Long distance commuter

Well, Good For you! If you can do it, go for it. I use my bike as my primary source or transportation. I'v ridden recreationally most my life and done my fair share of racing as well. If you are going to buy a new bike, go with the one that "talks" to you. Make sure it fit's you good, feels good, and has what you want on it. The only thing I would recommend is that you get the bike you can afford. Spend as much money as possible but don't blow your budget out the window, because with a higher price tag comes better parts (less long term costs). Have fun and keep us updated on your riding.

PS If I were to choose from that list, I'd go with the Fuji or Kona.

Well, they all feel good, lol. Iv'e test ridden all of them, but unless I ride them 1 after the other I cant tell the difference. I'm not an experienced enough rider to know the different details.

Has anyone ever owned or ridden on one of these so they can vouch for it. Or can tell from the components which bikes are worth their price.

Its just so hard for me to choose, and I dont know enough to make a good decision.

[font=Tahoma]Hi,
I've been riding a Sirrus for about two years. Like you, I tried lots of bikes. In my case I am thrilled with my decision! Good luck with yours!
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There are two differences between the Specialized Sirrus and the Trek 7.2 FX. It is not that one is better than the other, but they are different. Whichever fits your needs is the way to go. The first difference is that the Sirrus has low-end road bike drivetrain, and the Trek 7.2 FX has low-end mountainbike drivetrain. If your terrain is really hilly, the 7.2 FX gives you a wider range of gear ratios. On the other hand, if you have rolling hills and gentle climbs, then the Sirrus gives you smaller gear adjustments, which keeps you in a more optimal gear, but over a more narrow overall range.

The second difference is the wheels and tires. The Sirrus has lighter wheels and road tires (700x23c), and the 7.2 FX has heavier wheels and hybrid tires (700x35c). If all of your riding will be on paved paths, the Sirrus will have much less rolling resistance and will be faster. If you ride on rough or loose surfaces, the 7.2 FX will give a much more secure and comfortable ride, but it will be slower on paved surfaces than the Sirrus.

One other minor consideration is that on the small and extra small Sirrus frame, there is only room for one bottle cage. I have not looked that closely at the other frames you are considering, so might have the same problem. If you are only going 10 miles, that is not an issue, but if you need a small frame, and you increase your distance, you wull need to find another way to carry water. One water bottle is good for about 10 miles.

Just one note on the bottle cage issue, I have a friend who rides a "small" Sirrus and it has two bottle cages mounted on it just like my "large" does.

dauphin said:

Just one note on the bottle cage issue, I have a friend who rides a "small" Sirrus and it has two bottle cages mounted on it just like my "large" does.

Two of my coworkers each bought the 2006 Sirrus last month. His medium frame has cage mounts on the down tube and on the seat tube. Her small frame only has the cage mount on the down tube.

RickF said:

Two of my coworkers each bought the 2006 Sirrus last month. His medium frame has cage mounts on the down tube and on the seat tube. Her small frame only has the cage mount on the down tube.

Ok, I haven't seen the 06. The one I was referring to was an 05.

Well I ended up going with the 7.2FX. The Sirrus was really pushing my price range and I wanted to get some accessories so I just went with the Trek. I figure if I need to get parts changed out in the future I can do it then (wheels and tires). I just really needed the bike in the short term for the exercise.

Thanks again for your replies. Now if I could just get rid of that car....