Help with first Commuter/Comfort bike?
 

Thanks in advance for reading.

I have just moved to Miami Beach from NYC and am looking for a comfortable hybrid/commuter bike to get around town and occasionally ride on non-perfect roads (with some dirt but nothing extreme).

Comfort is key here so would love some suspension, definitely a good upright position (although would love to be able to move handlebars up/down) and maybe hybrid style tires that can handle a little bit of dirt?

I am overwhelmed by how many options there are out there. My local store recommended the Cannondale Adventure?.

The budget can go to 1k but ideally under 750.

Any recommendations or advice here is greatly appreciated!

(for reference I am a male, 5'10" and 175 lbs)

How far so you think you will be riding?

Comfort bikes often end up being a lot of work to move around even compared to a more fitness oriented hybrid. They work fine for some but you mention commuting and this may be counter productive.

You often don't get anything out of suspension riding on the road or even gravel except for added weight, and extra slowness which can be disheartening.

Larger balloon tires or really anything over say 30mm can be really comfortable and don't stick nearly as much energy as a suspension fork and can roll pretty woodland as well.

Id suggest trying something like the Treadwell or quick bikes as well. They may have a line of city bikes without suspension which check the boxes as well.

Bottom line give a handful of hybrids of different styles a good test ride. Do yourself a favor and stand up if you are going to hit a pothole. Beware suspension and extra cushy seats.

Yeah, comfort is a myth! :rolleyes:

I noticed you've been on this site for 13 years - or at least you were here before 13 years ago. Welcome back!

Every major brand has bikes like the one you posted and none of them are very different from one another. I would also ask about your ride and not dismiss your desires out of hand.

Sorry, typing while putting kids to bed...

I'm assuming you are an average person, of average health, unless otherwise stated.

Anyway, I'm not saying not to try the Adventure, but I am saying try something else too. It's that there isn't a place for more comfortable bikes, I had a Huffy that rode like a cadillac. It was tough to push around, It was a piece of garbage but it was still fun, and great for short hops here and there.

On the front suspension, you will find that on a more upright bike, most of your weight is over the rear wheel, so there isn't a lot of force there to soften, they bike may run with a very soft suspension to make up for it and this will suck energy if you are trying to pick up the pace a bit. Usually larger volume, lower pressure tires do an excellent job smoothing out the smaller bumps of day to day riding, including things like sidewalk seams, cracks in the road etc. Front suspensions are also heavy and more expensive than a non-suspension alternative, so other parts of the bike will supper for a fixed cost.

On the seat topic, you didn't mention it, but big squishy seats can restrict blood flow, especially if poorly fit. There is some wiggle room here, but I'd suggest sticking with the seat for a little while before considering changing it. Or the saddle that comes with the bike may be immediately painful, in which case you should look at something else.

I'm assuming you like the Cannondale shop, Looking around, I'd check out the Treadwell series. Its upright, has large volume tires, you get disk brakes, and somewhat adjustable handle bars. You could try a quick too, but this a bit more flat bar road bike but I do like this category a lot.

If you have a Trek store around, check out the Verve (an upright hybrid) , loft and townie lines. Note that Trek doesn't offer any comfort bikes with suspension forks. There is the FX line as well but that more of a flat bar road bike type thing. If you try a quick and don't like it you probably wont like the fx either.

Understood and thanks for the info.
I will absolutely look outside of the comfort category. The more I look the more I think I want something that has comfort in mind but isn't all about comfort.
Maybe something that is lighter and a bit more nimble...would be a better fit.

Assuming I pass on the suspension pr your advice and rely more on the tire for comfort and getting over cracks, rocks, etc...what size tire/width should I be looking for?

Going to stop in a few stores tomorrow and will look out for the Treadwell and Verve.

Side note...is it possible to get the above style bike in an e-bike that can be ridden easily with no power as well, and stay under say 1200?

On a bicycle, the rider is both engine, operator, cargo, and part of the suspension.
The biggest thing you can do for comfort is to keep yourself engaged in the ride. Anticipate the bumps. Transfer weight from butt to legs and arms. Keep a slight bend in knees and elbows. Help the bike move beneath you before settling back down.
Somewhat squishy tires will help.
With pliable sidewalls, rolling resistance doesn’t go up much.
I do use a short travel suspension seat post on some rides.
It helps in group rides, where proximity to to other riders and an obscured view of the road makes it difficult to avoid bumps.
It also helps in long rides, where fatigue may prevent me from ”going light” for each and every bump.

Thank you for your replies.
Went to a couple of stores today in Miami and tehre is little to no stock at any of these stores. Apparently demand is off the charts which is compounded by limited supply from China.
I did try a Trek Verve 2 which I liked lot. It just felt good.

Is this is a good choice for me and is it worthwhile getting the "2" over the "1"?

The only other option I appear to have in my area is the Cannondale Adventure, whihc I have yet to try.

Remember it's not a house, it's just a bike. It won't wipe you out to change your mind and get something else later

Or adding onto your collection.

Mine is a specialized exhibition . . .
 

. . . not the vintage. I got it over 10 years ago and didn't ride it much. After a riding a beach cruiser and discovering it help my knee I decided to brush it off and ride it again.

I have all kinds of problems from past injuries and can either ride comfortably or not at all. I made a few tweaks, like pedals and extenders but I can finally ride comfortably. It's been fun being back in the saddle. I rode 16 miles today. My main reason was to not let my lower body dwindle away, I never intended to go much more over 5 miles a day.

It actually isn't as heavy as it looks, I'm unsure of the weight, the frame is aluminum. Probably not what you are looking for but I had fun riding today and just wanted to post a pic.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bd05db1401.jpg