If you're after a more capable, lighter and faster machine, one of the best gravel bikes might be better suited to you. There is no question; disc brakes provide better performance than rim brakes. You're even reminded when the bike is due for a service. It also makes the Larkspur a solid option for anyone with mobility or joint issues. It's nimble enough to navigate tight slow corners, while being predictable to give a rider handling confidence, especially when descending at a reasonable speed or when riding slowly in traffic. The flat-bar geometry keeps the rider in a comfortable position that finds the right balance between comfort and pedalling efficiency, and the frame sees heaps of mounts, as well as an integrated fender on the down tube. These are easy, even for beginners, to get in and out of. Even better will be a frame with eyelets so you can fit ones with better coverage, rather than flimsy clip-on ones. At this price point you get a fully loaded electric bike with a superb frame, quality motor system and really decent parts the Ribble Hybrid AL e certainly offers almost unbeatable value when compared to its rivals. The frame itself sees rack and fender mounts throughout, and the read end has flex tuned into the stays to keep you comfortable as you ride termed SAVE Micro-Suspension. Heres why you can trust us. It's well specced for its price and comfortable and fast to ride, although we'd have liked wider tyres for more off-road adventures. There's a compact 50/34 chainset boasting a rear cassette replete with a wide spread of gears that will see you up and over most hills, without sacrificing flat speed. They're practical and comfortable, often come with a full set of mudguards and a rear rack already fitted, and can be an excellent choice for someone who just wants to get going the moment it's built. Many brands will offer women's hybrid bikes which will come in smaller sizes, including narrower handlebars and women's-specific saddles. Want 650b wheels and tyres instead of 700c? There are also quite a few hybrids on the market that combine an aluminium frame with a carbon fork. If you're having to carry large or heavy items to work, then it can be uncomfortable to carry a backpack. The tyres will also be slick, and not super wide, allowing you to ride fast and keep up with traffic. A 2x drivetrain is usually more budget friendly, and will generally offer the widest spread of gears, but with extra components comes extra maintenance, it can also complicate shifting for beginners. The best hybrid bikes - or fitness bikes, as they're sometimes called - are built around an upright and relaxed geometry that's designed to maximise comfort while maintaining speed and handling. If you are thinking of riding your bike to work check out our top tips for commuting to work by bike page for all you need to know and in the UK consider the Cycle to Work Scheme to reduce the net cost of your purchase. The Schwalbe Big Apple tyres are well armoured to prevent punctures - they are also tubeless. If this is what you're looking for, you've come to the right place. If you've got a few colleagues who cycle into work, we can almost guarantee that at least one of them will be on a Specialized Sirrus, one of the most popularhybrid bikeson the market. The handlebars are more akin to a mountain bike style, being flat in shape, as opposed to the drop bar shape found on a road bike. What's more, at 55mm wide, there's a huge amount of cushioning to keep you comfortable for your entire ride, so uneven roads and potholed surfaces needn't worry you. If you want a bike that feels at home in the urban jungle the Priority Continuum Onyx might be the perfect solution. Flat-mount Shimano MT200 hydraulic brakes paired with 160mm rotors, mean the Hyde can stop on a dime and should stay that way with little additional attention. If you're likely to be combining cycling with public transport, you might be better off checking out the best folding bikes, while those who prefer a women's specific fit should take a look at the best women's hybrid bikes as well. Everything about the Specialized Sirrus works without a fuss. All you need to do is don your helmet, grab your best bike lock and start riding to the office. It might seem a shame to spoil the look of your new bike in such a way, but you'll certainly appreciate it when cycling on wet roads. Moreover, it can be harder to find the perfect gear if you want to get into a rhythm on a long flat road or steady climb. Giant has gone for integrated cables, a smart move as it reduces the risk of contamination or damage over time and thus maintenance. Rim brakes use two pads to grip the rim of the wheel, while disc brakes grip a rotor attached to the hub of the wheel. V-brakes keep the weight down, but won't be as effective in all weather conditions as disc brakes. It has a carbon belt instead of a chain and all the shifting components live in the rear hub. As a brand, Ridgeback offers a huge range of hybrid bikes, starting as low as 299 and increasing in price by 50 increments, with only one or two prominent changes to the build. As a result of being new to the cycling world you might be unfamiliar with the right bike fit for you. Cycling Weekly is supported by its audience. Pay more and the best hybrid bikes will come with higher quality groupsets. Another advantage of disc brakes is longevity of your wheels. Two top picks | Budget hybrids | Premiumhybrids. But being both capable and rewarding, it's certainly not restricted to A to B rides and could take you on many adventures. The ToughRoad, as the name suggests, is designed to keep you going regardless of whether you're riding on glass-smooth tarmac, rough gravel or bone-rattling cobblestones. Hybrid bikes also make for some of the best commuter bikes, as they often offer plenty of mounting points for mudguards and racks, so you can carry luggage and shield yourself a little from wet roads and poor weather. Compared to road bikes, all hybrids will come with wider tyres. The mechanical disc brakes were top notch and we actually struggled to tell the difference performance-wise compared to hydraulic ones. Its billed as a city transit bike, but its certainly comfortable for longer rides too. You can read more in our full review of the Cannondale Treadwell 3. A better option is to invest in a pair of panniers. It's unlike most anything on the market and offers the advantage of reduced maintenance and no chance of grease on your clothes. But what's really unique is the continuously variable NuVinci N380 CVT drivetrain. Newer riders will certainly be impressed by its turn of pace. The recessed cleat makes walking easy and since it's an off-road design it's less susceptible to mud. Cannondale's Treadwell features a lowered top tube to create standover height and has what the brand classes as an 'easy geometry,' with either a kinked or dropped top tube for quick on and off. This is great for seeing in traffic but if you were late for work and needed to press on you might find it a bit too laid-back. The rim-braking surface wears down over time, particularly if the bike is ridden in wet or dirty conditions. This type of hybrid bike will normally also come with gearing that reflects its road origins, mainly designed for relatively fast riding over flat roads. Both the frame and the fork are made from aluminium - a material common at this price point. The aluminium frame features elegantly shaped tubing profiles including pencil-thin, dropped seatstays for added compliance and a distinctive dropped driveside chainstay design. The most important thing about getting the best hybrid bike for you is fit. Trek offers the FX in two geometries, with this version offering the more upright and comfort-focused of the two. If you are worried about riding comfort, prioritise a bike with lots of tyre clearance, and possibly 650b wheels and tyres. Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike. Mechanical disc brakes use a cable to link the brake levers to the brake callipers, while hydraulic disc brakes have a closed system with hydraulic fluid. There's a smart-looking one piece bar and stem, which gives the Boardman Hyb 8.8 a stylish air, although it makes for fewer adjustment options than a more conventional separate bar and stem. You don't have to customise it though, there are well-considered off-the-shelf packages available too. Panniers will move the weight from you to the bike. It has an engaging handling feel and a build quality that turn it into a bike you look forward to riding rather than a dead and dreary commuter. Not only are they heavier and more expensive than a rigid fork, but they are often very cheap and don't provide much in the way of efficient shock absorption. It might be a bit of a clich, but you will generally get what you pay for when it comes to gearing. This means that if the Speed isn't quite up to scratch for your needs, it's incredibly easy to find a Ridgeback hybrid bike that has what you need at a price point you're comfortable with. Made from Specialized's A1 alloy, the Sirrus 2.0 features internal cable routing and plug-and-play fender and rack mounts front and rear. With slick tyres, flat bars, internal gearing, and disc brakes, the Presidio 2 can do anything a beginner would want. The gear range is often not that much more than with only two rings at the front. Depending on the price, hybrid bikes will either come with hydraulic or cable-actuated discs. For the past five years she's volunteered at The Bristol Bike Project as a mechanic and session coordinator, and now sits on its board of directors. Visit our corporate site. Cyclingnews is supported by its audience. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Ribble provides advice via video link to its showroom if you want a walkthrough of the bike's features or more buying info. We were impressed by the bike's fast acceleration and how well it holds its speed. At its bottom end, the gearing should also be easy enough to tackle some pretty fierce hills. From the Sirrus 2.0 up to the range-topping 4.0 all have disc brakes. While they cost a bit more, hydraulic discs require less maintenance and less force at the lever to achieve more braking power, because more leverage can be engineered into the system. If you're working on a tight budget we've also got the best hybrid bikes under 500 to keep more money in in your pocket. The 38mm wide tyres are lightly treaded and give plenty of grip without sacrificing rolling speed, so the Mach 3 would serve for both faster city riding and a trip out onto tracks and trails. Lighter and faster still, although more geared towards tarmac, are the best endurance bikes a great choice if you're looking to go further on your rides. Unlike our other recommendations, it sees a Gates Belt drive so no need to worry about regular maintenance. Hydraulic disc brakes provide for heaps of power and modulation regardless of the weather and should stay that way for years to come. Perfect for commuting, this is a road-ready hybrid that will feel light and fast on tarmac when compared with models that come with suspension or wide tyres. From budget options right up to more serious machines costing four figures, most will feature either a steel or aluminium frame. If you want a non-assisted bike, the Ribble Hybrid AL is available in a range of pre-built specs, many of which come with mudguards and a rear rack. This means a short top tube and tall head tube to give a relaxed and upright riding position that should be nice and comfortable and help you avoid cycling neck pain. The carbon fork supplies phenomenal value and adds an enormous amount of comfort to the ride. Cycling Weekly is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. They offer superior power and modulation, and performance is much less affected by wet weather. If the bug really bites and you decide to upgrade to a road or mountain bike, the Presidios reliable build will mean that it will see years of use as a town/commuter bike. There are threeCarrera Subway bikes in the range: a men's and women's-specific Subway 1 and a male/unisex Subway 2. If you need a workhorse that can do pretty much everything you want, from commuting to work to carrying the shopping home, but you can't be bothered to figure out all the additional accessories you need to go with it, then you're in luck. We reviewed the women's HYB 8.8, but there's a men's/unisex version too, which differs only in its size range and contact points: saddle and bar width. A hybrid bike is a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike, incorporating the best bits of both to create a machine that is comfortable over multiple terrains and surfaces. As with most Shimano products, it has proven itself bombproof, and its shifting didn't miss a beat. For example, flat handlebars are usually seen as a defining feature of a hybrid or fitness bike. Trek has opted for hydraulic flat-mount disc brakes on the FX so braking will always be confident with little to no maintenance required, and turning the gears is a 2x9-speed Shimano Acera drivetrain. If you're planning on cruising around town, riding to parks, to beaches or to other recreation spots, you can't really go wrong with this. Low-end forks like this usually ride like a bouncy mess, and over time are likely to seize anyway. The main difference with this type of hybrid is that it will come with a suspension fork, which will improve comfort when riding over rough, rutted surfaces. The road and off road capability is blended differently depending on model, with some having a stronger speedy road/urban bias, while others will have a greater preference for gravelly lanes and uneven off-road terrain. Also consider the clothing that you're going to be doing it in. Mildred joined as Reviews Writer for Cyclingnews and BikePerfect in December 2020. Do you think that the front derailleur should be put to bed once and for all? How to find the best hybrid bike that suits both your riding and your budget. Somewhere around 28-32mm is the norm but the more rugged will go up to 50mm, Hybrid bikes will have flat handlebars and a more upright position that allows the rider to sit with a straighter back than on a road bike, You'll often find disc brakes on a hybrid: these provide more powerful stopping and are more reliable in wet weather than rim brakes, If you plan to use your hybrid bike for commuting, look for eyelets for mounting a pannier rack and mudguards - most hybrid bikes will have these and they may have a rack and mudguards already fitted. While the best comfort bikes are ideal for gentler-paced leisure riding and best fitness bikes are designed more for workout goals, the best hybrid bikes take their influences from the road and mountain bike genres. With rack and fender mounts, front and rear, the bike uses thru-axles and sees dropped seat stays for added levels of compliance. We've featured our favourite hybrid bikes below. Although dabbling in racing off-road, on-road and virtually (opens in new tab), to date his only significant achievement has been winning the National Single-Speed Cross-Country Mountain Bike Championships in 2019. Quite often, these will feature the same frame and fork as found on the manufacturer's sportive road bike, but with a flat bar handlebar for a more upright position. With its mudguard and pannier rack mounts, it also offers a good deal of opportunity to be reasonably versatile. Cyclingnews is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. At this price point, many brands still opt for a chromoly steel frame, which leaves the whole bike feeling sluggish - but Marin has managed to include a lighter, more responsive butted aluminium frame and fork. The Treadwell's big 47mm tyres and 13kg weight make it sluggish to get up to speed, but if you're after a bike for easy rides around town and short weekend excursions, it fits the bill without breaking the bank and its simple mechanicals should be low maintenance. If you're doing most of your riding on roads and cycle paths, then the best option is to go for a more road-orientated hybrid. The answer is yes! If that's the case, there's a lot of choice out there and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options. If you are pondering the question regarding whether you really need mudguards? Like the Cannondale Treadwell, which we've also reviewed, there's Cannondale's wheel-mounted sensor that lets you record ride data on the Cannondale app and you can mount your phone to the bars to use it as a cycling computer. The only thing that lets this bike down is that it's hard to ride quickly when you're in a rush, due to the incredibly upright position and sluggish tyres. Check outour guide to clipless pedal systems and the best models reviewed (opens in new tab). Step-through frames without a top tube are also available for many hybrid bikes if you want even easier mounting and dismounting. As with the Quick, Cannondale also specs its speed and cadence sensor and an intellimount stem which will securely hold any SP connect compatible phone case, so you can track your rides through the Cannondale App. 1x and 2x systems are the traditional chain and derailleur-operated drivetrains, with the difference being the number of chainrings at the front. Our pick of the best hybrid bikes will let you zip around town and get some exercise in the process. The Giant Escape 1 has a butted aluminium frame (Giant calls it ALUXX) with tons of stand-over clearance - an ideal bonus if you're commuting in jeans - and a composite fork. Since then she's gone on to write for a multitude of cycling publications, including Bikeradar, Cycling Plus, Singletrack, Red Bull, Cycling UK and Total Women's Cycling. Bath The downside is they are anything but light and the total gear range is usually less broad than a derailleur-geared system. Hybrid bikes usually give a comfortable, upright position. The three main drivetrain choices for hybrid bikes come down to belt drive/internally geared, 1x (one by) or 2x (two-by). England and Wales company registration number 2008885. While some cyclists get a bit too hung up on things like weight, aerodynamics and bottom bracket stiffness, the vast majority of riders use bikes to get from point A to point B, and to get outside for a bit of exercise. The majority of hybrid bikes - like most bikes - use one of three materials: steel, aluminium, or carbon. Well specced for the price, the Vitus Mach 3 VRS is the mid-spec bike from a three model line-up. For sure. A 1x drivetrain can offer the same, or even a wider gear range than a 2x system, and will feature a clutched rear derailleur and a narrow-wide chainring which will prevent your chain from falling off. Always looking for the next challenge, hes Everested in under 12 hours (opens in new tab) and ridden the South Downs Double in sub 20 (opens in new tab). It's easily upgradable to a cassette with a 32-tooth largest sprocket though, if you do want more range for hillier rides. The problem is these won't hold the rack quite as securely as if the frame is specifically designed for the purpose. The ride position on the Canyon Commuter is pretty upright, so you have a good view around you for riding in traffic, while the sloping top tube makes for plenty of standover when stopped at lights. The bike's head tube puts you in an upright position from the off. Each of the best hybrid bikes will have its own unique design. A hybrid bike that's popular for good reason, Simple single chainring set-up but with wide gear range, Not equipped with mudguards or rack, although there are mounting points for these, Best hybrid bike with a unique mix of features, Includes fenders and front and rear dynamo lights, Choose your own specification via Ribble's BikeBuilder, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, Shimano Altus/Tourney 7spd, 46/30 chainrings with 12-32t, Shimano Sora 50/34 chainset with 12-32 cassette, Shimano Deore 44 tooth chainset with 11-46 cassette, Shimano SLX 44 tooth chainwheel with 11-46, Shimano Tourney 48/38/28T chainring with 12-32t, Ribble Alloy rack and SKS P45mm mudguards, Bike loan scheme that cost Scottish Government 145,000 received just four successful applicants, More women on bikes: how Liv advances women at the Tour, in the industry and beyond, difference between mountain bikes and hybrid bikes, clipless pedal systems and the best models reviewed, Exclusive interviews, fitness tips and product reviews, Try a single issue or save on a subscription, Issues delivered straight to your door or device, Hybrid bikes generally have tyres that are wider than those of a pure road bike, but narrower than mountain bike tyres. The external cable routing makes for easier maintenance, but might up the need for this, as it's more prone to contamination. If you're sticking mainly to the road, opt for the lower volume end. The 2x8 Shimano Acera/Tourney drivetrain with an 11-32 cassette and 46/30T chainrings allows for plenty of range to get you through that hilly commute, without sweating through your shirt. All three share the same lightweight aluminium frame, with the women's frame getting a subtle frame geometry tweak with a dropped top tube. For around 300, we reckon this bike from Carrera represents good value for money, and with mudguard and a pannier rack it's a versatile option. The Carrera Subway 1 is a good bike that will get you out rolling and enjoying the world on two wheels. With rack and mudguard mounts, it's a bike that's easy to weatherproof too. The Boardman Hyb 8.8 has a carbon fork paired with its alloy frame - the fork being a nice extra to improve comfort over an alloy or steel number. It's also possible to find cheaper bikes but if you want something with this unique mix of features, this is it. Made from the brand's ALUXX SLR aluminium, the ToughRoad also has a carbon fork to reduce weight and absorb some of the vibrations coming through the front end. The dropped chainstays at the rear promote a bit of flex at the seat cluster to take the edge off of square hits which combined the 32C tyres provide for a smooth rider there is room for 42C rubber should you want the full plush La-Z-Boy treatment. Offering a smooth level of assistance from the Ebikemotion system, coupled with decent range and a fully loaded spec the Ribble Hybrid AL e can handle the daily commute as well as anything. A hybrid bike, as per the definition of the word hybrid; "a thing made by combining two different elements" is a combination of road and mountain bikes. The tyres warrant a special mention, having proven their robustness over the course of commutes (and many more shards of glass). The width will vary, but it will generally be something between 28c and 42c. In the event that many of us never return to the office, its also a fantastic bar hopper and grocery getter. Some also offer money back guarantees after 30 days in case you change your mind. If you're riding more than a couple of miles then we highly recommend you invest in the best cycling shorts (opens in new tab) as getting a pair of padded cycling shorts will vastly improve your comfort in the saddle. The Orbea Vector 15 is off-the-shelf ready to roll, complete with front and rear mudguards, a rear pannier rack and front and rear dynamo lights. The 700x32mm Vee tyres seem fast enough on blacktop and have yet to puncture despite many trips down gravel paths. There's a specific women's model as well as the unisex Quick, giving you lots of size range.