Today we are going to take a look at Trek Verve 2 which is a budget hybrid bike. It is the second of the Verve series, Trek’s take at recreational hybrid bikes which are built for comfort and versatility. Trek Verve series has three bikes to offer,
The Trek Verve 1 which retails at $530, Verve 2 retailing at $670, and finally Verve 3 retailing at around $820.
I choose to review Trek Verve 2 Disc first, mainly because I think this is a bike many would come to love at the price point. Don’t get me wrong, Verve 1 is already a great bike for what its worth. But for just another $140 you will be getting a lot more of a bike than the base model.
This is a comprehensive rundown of all the features you would expect when getting a Trek Verve 2 and if you are looking for a specific component of the bike use the table of contents below to quickly navigate around the review.
Frame
The frame makes for around 70 percent look and feel of the bike in my opinion and should be a major consideration when you are thinking of getting a bike. Trek Verve 2 comes with an Alpha Gold Aluminum frame, which is top of the line aluminum technology for treks bikes.
The frame ensures a strong ride while still feeling very light and forgiving during the rides. This is something you will quickly come to appreciate the first time you test ride this bike.
The frame is designed for comfort as its priority, as a result the bike as a shorter reach than other traditional fitness bikes. This also ensures that are in a more upright position while riding this thing which is compatible if you have had any issues with your back, neck, or shoulders.
The upright position also makes it easy for you to look around while switching lanes or crossing streets.
Trek Verve 2 is offered in two variants,
- A standard high-step model which has the diamond frame
- A low step model which is designed for more clearance and convenience
This bike can also be a good commuter as the frame comes with mounts for racks and fenders. So if you want to stay dry during the rain or carry some extra cargo with you, this bike can handle it pretty well.
Some of the good features of this Verve 2 frame are that you get internal cable routing which keeps the cables away from your sight. This gives the bike a very clean and minimalist look but also offers extra protection to the cables when using a trunk mount or something similar.
This sounds like nitpicking but if you are going to carry your bike up the stairs by hand, your hands will appreciate if the cables are not harassing them every time you carry it by the top-tube. And aluminum won’t rust on contact with moisture so don’t worry about that.
Another good addition, which you won’t see a lot these days is the amount for one of those traditional wheel locks. Trust me when I say that this lock gives you that peace of mind when you have to quickly go into a store and don’t want to bother locking your bike.
Trek Verve 2 frame also has Integrated DuoTrap S digital sensor compatibility which you can use to wirelessly track your ride data directly from your bike to any ANT+ and Bluetooth enabled phone.
Fork
The fork on this bike is made of Verve alloy and threaded steerer tubes made of steel which gives great handling. Another thing that came as a surprise to me is that the frame comes with a ThruSkew axle. This means your front wheel will never drop out during rides and enables quick and easy access to your front wheel.
One of the choices I didn’t agree with this new model is the lack of a suspension. As a front suspension is something you’d expect on a comfort hybrid bike like this one. But turns out, the suspension on a bike like this doesn’t add that much to comfort as you’d think.
As this is a hybrid, you won’t be expected to do jumps or ride on trails, at least not as often, and riding in an upright position means your weight is more towards the back of the bike. And to get considerable benefits of a front suspension, you would need to ride more aggressively and have your weight more forward faced and this is not in the interest of a comfort bike.
But if you are looking for something to act as a double for trails and regular commute, Trek Marlin 5 will be a great choice at this price.
And by removing a front suspension, you also get some weight off the bike for a lighter and relaxed ride. And with adjustable suspension seat post and a taller stack, this fork offers you won’t feel any large shocks as long as you stick to well-paved roads and ground limestone.
Drivetrain
The drivetrain of Trek Verve 2 consists of
- Shimano Altus M315 8×3 shifters
- Forged alloy 3 speed 48/38/28 crank with a Shimano Tourney TY710 front derailleur
- 8 speed 11-32 Shimano HG31 cassette with a Shimano Altus M310 read derailleur
This bike comes with all Shimano components for the drivetrain as you can see. This is good because this eliminates the need for extra tuning and other compatibility issues that come with using different brands. To give you peace of mind If you are new to cycling, Shimano is considered the best for drivetrain components and is both used and loved by the top of athletes all around the world.
The 8×3 setup means you will be having a lot of speeds you can choose from for any gradient. Easier gears are suitable for people who are away from bikes for a long time or riders who are trying to rehabilitate and recover from leg injuries as they allow a complete stroke.
Handlebar and Stem
The handlebar on this hybrid bike is a 620mm/660mm wide alloy handlebar from Trek’s in-house brand Bontrager whose products are very reputable and you’ll be seeing a lot of components made by Bontrager hereinafter. This particular handlebar has a comfort sweep which gives the handlebar a subtle ‘M’ shape which you normally see on a comfort cruiser.
The stem part is a little bit special because it comes with a Bontrager alloy quill which essentially means you can adjust the rise of the handlebar into any of the 64 degrees it permits. The stem is also longer, 85mm or 105mm depending on the size you are getting, which is a considered a norm for road and commute oriented bikes as you have more clearance for making turns.
Seatpost and Saddle
Trek Verve 2 comes with an alloy made Seatpost with adjustable suspension which plays an important role in adding the extra bit of comfort while riding in an upright position. This has an adjustable range of up to 27mm to absorb those shocks and bumps along your way.
This along with the Bontrager Boulevard comfort saddle, the ride quality is immaculate and easily one of the most appreciated features on the bike. It has a lot of cushioning and stays very comfy during longer rides.
Brakes
You are lucky in this aspect as Trek Verve 2 only rim brakes until a few years ago and Trek made a great choice of switching to Tektro HD-M275 hydraulic disc brakes, Hence the name Trek Verve 2 Disc. Which are far more reliable and better in every aspect. They work flawlessly in any weather condition including damp conditions where rims brakes are scary to work with.
And they also offer the highest stopping power which comes in real handy when you are carrying more weight. Another pro of getting Hydraulic disc brakes as opposed to mechanical ones is that they are really easy to apply and maintain over time.
Wheels
Both front and back hubs are made of Formula DC 6-bolt alloy (DC-20 in the front and DC-22 in the Back). Rims are Bontrager Connection which is double-walled and made of aluminum alloy for stiffer ride and strength of the wheels overall.
The stock tires which come with this bike are Bontrager H5 Comps, 700x45c which are wider than what you’d see on a road bike but not as much as a mountain bike. They roll pretty well on well-paved roads and gravel which is mostly the case for commuting and recreational riding.
The lack of front suspension doesn’t show due to these wider tires. Getting rid of the suspension allows for better energy transmission on the road as there are no power losses during pedaling.
Weight
Trek Verve 2 weighs in at 30.26 lbs or 13.73 kg for a size medium and has a total weight limit (weight of rider+cargo+bike) of 300 pounds or around 136 kg.
Sizes and Colors
As a typical Trek bike, this comes in 4 different sizes S, M, L, and XL, and a table with Trek Verve 2 size chart and geometry will be provided below.
This bike comes in Lithium Grey and Rage Red which are both stunning choices.
Trek Verve 2 Geometry Chart
Verve 2 Women’s
This bike is discontinued from 2019 but luckily you can get most of the features of Verve 2 Women’s from buying a Trek Verve 2 Low-step model. It has more standing clearance and accessibility of the women’s model.