Fender, rack, and kickstand mounts make it easy to customize the bike to your commuting needs. It handles well at paces above 16mph so you can keep up with the group ride, but it has everything you need to tackle an uneven urban commute, like a flat bar, burly 35mm tires, and a 3x8-speed Shimano Acera triple chainset ready to race to the top of San Francisco-sized hills-plus Tektro hydraulic disc brakes for stopping on a dime on the way down. Like all of our favorite hybrids, the Fairfax 2-the mid-level option-is also versatile as heck. MarinвЂ™s Fairfax line has long been an in-house favorite for its smooth-riding comfort and use of reliable parts at a cost far below similarly specвЂ™d bikes.

Third chainring can make shifting less precise.

Ultimately, all those thoughtfully planned extras add up to a serious bargain for a bike thatвЂ™s equally practical and a joy to ride.ДЇrame: Aluminum | Fork: Aluminum | Weight: Not listed | Components: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano/Microshift drivetrain | Gearing:48/38/28, Shimano Acera 3x8 speed drivetrain | Other Features: Fender and rack mounts, internal cable routing, kickstand mount At $1,299, the Continuum Onyx isnвЂ™t the cheapest commuter rig out there, but itвЂ™s a high-quality machine for the price, largely due to the brandвЂ™s direct-to-consumer model. The Tektro hydraulic disc brakes make it easy to stop quickly in all weather conditions, and the Enviolo CVT twist shifters provide smooth, progressive shifting from one resistance level to the next. In keeping with that reputation, this sleek, efficient model has a Gates Carbon belt drive that wonвЂ™t stretch or rust, flat-resistant 700x32mm WTB tires with reflective sidewalls, and front and rear dynamo-powered lights, so you never have to worry about charging yours before your early morning commute. Priority is known for making high-quality city bikes that are a cinch to maintain for year-round riding.

At the higher end of the commuter-bike price spectrum.

LOW-MAINTENANCE DREAM- Priority Continuum OnyxДЇrame: Aluminum | Fork: Aluminum | Weight: Not listed | Components: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, Gates belt drive | Gearing: 50t Gates CDN, 24t Gates CDX progressive shifting | Other Features: Dynamo-powered lights, internal gear routing, kickstand Most of the bikes on our list are in stock right now, so donвЂ™t waste time ordering.

Because some of our top picks are no longer in stock, we also included a few that we didnвЂ™t test but still recommend based on our experience with similar bikes in the same range. I used my own experiences to inform this list, as well as the work of BicyclingвЂ™s team of expert bike testers, who spent weeks on many of these models-commuting on them, taking them out on long bike path cruises, and using them to join fun group rides-to suss out the best (and least desirable) qualities. Anticipating these queries, IвЂ™ve made a big effort to test as many hybrids and city bikes as I can-not only because theyвЂ™re great for commuting, fitness, and fun, but also because these are the kinds of bikes that my non-bike-geeky friends and family are most interested in buying. ItвЂ™s a great, low-maintenance option if you can afford it, though it adds a small amount of weight.ДЄs a former bike messenger, bike tour leader, and writer for bike publications, IвЂ™ve been asked to recommend a lot of bikes over the years. A belt drive is also easy to use (one shifter controls everything) and, perhaps best of all, lets you change gears while sitting still at a stop light.

ItвЂ™s incredibly reliable and very clean, says Andrew Lumpkin, CEO of Spot Bikes. Belt Drives and Internally Geared HubsДЄ belt drive (which takes the place of a chain) with an internally geared hub (where all the gearing is packaged inside the rear hubвЂ™s shell and sealed from the elements) requires less maintenance than a traditional chain-and-derailleur drivetrain. A single-ring option simplifies shifting and cuts down on maintenance but may not have the range you need for climbing. Bikes with three front chainrings typically cost less, but the third ring can make shifting less precise. Having more gears in the back allows you to fine-tune your shifting so you can keep a steady cadence, no matter the terrain.

Most fitness bikes come with two chainrings in the front and between nine and 11 cogs in the rear. Some lower-cost bikes may come with cable-actuated disc brakes, a cheaper alternative thatвЂ™s not quite as powerful or as low maintenance as a fully hydraulic disc-brake system but that delivers similar all-weather performance and reliability.

Fuji bikes hybrid