Dual-sport bikes make good commuter bikes, and are also good for touring on unpaved trails. Cruiser Bicycles are similar to hybrid bikes, in that they are designed for casual riding, and have a very comfortable, upright riding position, and a large, comfortable seat. Cruisers usually have wide "balloon" tires, and handlebars that are even more upright, and in some cases, swept back compared to hybrid bikes. Most cruiser bikes are single-speed or 3-speed, and have the old-fashioned coaster brake where you pedal backwards to stop.
They can be used for short-distance commuting and errands, as long as your route is fairly flat. Some cruiser bike manufacturers make a wide array of colorful models available, to suit the fashion tastes of any bike afficionado.
Flat-Foot Comfort Bicycles are a sub-category of cruiser bikes. They have an elongated frame design that pushes the pedals a few inches forward of the seat. This allows you to ride with the seat low enough so that you can place your feet flat on the ground when you are stopped, but you still get the full extension of your legs while pedaling. All Electra Bicycle Company bikes have the flat-foot technology; some other manufacturers have created their own flat-foot designs.
The term "city bike" doesn't really refer to a specific category of bikes; it's more of a general descriptive term. They might also be called "commuter" or "urban" bikes, although many of the bikes listed on this page can be used quite well for riding and commuting in a city. However, there is a certain type of bike that some people have in mind when they use the term "city bike. A city bike might also have some or all of these features that make it more amenable to riding in regular clothes, as opposed to cycling-specific clothing:.
A city bike might also have an internally-geared rear hub for ease of use and maintenance, and a built-in generator and lights for safety when riding after dark. These bikes are also sometimes called "Dutch bikes," because of their resemblance to the everyday bikes used in Amsterdam and other bike-friendly European cities.
BMX Bicycles are popular with kids because of their small size, but they are used by adults and kids alike for various styles of trick and stunt riding. Folding Bicycles are ideal for those who need to travel with their bike, want a bike to keep on their boat or plane, or who live in small apartments and don't have a lot of storage space.
They're also good for commuters who need to take their bike on a bus or train for part of their commute, or who don't have a safe place to park their bike at work. Most folding bikes have smaller wheels, which makes the bike a little less efficient and trickier to handle than a standard bike, but most folding bike fans feel the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Recumbent Bicycles have a long, low design and a full-size seat with a backrest. Recumbents are available in two-wheel and three-wheel designs.
Many recumbent riders feel that they are the most comfortable option available for bicycling. However, they are more difficult to pedal up hills, and they can be a challenge to carry from one place to another in a motor vehicle. Tandem Bicycles are "bicycles built for two. Adult Trikes are ideal for older folks who still want to get around under their own power, or those with balance issues or other special needs. Car Racks.
Gift Cards. So Many Choices When trying to decide on the best type of bike, think about these questions: Who do you ride with? What do they ride? What have you had in the past that you liked?
What have you had in the past that you disliked? What you sacrifice in terms of speciality, you gain by being able to do what you want, when you want. Defining characteristics: Hybrid bikes have flat handlebars instead of drop handlebars.
Defining characteristics: The easiest to spot is the drop handlebars like a road bike, instead of the flat handlebars of a hybrid. A cross bike has more of a road bike feel than a hybrid does. They also fit neatly into a car or hall cupboard. Defining characteristics: A folding frame and small wheels; a more upright geometry. Electric bikes are, as the name suggests, part electric.
Under UK legislation, the motor has to stop helping you once you hit Defining characteristics: A hybrid, mountain or road bike with a battery and a motor. Sometimes they have a step-through frame, which were originally designed for their advantage to riders wearing dresses or skirts. Touring bikes are like road bikes that have been specially adapted to carry loads over longer distances.
Often, they double up as commuter bikes. Defining characteristics: Road bikes with wider tyres, space for mudguards and panniers, and designed with long-distance comfort in mind. Get a touring bike if: You plan on going long distances, you want a commuter with the option of touring one day, or you want to load your bicycle up like a Tibetan Sherpa. Many dedicated road bikes, especially ones at the racier end of the spectrum, will also lack the ability to carry luggage — so, if you need to lug a hefty load, a pure-bred road bike might not be ideal.
Made to take on the most rugged off-road terrain that nature can offer, mountain bikes are built tough with aggressive knobbly tyres designed to find grip on almost any surface. They also have powerful brakes that use car- or motorcycle-style discs at the centre of the wheels, and more expensive machines will have suspension at both ends for better control over rough ground.
The gearing is designed to get you up and down steep terrain, with a wide range to take on the varying gradients. Best thought of as the halfway point between a road bike and a mountain bike, a hybrid takes the comfy riding position of a mountain bike and pairs it with a lighter frame and fast-rolling wheels like those seen on a road bike.
Sitting in a more upright position may be less aerodynamically efficient but it also allows you to look further ahead, which is a huge boon in heavy urban traffic.
Hybrid bikes often use more powerful disc brakes that give more consistent performance in wet weather, though at a slight weight penalty. If you need to bridge the gap between urban performance and confident handling, then our guide to the best hybrid bikes will give you all the information you need to know. While a hybrid bike is best suited to the city, a touring bike is designed to take on everything from a commute to a continent-crossing adventure. They tend to have the same fast-rolling c wheels as road and hybrid bikes, but with fatter tyres that allow you to take on a mixture of terrain in comfort.
The more relaxed riding position and more stable geometry of a touring bike mean that you can take on almost anything, whether it be a mountain pass when fully loaded with supplies or a quick spin to work. Gravel bikes combine road bike looks and speed with loads of frame clearance for fitting fat, knobbly tyres that can sometimes be 35mm-wide or more to get you across almost any terrain, including terrible tarmac, gloopy mud, bridleways, gravel paths and more.
You can find adventure bikes made from steel, aluminium, carbon and titanium, and at a range of prices from the affordable to the aspirational. Adventure bikes that take luggage typically frame bags, saddle bags and bar bags are used for bikepacking, which is essentially touring, but with perceived better fashion sense and hashtags.
Interested in a gravel bike? Our list of the best gravel bikes will help you find the perfect one for your needs. Cyclocross bikes are similar in concept to the bikes listed above, but are designed for the racing discipline of cyclocross. Their geometry is typically more aggressive than that of gravel and adventure bikes, making them a less attractive proposition for longer days in the saddle.
Our list of the best cyclocross bikes compiles all top-scoring cyclocross bikes from recent tests. This is what makes them popular with cycle couriers, who also like their reliability — a legal-minimum fixie with just a front brake has almost nothing on it to go wrong. Want to know more?
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