Price Paid:  $400.00 at locally

Favorite Ride:
neighborhood and town

Summary:
My daughter only wanted me to ride with her around the neighborhood....and gifted me this bike for mohter's day. I love it. I'm not all that interested in distance riding but cruising the neighborhood or into town is delightful. I barely feel the bumps in the road and the overall ride is very smooth. While it is not a fast bike, it is just perfect for local riding.

Strengths:
very comfortable seat
handle bars easily adjusted
just plain fun to ride

Weaknesses:
given my purposes, I can't think of any.

Price Paid:  $375.00 at Bloomfield Bicycle(C

Favorite Ride:
Trek Navigator 300

Bike Setup:
*Rear rack with incorporated chain lock
*Cat Eye Speedometer/Odometer
*Cat Eye Headlight

Summary:
I purchased my bike at the end of 2003. I only rode it a few miles until this year. I'm a runner and I hurt my ankle so the Dr. told me I could ride a bike but no running for a while. Initially I wasn't enamored with it. The gears didn't change smoothly and it was a little noisy. I bought a chain cleaning gizmo and used a different lubricating oil and it made all the difference in the world. The bike is whisper quiet and is a true pleasure to ride. Smooth, quiet and plenty fast. But foremost it's very comfortable to ride. I'm almost 60 and I'm not into road bikes as they bother my back and shoulders. I average about 10 miles a day before work and then a 20 or 30 miler on the weekend. I haven't ridden since 1962, but I'm enjoying it as much now as I did then. I ride to the the store for groceries and other local trips. My Trek is an outstanding bike that I would highly recommend. One of my riding buddies has a new Fuji comfort bike and another has a Specialized comfort bike. Their bikes don't compare in any category. The black wheels and spokes on the Trek wipe clean and look great.I hope to be riding it for many years to come.

Strengths:
*Solid construction.
*Smooth, comfortable ride
*Beautiful paint

Weaknesses:
*Honestly, I can't come up with one

Price Paid:  $379.00 at Landis Cyclery, Phoe

Favorite Ride:
2006 Trek Navigator 300

Bike Setup:
Stock mechanical;
Added a headlamp, rack, panniers, water-bottle cage.

Summary:
I purchased this bike a little over a year ago when I decided to start commuting to work. I hadn't owned a bike since I was in junior high and had no idea what sort of bike I should buy. The guy at the bike shop convinced me that I should buy a "comfort bike" with an upright riding position. Hence, the Trek Navigator 300. I ride it five days a week to work (3 miles each way), and occasionally on errands around town on the weekends.

In general, it's a good bike. Everything has held-up very well. It's comfortable and easy to use.

The main problem, in my opinion, is that this bike isn't really meant to be used in an everyday sense. This bike seems to be designed for the person who occasionally wants to take a spin around the neighborhood. It's heavy and slow (a side-effect of the upright sitting position). Once I built up a reasonable level of fitness, I was frustrated by the bike's inability to keep up with what I wanted it to do. Also, the wide seat seems like it would be comfy, but will rub you raw if you ride for any distance more than a couple of miles.

I'll keep riding it for the foreseeable future because it's prefectly fine mechanically and I resent the idea of having to buy another bike so soon, but I'm dreaming of upgrading to something like a hybrid bike that will give me a little more power and flexibility.

Strengths:
Well-made;
Good for short trips;
Fun to ride if you're feeling leisurely

Weaknesses:
Heavy;
Slow;
Non-responsive;
Seat need to be replaced if you plan on riding more than a handful of miles at a time

Price Paid:  $400.00 at Zanes

Favorite Ride:
Texas Hill Country

Bike Setup:
Effortless

Summary:
I just received this bike a week ago. My previous bike was a Trek 800 mountain bike which was well built and a good value. Unfortunately, it was not very comfortable for me as I've gotten older. This Navigator 300 is incredible in all areas that matter to me. It is very well built - the gears and brakes work with a mechnical precision I've never felt before. Sort of reminds me of my Nikon cameras... The upright riding position, wide seat, excellent shock absorbers and confidence that comes with the obvious quality of the components make this the finest riding experience I've ever had! I would describe it like the difference between driving a Chevy Cavalier and a BMW 700 series.

Strengths:
Comfort, quality build

Weaknesses:
The sitting position is very high... it takes getting used to. This is a heavy bike... not for racing.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 800, Cannondale mountain bike, various Schwinn

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Cycling Spoken Here

Favorite Ride:
American Tobacco Trail

Summary:
After giving up riding after childhood I had made a few forays into getting back on a bike. They all ended after one or two rides due to discomfort. Then I tried the Trek Navigator 300. I was amazed, here is a bike that is VERY comfortable. Now I ride 2-3 times a week, every week. The upright position is great, especially for a big guy like me. If you are looking for a bike that will get you started off on the right foot in cycling, this is it.

Strengths:
COMFORT!
Great riding position. Really makes you want to get out and ride.

Weaknesses:
Heavy

Hard to get a lot of power in your stroke due to the upright position so it is not very fast and I would not recommend if you were going to be climbing large hills on a very regular basis.

Similar Products Used:
Univega. Very uncomfortable.