This guide answers the question “What is the best bicycle for city riding?” depending on why you need a bicycle! It covers pros & cons of all the bikes suitable for cycling in urban areas.
Getting a bicycle is one of the best things you can do for your health, wallet and the environment! Now it can be difficult to decide which bike to buy as there are so many options these days. The good news is that lots of bikes are great for cycling in urban areas, even some, which weren’t traditionally designed for this purpose.
So let’s go back to this question: “What is the best bicycle for city riding?” The answer is going to depend on
- How long you will cycle every day
- How often you will cycle every week
- Why will you use your bicycle: shopping, long rides, casual riding, exercise.
- Where will you cycle – paved or unpaved roads.
Knowing what you want will help you to choose the ideal bike for you. This guide presents all the best bikes for urban areas and their advantages/disadvantages. Depending on your needs, you may find these pros and cons unimportant, so make sure to think about what you want.
‘City’ bikes for comfortable casual urban cycling
Also called commuter or urban bikes, they are seen as the best bicycle for city riding. This kind of bikes has an upright riding position, large padded seat and big wheels for comfortable casual riding. . Some other common features of city bikes are fenders, chain guards or skirt guards. Contemporary ‘city’ bikes often have an internally-geared rear hub (low maintenance as you don’t need to clean the gears) and built-in lights, so you don’t need to get external lights. Some city bikes have medium to low gear range which is quite convenient to take some city hills.
City bikes often have a step-through frame. This frame design is often seen on “women bikes”, but it could feel more convenient and comfortable for you no matter your gender. Their comfortable position, ability to carry things and the step-through frame design often makes them the best women’s bike for city riding.
You can find different city bikes designs such as cruiser, dutch or flat foot bikes which all have some features and variations presenting some advantages. The flat foot bike is designed so you can fully touch the ground with your feet when you stop.
Good for
- Casual riding around the neighbourhood or bike paths
- Short-distance commuting
- Shopping, transporting things
- Using on Flat roads
- Style/ Look – city bikes often come nicely designed in a large range of colours.
Not so good for
- Long riding as they are usually heavier so require more effort
- Performance/ fast riding as the position is not designed for racing
- Off the road riding as the tires are generally thinner with less grip
Racing bike for fast commuting
Also called road bikes, they focus on performance and endurance on smooth pavement. They enable you to go fast and cycle long distance as they are usually lighter than other bikes. They have thin to skinny tires and drop handlebars so you can sit in a more efficient position for cycling.
While they are intended for racing, these bikes come in a lot of variations today even for off-road riding, so they are appropriate for city cycling. If you need to cycle long distances or want to use your cycling commute time for exercise, this kind will be the best bicycles for city riding.
Here are some variations of racing bikes:
- Flat bar road bikes (the handlebar is flat instead of curved on the sides)
- All-road bikes/ Cyclocross bikes (off-road and road)
- Touring bikes (better for commuter and can all to carry things)
- Fixies (Single gears)
Good for
- Fast commuting as usually lighter so it is set to go faster
- Exercising and performance riding on roads
Not so good for
- Carry things around, especially heavy items
- Casual riding as the position is not super comfortable.
Mountain bikes, what you need to know
Mountains bikes are usually not the best option if you are in an urban area (paved roads) where your off-road time will be limited. Some hybrid bikes that I present below do have some features of mountain bikes, so I just want to tell you a bit about them first.
They have flat or upright handlebars and a very low gear range for pedalling up steep trails. Most mountain bikes have some type of shock absorbers or suspension. One of the main characteristics of mountain bikes is that they have wide tyres with grips.
They aren’t usually suitable for city cycling as they are less efficient on pavement roads due to their weight and large tyres which require you to make an extra effort.
Hybrid commuter bike: the best of all urban bicycles?
Hybrid or commuter bikes are a great option if you want a bike that comes with features from several categories. These bikes were initially made to have the advantages of both road and mountain bikes, but today they also combine city bicycle features including a more upright position.
You can ride them on paved or unpaved roads due to their larger more grippy tyres than racing and city bicycles. They are not as light as racing bikes, but this allows you to transport heavy things with them. They are often more efficient than city bikes but less fast than racing bikes.
Good for
- Cycling on a variety of roads (paved and unpaved)
- Transporting things, going shopping
- Going for medium to long rides
Not so good for
- Racing or going fast
- Comfortable positioning as the position is less upright
- Style as they usually have a more sporty look than city bikes
E-bikes for relaxing with minimal effort city cycling
Electric bikes are equipped with a motor that you can manually activate when you need it. There are different types of motor and systems which all present advantages and disadvantages. They are quite useful if you live in a reasonably hilly or steep area or strip. Commuters appreciate them as they allow them to stay dry (no sweat!) since they require a more minimal effort.
They are relatively heavy so you will have to get used to this, if you’ve been using a traditional bicycle before, and they are usually more expensive than regular bikes.
Good for
- Cycling on a variety of roads (paved and unpaved) as they usually have larger tyres with more grip
- Transporting things, going shopping
- Going for medium to long rides
- Replacing your car
- Commuting and casual riding
Not so good for
- Low budget as these bikes are usually more expensive and they also require you to charge them which is an extra electricity cost
- Flat cities as they are heavier so not as easy to get around if you do not need them for hills
Folding bikes for convenient urban riding
They are by far one of the best bicycles for city riding as you can fold them and store them in small space. They do have a specific design with small wheels, so they feel different than a traditional bicycle, but this is something you can get used to.
Good for
- Casual cycling
- Transporting things, going shopping
- Small spaces storage
Not so good for
- Low budget as these bikes are usually more expensive
- Long riding
New to cycling in big cities?
Check out my 11 tips to be safe and confident!