With its environmentally friendly appeal, biking for pleasure, exercise and travelling is more popular than ever. It’s environmental, economical and easy! Gone are the days of cyclists coming exclusively in the form of Lance Armstrong. There are bikes designed with the casual cyclist in mind.
As the name would indicate, the primary goal of the comfort bike is comfort. The bike itself is more focused on the rider and less about the ride. With wider seats and a shock absorbing frame, the comfort bike is meant to be used on paved roads, loose gravel roads, not necessarily off road.
Before the proliferation of mountain bikes in the 1990′s, everyone rode road bikes. You k now the 10 Speeds bikes with skinny tires and curved handlebars. When mountain bikes stormed the scene, most people realized they would prefer the upright seating and thicker tires of a mountain bike. Now, mountain bikes are becoming more and more specialized and expensive. The casual cycler, weekend warrior, or mom and dad looking to bike with the kids have been overlooked by the market once again. Comfort Bikes have come to the rescue.
The comfort bike, was first known as the hybrid bike, as it combined the characteristics of mountain bikes and road or racing bikes. As hybrid technologies have moved in to the mainstream, this name became confusing. Most manufacturers have moved to calling these bikes, comfort bikes. They provide more comfort than mountain and road bikes with their upright seating and spring loaded saddles. They also go much faster than the old-school comfort bike, which has come to be called the cruiser bike. Cruiser bikes typically have a basket in front and are good for very leisurely bike rides. Comfort bikes can be ridden for speed.
There are typically 3 different levels of bikes depending on your experience and budget. Entry-level comfort bikes will be pretty heavy, with a steel frame designed for longevity, not performance. These bikes can last a few years with the right maintenance and are about the same quality of a low end mountain bike or road bike.
The mid-level comfort bike will have a lighter, aluminum frame designed with performance in mind. This level of comfort bike will also have some upgrades in regard to the components such as a decent front suspension for riding off-road. Most commuter bikes, city bikes and quality comfort bikes will be in this mid-level range. If you are looking to balance performance with durability and versatility, this mid-range is where you will find the right balance. These bikes are quality, durable and still lightweight for performance.
High end bikes are built for performance and can exceed ten thousand dollars in cost. These bikes are made of components built to win races or handle the world hardest trails. The frames are built of space age metals like titanium and carbon alloy. Casual bikers do not need a bike at this level and should stick to the mid range.
Mid range bikes are the ones most commonly seen in the marketplace today. Though all are designed with a specific type of ride in mind, a comfort bike is one of the most versatile. It will provide a comfortable ride on any terrain a casual biker can give it. So get out and enjoy your weekends on a brand new comfort bike.
PJ has been helping beginning riders find the right bike for years. She opened The Comfort Bike Shop to specialize in women’s comfort bikes and offer a place where beginners don’t need to feel intimidated. If you want a quality comfort bike with a warranty and low price promise, visit thecomfortbikeshop.com
Written by: Pat Shea
Submitted March 5th 2012 & consists of 612 words.
Located in our collection of cycling articles.
What is a comfort bike and why should I get one?
With its environmentally friendly appeal, biking for pleasure, exercise and travelling is more popular than ever. It’s environmental, economical and easy! Gone are the days of cyclists coming exclusively in the form of Lance Armstrong. There are bikes designed with the casual cyclist in mind.
As the name would indicate, the primary goal of the comfort bike is comfort. The bike itself is more focused on the rider and less about the ride. With wider seats and a shock absorbing frame, the comfort bike is meant to be used on paved roads, loose gravel roads, not necessarily off road.
Before the proliferation of mountain bikes in the 1990′s, everyone rode road bikes. You k now the 10 Speeds bikes with skinny tires and curved handlebars. When mountain bikes stormed the scene, most people realized they would prefer the upright seating and thicker tires of a mountain bike. Now, mountain bikes are becoming more and more specialized and expensive. The casual cycler, weekend warrior, or mom and dad looking to bike with the kids have been overlooked by the market once again. Comfort Bikes have come to the rescue.
The comfort bike, was first known as the hybrid bike, as it combined the characteristics of mountain bikes and road or racing bikes. As hybrid technologies have moved in to the mainstream, this name became confusing. Most manufacturers have moved to calling these bikes, comfort bikes. They provide more comfort than mountain and road bikes with their upright seating and spring loaded saddles. They also go much faster than the old-school comfort bike, which has come to be called the cruiser bike. Cruiser bikes typically have a basket in front and are good for very leisurely bike rides. Comfort bikes can be ridden for speed.
There are typically 3 different levels of bikes depending on your experience and budget. Entry-level comfort bikes will be pretty heavy, with a steel frame designed for longevity, not performance. These bikes can last a few years with the right maintenance and are about the same quality of a low end mountain bike or road bike.
The mid-level comfort bike will have a lighter, aluminum frame designed with performance in mind. This level of comfort bike will also have some upgrades in regard to the components such as a decent front suspension for riding off-road. Most commuter bikes, city bikes and quality comfort bikes will be in this mid-level range. If you are looking to balance performance with durability and versatility, this mid-range is where you will find the right balance. These bikes are quality, durable and still lightweight for performance.
High end bikes are built for performance and can exceed ten thousand dollars in cost. These bikes are made of components built to win races or handle the world hardest trails. The frames are built of space age metals like titanium and carbon alloy. Casual bikers do not need a bike at this level and should stick to the mid range.
Mid range bikes are the ones most commonly seen in the marketplace today. Though all are designed with a specific type of ride in mind, a comfort bike is one of the most versatile. It will provide a comfortable ride on any terrain a casual biker can give it. So get out and enjoy your weekends on a brand new comfort bike.
PJ has been helping beginning riders find the right bike for years. She opened The Comfort Bike Shop to specialize in women’s comfort bikes and offer a place where beginners don’t need to feel intimidated. If you want a quality comfort bike with a warranty and low price promise, visit thecomfortbikeshop.com
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