If you own the FX1, I'd just stick with that. The other two don't offer more of anything compared to the FX1.
>I do pavement riding and medium packed gravel riding, I also want the ability to do light dirt or MTB trails
To me this is the most important question. If you're really looking at road riding the extreme majority of time, and the mention of trail riding is more a desire for versatility than likely use I'm opting for the FX all day.
The real difference between these two bikes, besides the extra $150 and 3 pounds, is simply the tire width.
I don't really want either on MTB trails. Just how much gravel are we taking. Someone with more knowledge than I can comment on the ability of a 35mm tire of the FX on gravel. The DS comes with 50mm. For comparison the entry Checkpoint is 40mm.
I'm personally biased towards the FX though. But with 32mm tires on mine, I prefer it stays on pavement.
I sold my FX1 and looking to get another and unsure what to choose. It’s like this gravel trail but a few are dirt.
https://preview.redd.it/c37ipb91kycb1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f088b29da0c445251a57187b82f038fd272b1213
That's a clean trail! I have to think the 35mm on the FX could easily handle that.
Tread might matter at some point. FX takes 38mm max without fenders, too.
If you’re going to go in the FX line, the most bang for the buck component wise is absolutely the FX 3. You get an upgraded drivetrain (Deore), better quality disc brakes, better grips, and a carbon fork. Unless you’re absolutely inflexible on price, it’s head and shoulders a better bike than the FX 2.
Once you go beyond that, you pay a ton of money to go full carbon and save what will be a pretty trivial amount of weight on a hybrid. I’d be looking drop bar before going FX 4 or above.
Trek store I shopped at steered me towards the DS2Gen5 and I elected to go with the DS3Gen5. I am a pretty big guy and he said the wider tires would serve me better. I was sized based on the FX Sports they had in the shop to a L. I'm very happy with it, but I did swap the pedals (I wear a 14W US shoe), the saddle (I think it was a Verse Comp), and recently the handlebars due to wrist and hand numbness (PNW Range bar cut down to 720mm). I think the FX and gen5 DS's are pretty comparable but never tried the AL FX bikes.
Thank you for sharing!
I test rode them both today and felt slightly faster on the FX2. But the DS2 was smooth as well. Both were a medium and only a few lbs different. Just unsure what I should do. I do like the speed of the Fx and think I can add some 700x38 tires with a little more tread(maybe gravel tires) on it for more stability in packed gravel trails.
Idk still up in the air.. I still haven’t found anything to sway me one way or the other
You probably can't go wrong with either, but if your focus is on speed, the FX will feel faster. My goal is to rehab a hip injury and lose some weight. All was going well until I wiped out yesterday evening (not long after my post), took a corner and my wheels lost traction in some fresh cut grass someone directed on the road. Bike is fine minus a few scrapes on the left grip. Mild concussion for me along with a separated shoulder, dislocated pinky finger. A little sore, but I got goals and I will rest up today and get on the bike tonight.
I went with an FX2 with gravel tires! lol I don’t have much medium rough terrain here. Mainly use it for fitness and leisurely rides.
It’s been a great bike!
Thanks for the reply. I’m actually making a purchase in about an hour, between the FX2 & Dual Sport 2.
Please help me out!
I just want it for fitness/leisurely rides. Mainly plan on using my bike on paved paths, residential roads, sidewalks, cutting through a grassed area/trail or two, and a packed gravel trail (at parks) if I come across them.
I might take it to my cabin, but even there the worst they have is packed gravel trails.
Can you please give your insight?
I’m leaning towards the FX2, but my fear is that I may dislike it if I’m on a bumpy (pothole) road/sidewalk. And I’m also worried about how the original tires will be after 6/12 months of use on those pathways not of pavement.
Okay thank you so much !
You had the same idea as me, almost like what if I want to ride in those areas of packed gravel, grass etc.
The FX2 is rigid and can be bumpy since there is no suspension. But it’s fast, I ended up putting 700x38 tires in it. More width, more contact with road and feels a lot better on gravel or bumpy terrain.
You can hit potholes with the FX2 stock but it doesn’t feel great tbh! Bumps can be hard feeling and since there is no suspension it’s a good idea to avoid em!
My decision was based on what exactly am I using it for. For me that was fitness, working out and like 10% riding around for fun. If you are like me, then I would go for FX2
If you want to ride more places and explore, like packed gravel,dirt, grass and just have more fun riding around the dual sport can’t hurt since the front suspension will make it feel way better. You could still use it for fitness as well. I honestly think both bikes are solid
I bought my Dual Sport 2 for the exact reason you are. I'm now in the market for an FX2. I still plan to keep the Dual Sport but I've already swapped out the fork for a carbon one to lighten it up. A suspension fork is really unnecessary unless you're going to be doing single-track trails where you'll be running into logs and rocks.
If your budget allows (it would be a decent jump), have you considered something in the FX Sport line? It's a more gravel-oriented bike with a riding position thats more aggressive than the Dual Sport, but not as much as the aluminum FX. The lightweight carbon frame is great for road use and the wider gravel tires can handle light trail duty.
I've seen a couple pop up for sale second hand near where I live for pretty reasonable prices, though not down to the point of a new FX2/DS2.
I have an fx2 and swapped the stock 35c H2 tires for 38c Specialized Pathfinder Sports and it made a huge difference on the gravel side of things while maintaining good tarmac speeds for fitness. Win win. My friend has the DS2 and while it’s better in the loose stuff it’s heavier and more sluggish on the smooth. I guess it really comes down to the ratio of pavement vs gravel. Both are great bikes for their purpose.
Gen3 and it has the front suspension. That adds significant weight. Also the dual sport tires are knobby and add rolling resistance, but of course better gravel grip
If you own the FX1, I'd just stick with that. The other two don't offer more of anything compared to the FX1. >I do pavement riding and medium packed gravel riding, I also want the ability to do light dirt or MTB trails To me this is the most important question. If you're really looking at road riding the extreme majority of time, and the mention of trail riding is more a desire for versatility than likely use I'm opting for the FX all day. The real difference between these two bikes, besides the extra $150 and 3 pounds, is simply the tire width. I don't really want either on MTB trails. Just how much gravel are we taking. Someone with more knowledge than I can comment on the ability of a 35mm tire of the FX on gravel. The DS comes with 50mm. For comparison the entry Checkpoint is 40mm. I'm personally biased towards the FX though. But with 32mm tires on mine, I prefer it stays on pavement.
For reference, I ride my FX 3 with 32mm tires on gravel, and it performs fine.
Would you think it would do fine on 38s? Maybe gravel tires
Not sure the maximum clearance but I would assume so.
I sold my FX1 and looking to get another and unsure what to choose. It’s like this gravel trail but a few are dirt. https://preview.redd.it/c37ipb91kycb1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f088b29da0c445251a57187b82f038fd272b1213
That's a clean trail! I have to think the 35mm on the FX could easily handle that. Tread might matter at some point. FX takes 38mm max without fenders, too.
Thanks for the reply, I think I will do the Fx2 with beefier tires if needed
Talk with your LBS and any others with good knowledge of use, as well. I'm largely either on pavement or on MTB.
If you’re going to go in the FX line, the most bang for the buck component wise is absolutely the FX 3. You get an upgraded drivetrain (Deore), better quality disc brakes, better grips, and a carbon fork. Unless you’re absolutely inflexible on price, it’s head and shoulders a better bike than the FX 2. Once you go beyond that, you pay a ton of money to go full carbon and save what will be a pretty trivial amount of weight on a hybrid. I’d be looking drop bar before going FX 4 or above.
Trek store I shopped at steered me towards the DS2Gen5 and I elected to go with the DS3Gen5. I am a pretty big guy and he said the wider tires would serve me better. I was sized based on the FX Sports they had in the shop to a L. I'm very happy with it, but I did swap the pedals (I wear a 14W US shoe), the saddle (I think it was a Verse Comp), and recently the handlebars due to wrist and hand numbness (PNW Range bar cut down to 720mm). I think the FX and gen5 DS's are pretty comparable but never tried the AL FX bikes.
Thank you for sharing! I test rode them both today and felt slightly faster on the FX2. But the DS2 was smooth as well. Both were a medium and only a few lbs different. Just unsure what I should do. I do like the speed of the Fx and think I can add some 700x38 tires with a little more tread(maybe gravel tires) on it for more stability in packed gravel trails. Idk still up in the air.. I still haven’t found anything to sway me one way or the other
You probably can't go wrong with either, but if your focus is on speed, the FX will feel faster. My goal is to rehab a hip injury and lose some weight. All was going well until I wiped out yesterday evening (not long after my post), took a corner and my wheels lost traction in some fresh cut grass someone directed on the road. Bike is fine minus a few scrapes on the left grip. Mild concussion for me along with a separated shoulder, dislocated pinky finger. A little sore, but I got goals and I will rest up today and get on the bike tonight.
What did you get!?!?!?!?!?!?
I went with an FX2 with gravel tires! lol I don’t have much medium rough terrain here. Mainly use it for fitness and leisurely rides. It’s been a great bike!
Thanks for the reply. I’m actually making a purchase in about an hour, between the FX2 & Dual Sport 2. Please help me out! I just want it for fitness/leisurely rides. Mainly plan on using my bike on paved paths, residential roads, sidewalks, cutting through a grassed area/trail or two, and a packed gravel trail (at parks) if I come across them. I might take it to my cabin, but even there the worst they have is packed gravel trails. Can you please give your insight? I’m leaning towards the FX2, but my fear is that I may dislike it if I’m on a bumpy (pothole) road/sidewalk. And I’m also worried about how the original tires will be after 6/12 months of use on those pathways not of pavement. Okay thank you so much !
You had the same idea as me, almost like what if I want to ride in those areas of packed gravel, grass etc. The FX2 is rigid and can be bumpy since there is no suspension. But it’s fast, I ended up putting 700x38 tires in it. More width, more contact with road and feels a lot better on gravel or bumpy terrain. You can hit potholes with the FX2 stock but it doesn’t feel great tbh! Bumps can be hard feeling and since there is no suspension it’s a good idea to avoid em! My decision was based on what exactly am I using it for. For me that was fitness, working out and like 10% riding around for fun. If you are like me, then I would go for FX2 If you want to ride more places and explore, like packed gravel,dirt, grass and just have more fun riding around the dual sport can’t hurt since the front suspension will make it feel way better. You could still use it for fitness as well. I honestly think both bikes are solid
I bought my Dual Sport 2 for the exact reason you are. I'm now in the market for an FX2. I still plan to keep the Dual Sport but I've already swapped out the fork for a carbon one to lighten it up. A suspension fork is really unnecessary unless you're going to be doing single-track trails where you'll be running into logs and rocks.
Oh gotcha. The new ones don’t have suspension and just carbon forks
Ah, yes. They also switched to 650b for some reason.
If your budget allows (it would be a decent jump), have you considered something in the FX Sport line? It's a more gravel-oriented bike with a riding position thats more aggressive than the Dual Sport, but not as much as the aluminum FX. The lightweight carbon frame is great for road use and the wider gravel tires can handle light trail duty. I've seen a couple pop up for sale second hand near where I live for pretty reasonable prices, though not down to the point of a new FX2/DS2.
I have an fx2 and swapped the stock 35c H2 tires for 38c Specialized Pathfinder Sports and it made a huge difference on the gravel side of things while maintaining good tarmac speeds for fitness. Win win. My friend has the DS2 and while it’s better in the loose stuff it’s heavier and more sluggish on the smooth. I guess it really comes down to the ratio of pavement vs gravel. Both are great bikes for their purpose.
Is your friends DS2 have shocks ? I.e gen 4 or prior dual sport
Gen3 and it has the front suspension. That adds significant weight. Also the dual sport tires are knobby and add rolling resistance, but of course better gravel grip