Trek FX+ 2 or Trek Marlin+ 8 2nd gen?

[modern]

I am not a Trek loyalist, but I have a gift card and would like to utilize it for my first e-bike. Have ridden a Verve+ before and although I appreciated the upright posture, the bike felt unwieldy and a bit too upright (power was nice though).

Went to my LBS and thought the FX+ 2 (2026 model in the bronze color) and Marlin+ 8 2nd gen might be good options. FX+ 2 has 60Nm and is a hub motor where the Marlin has 75Nm with a mid drive. Comparable battery sizes, but from what I’ve read the mid drive will be more efficient and use less battery…is this right?

This bike will only be used for casual, leisure riding on a mix of flat and hilly pavement, gravel, and singletrack dirt trails. No commuting, but I’d like it to be around 55 lbs or less because I will likely take it with me on public transportation from time to time. I also have a bike rack so I can get out of the city and take it on easier off road adventures.

Just having a difficult time trying to figure out the best option for me. I did take them both for a test ride, but it was a couple loops around the store and not indicative of real life usage. Looking to buy soon and hope I can get some help here. TIA!

 

[PedalUma]

@modern, How did you come to have the gift card and how much is it? Sometimes when mfgs screw up they offer a 'loyalty discount' with an NDA. Ideally, you would want a mid-drive with an external, easily removable battery. The weight distribution is better and it is more efficient. When you load it on your rack, you drop the battery first, before lifting it. The Marlin I saw was 50Nm. I find that about 90Nm is Goldy Locks for me. Some people are content with 30. The FX+2 has only 250W on the rear hub. I predict that after a few month you would be highly disappointed with it anemic performance.

 

[modern]

Hi PedalUma, no it’s nothing like that, it’s just a regular gift card. Both of those stats are for the older models. Trek released an updated FX+ model for 2026 and the Marlin+ 8 2nd gen just came out within the last week or so.

FX+ Throttle hybrid electric bike – Trek Bikes

Discover your next great ride with FX+ 2. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

Marlin+ - Trek Bikes

Discover your next great ride with Marlin+ 8. See the bike and visit your local Trek retailer. Shop now!

www.trekbikes.com

 

[DaveMatthews]

Between those two Trek models my personal choice would be the Marlin as it has a mid drive motor. I have a Giant with a mid drive with 70nm torque and there is no hill it cannot conquer. Not a lot of hub drives can handle the same hills as easily IMHO.

 

[modern]

@DaveMatthews buying a bike that’s underpowered is a concern so that is helpful, thank you.

 

[stompandgo]

There's another option to consider. Trek is a reseller of many brands of clothing, components, and accessories, not just Trek and Bontrager. If the Trek bikes aren't what you are looking for, you can buy the bike you want and use the gift card at the Trek dealer for a helmet, shoes, lights, etc.

 

[PedalUma]

There's another option to consider. Trek is a reseller of many brands of clothing, components, and accessories, not just Trek and Bontrager. If the Trek bikes aren't what you are looking for, you can buy the bike you want and use the gift card at the Trek dealer for a helmet, shoes, lights, etc.

I adore the Bontrager saddles and buy about two per month. Check the UV-Tech site for ratings of helmets before making any purchase. Roc-Bros pedals tend to be better at 1/3rd the price. Regardless @stompandgo is correct. Items can be gifted or you can gift the gift card. Most importantly, get the bike that you can test ride locally and service locally that best meets your needs over the next five or six years. Note that someone new to tasting wine will have very different tastes once they get to know. It is the same with bikes. Newcomers want the sweet stuff, not the bold, subtle, and involved. If sorority freshman broke into a high-end wine cellar they would hate it all. A guy purchased an online only bike based on stats for power and battery at low cost. He rode it four times and now will sell it at a loss. Another with the same bike says it is dead as a door nail. Chose your local service of the bike first. Then get into the specs and feel.

 

[modern]

@stompandgo that’s true. Although, I dread the thought of having to research more. I’ve been searching for months and cannot seem to find a bike that fits all of my wants (mid-drive, 50 lbs or less, user removable battery, something not crazy expensive).

I like how Trek offers Bosch motors, but the bikes are typically too hefty or full suspension emtbs. So I thought the Marlin would be perfect, but I cannot detach the battery myself. I could possibly swing something that weighed a couple more lbs, but lighter is certainly better. I felt the Verve+ was too heavy at 59 lbs.

Am open to any suggestions. I would prefer a legacy brand like Trek or Specialized over a DTC company.

 

[modern]

I adore the Bontrager saddles and buy about two per month. Check the UV-Tech site for ratings of helmets before making any purchase. Roc-Bros pedals tend to be better at 1/3rd the price. Regardless @stompandgo is correct. Items can be gifted or you can gift the gift card. Most importantly, get the bike that you can test ride locally and service locally that best meets your needs over the next five or six years. Note that someone new to tasting wine will have very different tastes once they get to know. It is the same with bikes. Newcomers want the sweet stuff, not the bold, subtle, and involved. If sorority freshman broke into a high-end wine cellar they would hate it all. A guy purchased an online only bike based on stats for power and battery at low cost. He rode it four times and now will sell it at a loss. Another with the same bike says it is dead as a door nail. Chose your local service of the bike first. Then get into the specs and feel.

You make some good points and thanks for the tips regarding saddles, helmets, and pedals.

Trek is the closest LBS to my house, so that’s a plus if I were to get one of their bikes. I do have concerns about overspending on my first e-bike because I will inevitably change my mind on at least a couple of things so I don’t want to go crazy. Overall, I’m not looking for anything fancy with tons of features, a required app to ride, etc. I’m mainly after a reliable bike from an established company. Being able to get the bike serviced at a LBS is a must!

 

[PedalUma]

@modern, I have no idea where you are located. Sometimes and in some places you will have local shops that can do conversions of existing bikes that out perform stuff from the majors, with local service where everything is open source, not proprietary. See Johnny Nerd Out. And me on Google Maps, PedalUma eBikes. @Gionnirocket hates me, I do not know why, but we do agree on one thing, that proprietary stuff is stuff to avoid. A 90Nm mid-drive would be very nice with an external battery. If the battery fails after seven years it can be replaced with any battery of the same voltage at 1/3 the price. Maybe look for one with accessible parts from multiple sources. A corporate bike could be best for you, but you are then locked into their system, like Apple. The bike pictured will out run and out last anything from the majors.

 

[DaveMatthews]

A Giant Talon E+ might be something to look at. My son has an older version that has been flawless...

Talon E+ (2026) | Trail bike | Giant Bicycles US

Whether you’re riding trails, exploring dirt roads, or putting some zip in your daily commute, riding an E-bike doesn’t have to be complicated. The all-new Talon E+ range lets you do it all, combining the exhilarating s...

www.giant-bicycles.com

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The major deficiency of both Marlin and Talon is a ridiculously small battery (Marlin 400 Wh, Talon 430 Wh). The battery of FX is not much bigger (520 Wh). These battery capacities make the e-bike more lightweight and a way cheaper. Fact. However, such small a battery is a laugh nowadays. I'm afraid @modern might realize just after a few rides on either e-bike he had bought a lemon.

Unless the OP is a strong person who can pedal unassisted for long miles, a 400 Wh battery won't take him very far. The reasonable battery size for a contemporary e-bike starts at 625 Wh and can go up 800 Wh. Yes, it makes the e-bike heavier and expensive but there is nothing like "too big a battery". Just saying.

The maximum range on a 400 Wh battery with ECO assistance, flat terrain, and absence of headwind might be some 40 miles.

P.S. What is the battery capacity on your Stance, Dave?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Overall, I’m not looking for anything fancy with tons of features, a required app to ride, etc.

As you noted, it's important to understand the functional relationship between an ebike and its app. Ditto for the app's capabilities, as some are more feature-packed than others.

The Specialized app is probably a best-case scenario. Trek and other major manufacturers likely have good apps as well, but you shouldn't assume a good app implementation. You need to ask or better yet, test for yourself.

My Specialized ebike had to be registered through its app at purchase for warranty and diagnostic purposes among other reasons. That was the ONLY time the app or bike has required an internet connection to function.

The bike can be ridden with its electronics on or off, the motor on or off, or the app connected or disconnected in almost any combination.

When the bike's on and the full-featured app connected, the app can display dozens of data items like speed, cadence, motor and rider power, heart rate, state of charge — all in real time. This can duplicate or complement the data shown on the bike's programmable display as desired.

The app's built-in GPS functionality also provides decent GPS mapping and allows it to record rides and the accompanying bike data in exportable .FIT files. Not all ebike apps have these capabilities.

This full feature set turns your phone into a decent GPS bike computer, but mounting a high-end phone on your bars to see the app in real time can damage its cameras. So I use a separate vibration-proof GPS computer on the bars and keep my phone running in a pocket to do the recording.

When you're not riding, the app provides many useful setup, maintenance, and diagnostic services. Overall, it's an excellent companion to the bike. I'd find out how much of that the app you're considering can do.

 

[Gionnirocket]

@modern, I have no idea where you are located. Sometimes and in some places you will have local shops that can do conversions of existing bikes that out perform stuff from the majors, with local service where everything is open source, not proprietary. See Johnny Nerd Out. And me on Google Maps, PedalUma eBikes. @Gionnirocket hates me, I do not know why, but we do agree on one thing, that proprietary stuff is stuff to avoid. A 90Nm mid-drive would be very nice with an external battery. If the battery fails after seven years it can be replaced with any battery of the same voltage at 1/3 the price. Maybe look for one with accessible parts from multiple sources. A corporate bike could be best for you, but you are then locked into their system, like Apple. The bike pictured will out run and out last anything from the majors.

Why would you think I hate you?
You are a bit of a tool and used car salesman.. so that does make it easy to break them on you.

As for the op... If you are handy what pedal suggests isn't a bad way to start. I got into this with a diy build and it was an excellent learning experience that wasn't very expensive... especially if you already own a bike you really like. But since you state that local service is a must, I'm guessing this probably isn't for you.
Personally.. a torque sensing mid drive is the way to go and avoid as much of the brand buy in as possible. I could care less about apps and documenting every crank rotation. I ride to distance myself from the noise of life as much as possible. But that's me and to each their own.
Everyone wants and needs different things from their bike so take all advice with a few grains of salt... especially from b_busters like me
I'll suggest maybe renting a few different bikes.. because as you said, a ride around the store is indicative of nothing.

 

[stompandgo]

Take a look at the Urtopia Carbon 1 and Carbon Classic. They sell them DTC and through brick and mortar. Both are hub drives in carbon fiber frames. They both have small, removable batteries, but the bikes are light, with low payload capacities. They are sold as commuter bikes, but for gravel and easy singletrack use, you don't really need a suspension. Tires can always be changed if that is a priority. Our shop picked them up when they first opened the LBS channel, and they have sold well with good dealer support.

 

[PedalUma]

I tend to like smaller batteries. I seldom go more than 50 miles. Most rides are less than 10 miles round trip. Really, how far away is the post office or grocery store? What is the destination, the train station, book store? I can use differently sized batteries in the same holder depending on that day's ride. @stompandgo is correct, lighter bikes just do not need a suspension when you can bunny hop.

 

[modern]

@modern, I have no idea where you are located. Sometimes and in some places you will have local shops that can do conversions of existing bikes that out perform stuff from the majors, with local service where everything is open source, not proprietary. See Johnny Nerd Out. And me on Google Maps, PedalUma eBikes. @Gionnirocket hates me, I do not know why, but we do agree on one thing, that proprietary stuff is stuff to avoid. A 90Nm mid-drive would be very nice with an external battery. If the battery fails after seven years it can be replaced with any battery of the same voltage at 1/3 the price. Maybe look for one with accessible parts from multiple sources. A corporate bike could be best for you, but you are then locked into their system, like Apple. The bike pictured will out run and out last anything from the majors.

My friend’s first e-bike was a LunaCycle conversion kit. I don’t think I have the skill set to try something like that because I’m not very handy, tbh.

 

[modern]

@Stefan Mikes the link that I shared is for the newest Marlin model with 540 Wh. It’s not a huge difference, but wanted to clarify. I know other bikes have bigger batteries, but it’s at the cost of extra weight. I didn’t have the best experience with the Verve+ because of this issue, along with the upright posture. As a woman, I’d rather not have a bike that is half my body weight. One of the biggest complaints that I see on women’s cycling forums are that most e-bikes are too heavy. Some enjoy heavier bikes and love a good fat tire, but I am not one of them. I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of battery to be able to get a lighter weight bike.

 

[stompandgo]

The Urtopias that I mentioned are in the low 40 pound range.

 

[modern]

@stompandgo I’ll check them out, thanks for the recommendation. How would the Urtopia models do in hilly areas?