Great for leisurely town and country riding

'Hybrids' - Comfort Oriented

The term 'hybrid' is a lazy term that has lost all specificity - but unfortunately, it seems to have stuck. It originated in the late eighties to describe a cross between a tradtional utility type road bike and the newer mountain style bike. Generally it applied to bikes that had larger diameter (700c) wheels with medium width tyres suitable for road riding; but that also came equipped with the massive range of gears found on mountain bikes. Such has been the proliferation of bike styles in recent years that the term now serves little purpose. These days one is tempted to ask 'hybrid' of what, as you can buy a cross between all manner of traditional types, with all manner of gears, wheel and tyre sizes. When we rebuilt this site, we pondered long and hard on this one, but eventually settled on a simple distinction between based on riding position: 'Comfort Oriented' and 'Sporty.' Featured here comfort oriented hybrids, but to get a better idea it's probably best to search according to your intended use, or to look at the various brands to see what they class as a hybrid - some will span all of these categories!

Hybrid Types: Comfort / Trekking

Comfort hybrids are basically a cross between traditional short distance upright town bikes and touring bikes designed for long distances. Some designs share a similar geometry to the classic touring bike, and all of them have a much more upright riding position than a touring bike with swept back comfort bars (most Gazelles), multi position 'butterfly 'bars (Gazelle Fuente Pure) or simple 'riser' bars (Ridgeback Speed). Most of the models that we sell feature fully adjustable handlebar stems - both for reach and height - which makes it much easier to achieve the perfect fit. Although some are unequipped, most have the equipment that you would require of a day to day town bike, such as mudguards, racks, and often a lot more, but with the crucial difference of derailleur gears. Derailleur gears make these bikes lighter than city bikes and effectively extend their range, making them better able to cope with the more varied gradients and terrain which you are likely to encounter on longer day rides. Comfort hybrids are basically road bikes, so although they can be ridden gently off road, on smoother bridleways and cyclepaths, they are not as agile off road as sports hybrids. If you want a bike for transport, but also want to go on leisurely excursions into the country or for longer trips, then a comfort hybrid is ideal. Note that some brands use the term 'trekking' for this type, no doubt to make them sound more rugged and sexy, but we're not bothered about that - they are what they are - comfy and versatile.

Key Features

Practical and heavy duty
Generally upright riding position
Usually equipped
Derailleur gears
Good for day to day and recreational riding

Brands to consider

Gazelle, Ridgeback and Cannondale

Alternatives

If you fancy something lighter and more versatile - Hybrids: Sporty
If you fancy something more practical - Town Bikes

Adventure Prima
Adventure
Hybrids: Comfort
£229.99

The Adventure Prima is a great value entry level women's hybrid, suitable for light recreational use. It's equipped with six speed gears, a rack, mudguards and chainguard....