ditch the car for solo commutes Trek FX+ 7S e-bike is a premium city commuter The FX+ 7S improves just about everything from the FX+ 2, but doubles its price tag. Jacob May Jan 17, 2025 12:53 pm | 1 The Trek FX+ 7. Credit: Chris DeGraw The Trek FX+ 7. Credit: Chris DeGraw Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn morePost-pandemic, my creed became "Bicycles deliver the freedom that auto ads promise." That belief is why Ive almost exclusively used a bike to move myself around Portland, Oregon since (yes, I have become a Portlandia stereotype).However, that lifestyle is a lot more challenging without some pedal assistance. For a few summers, I showed up sweaty to appointments after pedaling on a $200 single-speed. So in 2024, I purchased the FX+ 2, based primarily on my managing editors review. Its since been a workhorse for my daily transportation needs for the past year; I've put more than 1,000 miles on it in eight months.So given my experience with that bike, I was the natural choice to review Treks upgraded version, the FX+ 7S.A premium pedalerFirst off, my time with the FX+ 2 has been greatno regrets about that purchase. But my one quibble is with the battery. Due to the frequency and length of my rides, I need to charge the bike more often than not, and I sometimes experience range anxiety riding to the opposite side of town. Even though both e-bikes are considered lightweight at 40 pounds, theyre still not the easiest things to pedal sans assist, and Im reliant on their built-in lighting systems after dark.But I didn't have to worry about my remaining charge with the FX+ 7 and its 360 Wh battery. Its extra capacity gives me much less range anxiety, as I can ride without fear of losing juice on the route home. And the LCD on the frame gives you a clear indicator of how much distance and time you have left in your ride, which is always handy. I would caution, however, about relying too much on your estimated distance remaining. The LCD provides some useful info. You can see how much charge is left on the battery, or you can press that button to see your speed, wattage power, or miles ridden. Credit: Chris DeGraw During a 15-mile, hour-long ride while fluctuating between the first two assist levels I had modified, I drained 61 percent of the battery. While the estimated time remaining on my ride was consistent and accurate, the predicted mileage dropped occasionally, although thats probably because I was changing the assist level frequently.There were also a couple of occasions where I was trying to drain the battery completely on a ride home, and after switching the assist level, the motor gave out at around 1015 percent charge remaining, according to the LCD info (the lights, however, stayed on). It wasnt a terrible inconvenience since I was close to home, but its not ideal for anyone hoping to ride consistently with some level of assist.(Trek offers a 160 Wh range extender for $550. I doubt youll need it, considering the range on the bikewhich can be around 60 miles on an unmodified eco settingbut its available if you want the extra juice.)The TQ-HPR50 motor is also a big improvement over my bike's Hyena Gen 2 (50 Nm versus 40 Nm of torque). The timing for the FX+ 2 pedal assist was unadjustable and always a bit slow to kick in, but after tweaking the settings through the Trek Central App, the extra power on the FX+ 7S was evident in all aspects of my ride.I no longer experienced a lengthy lurch as I began pedaling from a full stop, and using a Level 3 assist made any uphill climb a breeze. The bike is also remarkably quiet; on one occasion, I was riding alongside a friend who was riding a different manufacturers e-bike, and the noise coming from his ride was noticeable; mine wasnt. Its also a Class 3 e-bike, which means it can offer pedal-assisted speeds of up to 28 mph (45 kph), but it doesnt provide any throttle. Portland city streets are full of gunk during the winter, but that didn't affect my pedaling too much. Chris DeGraw Portland city streets are full of gunk during the winter, but that didn't affect my pedaling too much. Chris DeGraw The 120-lumen front light. Chris DeGraw The 120-lumen front light. Chris DeGraw Portland city streets are full of gunk during the winter, but that didn't affect my pedaling too much. Chris DeGraw The 120-lumen front light. Chris DeGraw The Trek's backlight curves around to offer illumination from the side, too. Chris DeGraw The Trek's backlight curves around to offer illumination from the side, too. Chris DeGraw You can switch your assist level with this handlebar toggle. Chris DeGraw You can switch your assist level with this handlebar toggle. Chris DeGraw The Trek's backlight curves around to offer illumination from the side, too. Chris DeGraw You can switch your assist level with this handlebar toggle. Chris DeGraw Trek markets this bike as the ultimate city commuter, and can I see why. Ive ridden it for several weeks during a dreary Pacific Northwest winter, where the roads are constantly slick and full of debris. Did any of that affect the bikes performance? Not that I can tell. Despite the gunky roads (and panniers filled with groceries), the aluminum-frame bike performed great, and the hydraulic disc brakes provided plenty of stopping power in wet conditions. The Shimano CUES U6000 drivetrain with a 10-speed shifter never experienced a hiccup.Even riding through the foliage muck and with extra cargo weight, I experienced smoother pedaling and was less impacted by all the bumps and debris in the road, making it even more comfortable to ride than the already-pleasant FX+ 2. The only rough spot I experienced was getting a punctured tube due to a shard of glass in the road, but thats not the tires fault (and its typical of Portland).Trek also added other upgraded commuter considerations:A Quad Lock in the middle of the handlebars that keeps your phone charged and functions as a nice secondary display in case you need turn-by-turn directionsContoured Bontrager handlebars, which are the most comfortable grip Ive felt on any bikeA better lighting system, which includes a 120-lumen front light and a backlight that also slightly wraps around to offer illumination from the sideA grip near the bottom of the frame that makes carrying the bike up stairs much easierA MIK cargo rack that was also accommodating to my Ortlieb panniers Attaching my Pixel 8a to the Quad Lock was handy when I needed some turn-by-turn directions. Credit: Chris DeGraw The price of the FX+ 2 ($2,500 at the time; its now being sold at $1,850) was a downside we noted in our review, and it's the main gripe I have with the FX+ 7S, which sells for $4,000. While its a better bike by every measure, is the advanced model worth more than twice the price? Your budget and feature wish list for a commuter bike will have to answer that question.If price isnt a concern and youre looking for a bike that is built to last longer, opt for the FX+ 7S. Its better in every regard (except it looks more like an e-bike than its predecessor due to the LCD screen; I did appreciate how often people were surprised to hear the FX+ 2 was electric). If youre mostly concerned about the range and are unwilling to spend $4,000, opt for the FX+ 2 and get the range extender.In either case, youre getting a quality bike that will perform well and give you the freedom to ditch the car for many of your daily commutes.Jacob MayCopy EditorJacob MayCopy Editor Jacob is a copy editor at Ars Technica. He resides in Portland, Oregon, where he enjoys typical Portlander things. 1 Comments