Riding your bike to and from the office or the nearest coffee shop sounds easy enough at first. Do it for more than a week on a bike not suited for commuting purposes and those fantastic health benefits are going to be the last thing on your mind because you’re in so much pain. Whether you’ve been commuting for years or you’re thinking about starting, these are our favorite commuter bikes on the market today.
Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bike
Outside of maybe a Huffy BMX bike, there is no bike more synonymous with childhood one bearing the name Schwinn. For almost 125 years Schwinn has been one of the most prolific manufacturers of American bikes, and even though they’re a sub-brand of Pacific Cycle now they still make great bikes like the Discover Hybrid. The biggest selling point of this bike is obviously the price tag, but it’s incredibly well built (aluminum, city gram, Shimano rear derailleur) for a bike that costs less than $300. With a swept-back upright handlebar, padded saddle and 21-speeds this is the best commuter bike for beginners or people getting back into cycling after years away.$275
Brooklyn Bicycle Co. Bedford Single Speed Bike
Brooklyn Bicycle Co.’s Bedford is a lightweight, low-maintenance single speed with a durable steel frame and puncture resistant tires that make it perfect for the commute or a quick jaunt around town. The bike itself has a vintage style minimal aesthetic that we really dig, but it’s all the extra effort Brooklyn Bicycle Co. goes to for customers customers that permanently raises the bar. BBC arranges and pays for shipping and assembly to a local bike shop to insure the bike is setup properly. The brand’s founder even responds personally to the comments section on the website. When was the last time you got service like that?$399
Solé x CLSX The Flash Bike
We’ve been big fans of Solé ever since we had the opportunity to go hands-on with their City Cruiser, but we’re even more impressed with The Flash. Designed and built in partnership with LA lifestyle brand CLSX this bike takes the rock solid Solé geometry that we’ve come to know and love and combines it with a flip-flop hub for fixed/single speed riding and a reflective frame and fork that gets completely illuminated whenever light shines on it. It’s a solid security feature to be sure, but it’s also incredibly cool especially when set against the white wheels and red saddle/bars. It’s a gallery quality ride that you can pick up at local art show prices.$475
State Bicycle Co. x The Simpsons Bike
4130 grade Chromoly steel. Solid geometry and stance. Flip-flop hub for converting between fixed and single speed riding. 40mm deep-v style wheels. 6 different frame sizes to accommodate almost everyone. 4 different handlebar styles. Like the State Bicycle Co. Core-Line model this bike is based on, it’s a dependable and durable daily ride. But the coolest part of this bike is the color-blocking throughout designed to represent the famous first family of TV, The Simpsons. We never thought we’d get to a point in our lives where we’d be drooling over a branded bike from The Simpsons, but this bike gets us every time we see it.$499
Jamis Coda Sport Bike
The Jamis Coda Sport is a lightweight and durable chrome-moly steel bike with a patented ATS steering system, long cage ATB rear derailleurs and Shimano hardware to make it one of the quickest, most advanced and hardest riding bikes on the market. And no, we’re not just saying that because we’ve clocked more than 100 miles and fifty flights of stairs a week since we owned one. Part daily driver and part city hybrid, this bike will tackle just about anything you can ride it over while still picking up compliments at the bike rack and not requiring an insurance policy.$529
Sondors Thin 7 Electric Bike
Tech aficionados the world over agree that the future of transportation is electric vehicles, and when that technology is combined with traditional bike hardware we’re inclined to agree. The problem with electric bikes has always been the price point. That’s not as much of an issue with the Sondors Thin 7 Electric Bike. It’s not the cheapest bike on the market, or on this list, but it is one of the most affordable ebikes you can get right now. With a top speed of 20 mph and a range of up to 50 miles with pedal assist it’s not exactly what we could consider a survival bike, but it will get you to and from work without sweating so much you need to change clothes when you get there.$599
Trek Zektor SSB Bike
No list of bikes would be complete without at least one entry from iconic bicycle manufacturer Trek, and it wouldn’t be a proper Trek bike if it wasn’t decked out with upgrades. The Trek Zektor SSB has all our favorites. High-performance lightweight aluminum frame. T.A.B. belt drive instead of a chain. Disc brakes for all-weather stopping. Toe clips for better riding. Blendr equipped (Trek’s system for easy mounting of gadgets on the stem/bars) and DuoTrap S compatible (Trek’s smart speed and cadence sensor). They also have one of the best warranties in the business, so this is an investment piece you’ll be riding to and from your next few jobs.$800
Cannondale Bad Boy 1
The Cannondale Bad Boy 1 is incredibly pricey unless you’re used to spending thousands of dollars on a bicycle, but that price tag comes with performance features and accolades ranging from “perfect” to “best bike on the market.” It’s no joke when people say that this bike has everything: rear hub, disc brakes, micro-suspension technology to reduce vibration and shock, belt-drive, integrated lights, Lefty forks, one-piece integrated construction (to eliminate pieces and complexity) and some slick geometry that makes it ride a little more upright while still being incredibly fast and nimble. If price is no object and you don’t mind pedaling, this is the best commuter bike out there.$1,840
