Bicycles for Commuting - Ride With Comfort

THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF COMMUTER BIKES

Your commuter bicycle is going to be a constant companion. You may even end up riding it almost every day of the week. If you make the wrong choice, you could be stuck with a wrong companion but if you make the right choice, you’ll have a ride you’ll look forward to getting on every single day.

If you don’t know how to go about shopping for the best option for you, then you have come to the right place.

Urban Bikes

The bicycles in this category are a relatively new addition to the market. As their name suggests, they are well suited for city riding. They are built to endure the occasional patch of gravel, dirt path, or cobblestone.

There are a lot of styles within the category. The most popular style is the one that embraces an upright riding position and the geometry of flat bar road bikes. They also usually have luggage and fender mounts to make them suitable for urban riding. You’ll mostly find that they have wide tires with light tread to give the rider traction in multiple riding conditions.

There are quite a number of drivetrain options that they could come with. There are external drivetrains with 27 gears, fixed gear and single speed options, internal gear hubs with about 8 gears, and belt drives in some models.

If you are on the lookout for a bike to take you short to medium distances, then you should go for one of these.

Flat-Bar Road Bikes

These ones would be ideal if you want the advanced tech of a road cycle coupled with a comfortable and upright riding position. While normal road bicycles are cool for racing and riding long distances, they can feel out of place in the city.

The flatter handlebars and relaxed frame geometry of this category make the rider sit more upright which will definitely come in handy by allowing you to see farther ahead in city traffic.

They also usually have lightweight components and frames. The wheels are usually 700c road tires and their external drivetrains can have up to 33 gears. This unique combination of features makes them ideal for navigating the complexities of road commuting.

Hybrid Bikes

What you’ll find is a combination of road, touring, and mountain bikes. The end result of this combination is a ride that can do a wide variety of tasks and still allow for leisurely riding. Hybrids are good for city riding as they can handle the occasional length of dirt and gravel. They also encourage an upright riding position and have a cushy seat to enhance comfort.

They usually come with wide tyres with a light tread. This makes it easy for a rider to switch from the sidewalk to gravel and to dirt where necessary. In some, there are front suspensions to help you smoothen out the ride and reduce the pressure on your arms, hands, and wrists. The upright position also makes it quite convenient for your body.

If you are person looking for a relaxed riding pace that would be convenient and reliable, then a hybrid is the ideal choice.

Fixed Gear and Single Speed Bikes

For the rider who does most of his riding in the city, a single speed bike would be perfect. They are for people who just want to hop on and hit the streets without having to worry about gears.

Single speeds are good if you want simplicity but still enjoy coasting while fixed gears are for those who don’t really care about coasting, but want to be fully connected with the fluidity of continuous pedalling.

In the past, it was quite difficult to get your hands on single speed and fixed gear bikes. That has changed, as there are multiple options from different top brands available on Bike Chaser.

Some of the options you’ll come across have an upright seating position and overall relaxed geometry while some that were designed for racing have a more aggressive pose and bend the rider forward. Those ones are made specifically for speed, and would not be ideal for the everyday commuter.

Road Bikes

If you ride long distances on your commute, then you should consider using a road bike. While they might not be as primed for commuting as urban and flat-bar road bicycles, you can still effectively use them for commuting. If you ride long distances regularly, or you occasionally participate in racing, getting one for commuting would make sense.

The skinny tires, lightweight frame, and athletic riding position of these cycles make covering long distances quite efficient. However, it might be difficult or even impossible to add fenders and racks to some models so you might need a backpack to carry your luggage.

Touring Bikes

If you carry a lot of luggage on your commute, then you should consider a touring bicycle. They allow you to mount heavy racks and fenders. You’ll find that they are significantly heavier compared to road cycles, but the upside is that they are more efficient at travelling.

They also feature wide and treaded tires to aid traction in wet or dirt conditions. They have a relaxed riding position but still put the rider in an athletic pose. One of these may be a lot to handle if you are an average commuter, but if you commute with a lot of baggage, you should seriously consider getting one. It could also fit well as men’s or women’s commuter bike.

Folding Portable Bikes

If you need to keep your bicycle indoors, or need to take it with you on public transport, then you should one that can fold. Most of them have small 20-inch wheels, although there are some with full 700c wheels. You can easily fold the frames of these cycles into a neat bundle and tuck away for safekeeping. You can even easily carry them in a suitcase or carry-bag.