Commuting: What Bike Should You Get?

 

Buying a new bike is a big decision and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. If you want to get the most bike for your hard earned dollars, a bike that works for your needs, one that you'll truly love and cherish, taking some time to learn what's available and how to choose the right bike will pay off.

 

The Hybrid Bike

 

The Hybrid, also known as Sport & Fitness, is the most popular commuting bike out there. It is a mix of a road bike, mountain bike and comfort bike. Its sporty fit offers a great balance of comfort and efficiency, while its light weight and mountain bike gearing allow you tackle climbs with ease.

Good for: Casual riding, Commuting to work, Getting back in shape

Upright position: One of the greatest benefits of Hybrid Bikes is that it enables an upright riding position. The riding position is a critical part of a bicycle since that position continues for the whole ride and can cause back pains if not set right. Sitting upright also allows you to see much further ahead and be more aware of your surroundings.

Loaded with accessories: Wearing a bag while riding can be very uncomfortable on the shoulders. All Hybrids can be equipped with racks and baskets, front and rear to carry that load. Fenders can be added for the rainy days to keep you for getting wet and dirty. Most will come with a kickstand, but other accessories such as bottle cages, mounted locks and child carriers are very practical additions to this do-it-all bike.

Affordability: Its simpler design, with usually fewer components for added simplicity and reliability make this bike a very affordable choice.

 

 

The Road Bike

 

Road bikes are excellent, fast machines. They are light and are built for speed.

Good for: Riding longer distance, Commuting faster, Carrying up to your apartment or office building

Ride faster: The rider sits in a forward leaning position, the most favorable from an aerodynamic point of view since it offers the least drag. The components of a road bike are also designed for speed. They offer a variety of gears and they are especially good for climbing routes.

Light but strong: Road bikes are light. A typical road bike weighs 18-22 lbs. There is less weight to carry when it comes to climbing a hill and there is less weight to lift if you need to carry it on your shoulders.

 

The Electric Bike

 

There’s absolutely no denying that electric bikes have become an increasingly dominant force in the cycling market.

Good for: Covering even more ground, Making hill climbs a breeze

Long distance: The ability to cover ground easily with the helping hand that an electric assist ebike affords, really makes this bike shine. 'Assist' is the key word here; it allows those that live out of town to consider riding long distances to work, even with a heavy load.

Still a workout: The great misconceptions surrounding electric bikes is that they do all the work for you, which is not the case. You still have to pedal on an ebike and will invariably tire yourself out riding one, you’ll just do it over a far greater distance than on a regular bike.

Learn more about Electric bikes -->

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