Shifting from the quantitative side of testing to the qualitative, the FX+ 7S really earns its premium badge. There are a lot of thoughtful touches—both big and small—that come together to make this a genuinely enjoyable ride.
The handling feels crisp and well-balanced. The Shimano CUES derailleur shifts smoothly, and the gear ratio has a great gear range for both climbing and reaching higher speeds. It includes Shimano’s Linkglide, which beefs up the drivetrain for added durability without sacrificing shift quality.
The 700x40c Bontrager tires offer solid traction and a more cushioned ride by road standards, thanks to the width. At 30 TPI, the rubber is pretty dense and durable. I loved to see that the wheels are tubeless-ready, so you can drop the pressure for an even softer ride without the risk of pinch flats.
The carbon fork not only helps keep the overall weight down but also reduces road vibrations better than aluminum, making the ride feel pretty smooth without sacrificing the responsiveness of a rigid fork.
The handlebar has limited adjustability, but it feels well-sized for quick, agile handling. The integrated Quadlock stem mount is a standout—it wirelessly charges your phone when using a compatible case, letting you run Trek’s turn-by-turn navigation without draining your battery. The internally routed cables through the headset elevate the bike’s sleek aesthetic, though they may complicate future maintenance.
The integrated top tube display gives you the essentials if you don’t want to use your phone. It’s nicely blended into the frame, but i’s small and positioned low with the bike’s effective top tube being on the short side—so it’s more like checking your knees than a quick glance between your wrists—so we’d recommend a Quadlock case to take full advantage of the mount for a better display experience.
A little more details on the Trek Central app: you can fine-tune motor settings, sync with heart rate monitors or digital tire pressure gauges, and view your personal and bike wattage outputs. It essentially acts as a bike computer, which is a great bonus for riders who want to track performance.
The rear MIK rack works with a wide range of quick-mounting accessories, and the integrated brake light helps keep you visible. There are also two bottle cage mounts, which is especially helpful if you’re using one for the optional range extender.
Touch points are mostly solid. The grips are soft and comfortable, and the Bontrager Verse Comp saddle—while supportive—might feel a bit firm for less seasoned riders. The plastic pedals were grippier than expected, but they’re plastic, and they’re probably the one component that feels out of place on such a polished bike. That said, pedals are among the easiest parts to upgrade if you want to.
As for the frame, it’s a sleek sight. There are eight total size options—four each in the high-step and mid-step versions—and while there are only two colorways, our green test bike looked fantastic, with black accents tying together the fork, downtube underside, and chainstays.
And as a final thoughtful touch, the frame has a type of grab handle near the crankset—a small but super handy feature for apartment dwellers or anyone needing to haul the bike up stairs.
