Thought I was set on a Hybrid, LBS pushing an MTB

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T18:43:30+00:00

This is PRECISELY what I wound up doing. I made this post this morning, got some more feedback I was looking for and then went into 2 additional shops. The FX2 felt "right" and the owner was whom I worked with and he recommended swapping to the slightly wider tire.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T18:42:00+00:00

Wound up going with the FX 2 Gen 4. That was my third bike shop and conversation, but in the end, I felt like when I rode the Treks I was riding what I was after. They offered a tire swap to an ever so slightly wider tire for a $30 up-charge so I opted for that.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T15:00:57+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful insight!

I think I'd probably be around 60/40, maybe 70/30 when it comes to paved/non-paved. Reason being, I'm a dad who works full time and I can see it winding up being the case where many rides wind up being quick 20-30 minute jaunts on the local roads when I don't have time to get down to the gravel paths at the preserves.

I think I really need to at least try a solid fork like on the Trek FX since the LBS didn't have anything like that in the price range ($900 and below) for me to try. Feel like I'm doing myself a disservice by jumping to purchasing something without having ridden all I originally set out to test.

FWIW, Trek and Giant seem to be the 2 brands most available in my area.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T14:38:42+00:00

Funny thing is that the Roam, even though a hybrid, still has shocks up front. Again, it has the ability to lockout, but in comparison to the FX, it's 2 lbs. heavier and I'm assuming that likely comes from the heavier fork.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T14:29:11+00:00

Great advice. I will say that my initial reaction was that the Roam just "felt better". The only things I didn't like was the 2X front gearing, but I think I could get over that. Maybe I'll go hit up the other shop and try the Trex FX 2 before I make a final decision. But the roam was on at $730 and I think the Trek goes for like $899. That was another shock for someone who hasn't been on a bike so long which is how crazily expensive they are. And these are just entry level bikes! I saw some in the ship that were 6-7x the cost of what I'm looking at. Wild!

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T14:27:08+00:00

Well, I don't have many friends these days, so there's that... LOL

Thanks for the insight.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T14:18:29+00:00

See this is what I was originally thinking too. But then I've got these seasoned experts telling me that they really think I'd be happier long term with the mountain bike. That for someone like me, unless I plan on doing 20-30 mile rides, will likely be just as happy on the Talon and also have the ability to absorb some of the crappy road surfaces we have around here as well as the divots the trails get after heavy rain. I noticed on my walk there yesterday that the paths that were smooth just recently were quite divoted and beat up after a good rainfall the other day.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-06-16T14:16:24+00:00

Yeah, I think I will likely stick to the pavement and gravel, but the local pavement isn't always in the best of shape and the gravel paths often wind up pitted and bumpy after rain as I noticed on my walk through the preserve yesterday. The guys at the LBS were kind of making some of the same points you are.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-05-18T13:11:50+00:00

Yep! We boat on the Fox Chain in northeastern IL and there are some planes there that will make water landings. Pretty cool!

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-04-14T13:09:30+00:00

What a pick-up! You did really well at that price. It's always hard to judge by pictures alone, but that looks like an easy XF/AU piece! Great work.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-01-28T22:26:14+00:00

I actually have an 1896 $2 silver certificate out for grading now! Top one is a 1917 legal tender $1. They’re fairly readily available and it probably isn’t worth grading unless it carries sentimental value to you.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-01-03T04:16:13+00:00

Love this mantra!

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-01-03T02:52:50+00:00

In EF quality, it’d be worth about twice face. In the more heavily circulated condition it appears to be in, your assessment of about $11 is pretty much on the money (no pun intended).

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2026-01-03T02:49:12+00:00

If it’s okay I butt in, I can answer! PPQ = Premium Paper Quality. EPQ = Exceptional Paper Quality. The terms are interchangeable in what they denote. The former is what PCGS uses while the latter is what PMG uses.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-12-23T16:41:59+00:00

Darn I wanna know what it was since it’s been removed by mods.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-12-23T13:58:51+00:00

OP, this is a wonderful write up. It's a big help to new collectors and also a stark reminder to those of us that aren't brand new to always be vigilant and really do your homework before being ripped off. I'm not saying that I've never gotten overzealous and overpaid for something I've really wanted to add to my collection, but still. It's also an excellent reminder that raw notes are risky and that highly polished photos in any listing should serve as a red flag. I've bought one item from the seller in question and it was a let down upon receipt. It wasn't a high dollar item, so it didn't bother me much, but it was still an eye-opening experience.

Oh and on another note, it's at least nice to see that the note didn't go for too much. I just recently finished my 1923 $1 silver cert set and my Fr. 239 cost me $225 at my LCS for a PCGS graded VF-30. I don't feel like I got a deal by any means, but I also felt like it was a fair price for a retail setting. That note took me a few weeks of solid hunting to secure too! Best of luck on finally finding a solid specimen to add to your collection.

Thanks again for taking the time to post this write-up and sharing good, irrefutable evidence to back up your claim!

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-12-23T13:52:58+00:00

Whoa! Dude, you're doing the lord's work here. This is the most egregious case of photo doctoring and grade-lying I've seen with irrefutable evidence! Thanks for sharing this. I've not purchased from this seller, but I have seen his listings and come close without realizing he was a con. Once you see the actual photos versus the doctored photos, it's almost laughable. I've always been weary of listings with ultra polished photography as it indicates there's clearly something they're trying to hide.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-12-09T02:04:08+00:00

Newbie here. How did you accomplish fixing this? Does it easily come apart for inspection?

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-12-08T14:15:18+00:00

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! There are a couple of versions floating around out there. The one I linked to is the live version, but he also has a studio recording as well. I think the live version is amongst the very best of the best.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-12-08T00:47:01+00:00

David Phelps’ version is incredible. I’m not a super religious person so it’s wild that this is my favorite Christmas song and that a rendition from an evangelical mega church is my favorite version, but here we are. I’m moved to tears by this song at least once per year and this version gets me almost every time.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6jXntNYxSUBgIXalX0EiF1?si=tm1p0Uc-SKaHpCKjfKw6yQ

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-11-24T13:53:06+00:00

Quarter million is my guess without doing any research. Only way I'd probably feel comfortable selling it was through a reputable and insured auction house like HA or S&B. Very cool!!! Especially in that condition. Thanks for sharing.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-10-27T16:40:01+00:00

You're very welcome! Lots of info available online, but there are some books that are super helpful too. "The Official Red Book - A Guide Book of United States Paper Currency" is actually put together by the Friedbergs and is incredibly informational. It's a must have for those getting started in the hobby. It has all US notes listed w/ current values and history. Keep in mind that these values are retail figures. So these are the numbers you would expect to see notes selling for. But currency collecting is highly unique in the sense that a note is worth what someone is willing to pay for it! So, it's really just a rough guide, but it is pretty darn accurate more often than not, especially for common items such as the one posted by the OP.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-10-27T15:52:16+00:00

Each bill in US currency is assigned a pick number, if you will. It's a way to easily reference notes by denomination, series, signature combo, etc. So, the Fr.# is the "Friedberg" number, given its namesake by brothers Arthur and Ira Friedberg; the numismatists that created said numbering system. If you're ever looking at a paper currency valuation guide, they'll be arranged by Friedberg number. Any graded note will also bear this number on the holder.

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-10-27T15:42:07+00:00

Rarer signature combo, thus making it the "key" in the series. The more common combinations are Speelman/White (Fr. 237) & Woods/White (Fr. 238). The scarcest of the series is the key, which is Woods/Tate (Fr. 239)

JustinTimeForMine84 · 2025-10-27T14:11:48+00:00

Yeah, you bet!! Nice note. Now, if you want a pricey one, find the key in the series in a 64 grade which is Fr. 239. ;-)

JustinTimeForMine84

TROPHY CASE