter price point. And it’s less trouble than getting a motorcycle license.
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Several days ago, I parked the FX+ 7 in front of my parents’ house. My dad came outside and shouted, “What a beautiful bike!” It is, just like its predecessor! I tested the small-size frame, which fit my 5’2″ self perfectly. (It’s a step-through, so even if you’re shorter it should work.) The frame is aluminum, and all the cables are routed internally, so it has a very clean look to it.
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Photograph: Adrienne So
One of the upgrades from the FX+ 2 is that now the bike has a built-in TQ LED display that’s built into the down tube. It’s bright and easy to read, and you can scroll through it to see different stats like battery percentage, how much time you have left to ride (approximately), and what cardinal direction you’re facing (handy!).
If you don’t want to use the display, you can also connect your bike to your phone via the Trek Central app (iOS, Android). There’s a Quad Lock on the ergonomic handlebars so you can use your phone as a display. I didn’t get a Quad Lock case (I should have), but I did like the app a lot. There are several tabs, the first of which is your bike dashboard, a map and navigation, your ride history, and finally settings, which allows you to tinker with all of these things.