advice for a newbie

Are you asking if a Cannondale is superior to a Trek?

Or are you asking if Cannondale makes superior bikes in general?

Both Cannondale and Trek make very good bikes and if you are comparing bikes in a certain MSRP range, then I think you'll find them very even in build and equipment group quality. It'll really come down to which bike you like to ride the best, can get the best price on, which bike shop you like the best, etc.

I was asking if Cannondale was superior to Trek. A salesman I spoke with once said something about the component level being a little better with Cannondale even on their bikes with a lower price tag. One thing I noticed is the Quick 4 frame is an alloy VS the FX thats an aluminum...Is there a big difference in the level of support the frame will offer? Im just trying to learn a bit and make an educated choice. Thank you for the input, I appreciate it.

IIRC, I think both of those bikes have tig welded alloy frames and I doubt the true peformance of the frames would be much different.

However, one may feel more comfortable to you than the other when you take them for a test ride.

Check both bikes out on bikepedia.com. It looks like the Trek 7.5FX has better a equipment group than the Cannondale Quick 4 to me.....

Edited to add: Comparing Cannondales to Treks is like comparing Hondas to Toyotas...as long as you stay in the same model/picing level, it really comes down to personal preference. They both make great products...