67RS427

Hello everyone, I hope you are all staying healthy... I need some help picking out a new bike, my first in many many years. I'm looking for a nice bike that will last me years to come but right now just need something recreational to roll around with my kids (5/9yr) that are just learning. Mostly flat terrain, no crazy trails or anything, just neighborhoods and paved sidewalks. We do have crappy roads here in Michigan though. My biggest concern is a comfortable ride since I have a previous back and neck injury (4 spine surgeries). Originally I wanted a 3 speed cruiser but I do NOT want a coaster brake. I'm willing to spend $500-$700 on something nice.

Here is what I'm looking at... Unfortunately all of my LBS are closed currently due to the virus so I can't try any of them out. Any input on which of these will be a nicer ride? I'm considering a few step through bikes to make it easier on my back to get on and off and a suspension saddle would be nice. I'm male, 35, 5'7.5" and 160lbs, my inseam is only 28-29".

Specialized Crossroads 3.0 Step Through ($720 plus a $80 rebate) Size Medium
https://www.ctbicycles.com/product/s...h-368825-1.htm

Giant Cypress DX ($550) Size Small
https://www.ddbicyclesandhockey.com/product/giant-cypress-dx-367282-1.htm

Giant Sedona DX ($600) Size Small
https://www.ddbicyclesandhockey.com/product/giant-sedona-dx-367074-1.htm

Giant Sedona DX Disc ($550 2019?) Size Small
https://www.ddbicyclesandhockey.com/product/giant-sedona-dx-disc-343007-1.htm

Jamis Citizen 3 Step-Thru ($569) Size Medium
https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/citizen3femme.html

Trek Verve 2 Disc Low Step ($649) Size Medium - *I wanted the Verve 3 Disc but not available near me
https://www.assenmachers.com/product/trek-verve-2-disc-lowstep-359418-1.htm

I know these are all great bikes and will last for years to come but anyone have any input on these at all? For now, just cruising around with the kids but who knows, I might end up going for longer rides by myself occasionally. Comfort is my main priority. Any thoughts/input is much appreciated! Thanks!!!

katsup

What is your idea of a long ride? 10mi, 50mi? Comfort bike like the ones mentioned tend to not to be comfortable after about 15-20mi.

I'd drop the Giants and Jamis due to them having cheap front suspension forks. Between the Verve and Crossroads, I'd vote the Crossroads due to it having a threadless stem and slightly better components.

67RS427

Thanks for the reply and input. As for length of rides at some point in the future I’d say they would definitely be on the short side, more like 10 miles max.

MRT2

I am not a fan of any of the bikes on your short list, so it might just be my personal bias, so keep that in mind. What IDK is, how far forward can you comfortably lean with your back problems. The reason I say that is, these so called comfort bikes are really only comfortable for fairly short rides, like maybe 5 miles or less. You sit upright, which actually transmits more impact through the spine. And you sit upright catching air like a big sail, which limits you to a very leisurely pace. Now, this is fine if you are riding around the neighborhood with a 5 year old old child who is just learning to ride. But at a certain point, your children will get faster and my question to you is, don't you want to be able to keep pace with your own children? Because if you do, I would suggest going a tad sportier and getting a fitness bike such as the Giant Escape, Trek FX, Specialized Sirrus, or Jamis Coda, for example.

jskash

With you back issues, are you more comfortable leaning slightly forward or more upright. The Cypress is more pretty upright. It was my first bike after years of not riding. After a few years, I purchased a Giant Escape. I am much more comfortable on the Escape now than the Cypress. as the geometry of the Escape allows me to bend more forward. I too have back problems, spinal stenosis. The Escape is perfect for my condition. Even when I could hardly walk I could comfortable ride my bike.

67RS427

As I mentioned, I don't really see myself going on long 10+ mile trips... I'd be surprised if I were to ever do a 5 mile ride. Who knows, I could be wrong but for now I'm just casually cruising around.The bikes I listed above are capable of 25-30+ mph so I don't see how keeping up with the kids will be a problem but I appreciate the insight. My issue with some of the bikes you listed it that they don't have a seat post spring or suspension and worry that could be rough on my back.

* I have considered the FX2 but thought the Verve was a more comfortable ride

I am able to lean forward, I just don't really know what will be more comfortable for me until I actually try it for a prolonged period of time. Short rides though as I mentioned above.

257 roberts

I can recommend the Jamis Coda....lot of bike for the money

MRT2

1. If you can cruise at 30 mph on a comfort bike, you should consider turning pro. Seriously. I would say more realistically, you will be crusing at more like 10 mph on a comfort bike. Maybe 12, but probably not much faster than that. Sitting bolt upright is just not a very efficient, either aerodynamically or biomechanically. I bought my wife a comfort bike when my son was little so she could cruise around the neighborhood with him. A year or two later when he was maybe 7, she pretty much hung up her comfort bike and went back to her old touring bike because she could not keep up with my son anymore on the comfort bike.
2. Suspension seat posts are a crutch to fix a problem that doesn't exist as much on bikes where you lean forward a little. Namely, transmitting shocks from the road right up into your spine. If you ride correctly, your body is kind of relaxed as you move and you more or less "float" over bumps. The second thing is, like suspension forks, suspension seatposts decrease the efficiency of your pedaling. How? Instead of the saddle firmly supporting your legs, you are bobbing up and down as you pedal, which is both inefficient and annoying.
You asked for advice, and this is my advice. You can do short rides on something like a Giant Escape or Jamis Coda just as easily as you can on a comfort bike. The difference is, if you want to do even just a little bit more,a fitness bike is a way better tool than a comfort bike is.

MRT2

I am familiar. My wife rides a Jamis road bike and my previous favorite bike shop was a Jamis dealer. If you want a hybrid with a steel frame, it is pretty much the one to get.

DeadGrandpa

I don't know.
Probably the wrong answer, but get a carbon Jamis (under promised, over delivered) Adventure or gravel bike, and ride the hell out of it to alleviate the guilt you have from spending that much money on a bike. Don't limit your bike choice to what you can ride with your kids. Challenge your kids to keep up with you. Change your perspective about ride length. I am just getting warmed up at the 8-10 mile mark. But I'm 67, so it takes me a little longer to get there. A 40 mile ride is a good short ride after you have been riding for 6-8 weeks. It's 90% mental, half of the time.

hokiefyd 

Consider also a Specialized Roll. It'll offer a much more upright ride than something like a Sirrus (staying in the Specialized brand).

With rides the length that you're talking (under 10 miles), I recommend you listen to your body on test rides, and not buy a bike you might use some day but buy the bike that fits your needs today. If you find a more upright position more comfortable, you're more likely to ride, and ride more often. If you're limited to shorter rides due to comfort, time, local riding environment, etc., then it's probably unlikely that you'll be doing significantly longer rides. If you begin to do that some day, then maybe you'll want to buy a bike in the future that will suit longer rides. But if you're not comfortable on something like that today, the odds are against you working up to longer distances over time (and possibly even against you riding at all), especially if you have other external factors that limit the distances you can or want to ride.

67RS427

While I appreciate your response and suggestion, it's just not realistic with my family... As I mentioned I've had 4 spine surgeries and still have a neck injury. I'm not looking for an exercise bike so I can go 40mph. I have a 1,000hp truck I drive when I wanna go fast lol. My 9yr old daughter also has cerebral palsy and is just now learning to ride. She tires easily so these long 5+ mile rides just won't be happening. Just looking to cruise around comfortably with my family.

*Most of the Jamis Adventure bikes are $800-$3,000... Not really what I'm looking for

I wish I could test ride some bikes but as you know because the Coronavirus, all the local shops are closed to the public. I wish someone could reply that actually had first hand experience with some of the bikes I'm talking about or have a suggestion that might fit my needs. I'll look into all the bikes you all have suggested but would love to get some more opinions here. Any more thoughts? Downsides to the "hybrid" bikes I listed besides that they are slow and won't keep up with my little kids single speed bikes lol?

Thank you all again, feedback is much appreciated!

*I'm curious why the Roll or Roll Sport would be better than a Crossroads 3.0?

katsup

I didn't mention it in my first post, but I purchased a used 2015 Trek Verve 3 (with front suspension and seat post) when I first started cycling, since it is what I thought I wanted. Rode it for a few weeks, mostly being used for 5mi (one way) commute, but longest ride was about 20 miles. I definitely felt the speed penality / limitation of the comfort geometry. I found a used Specialized Sirrus (fitness hybrid) and liked it much more, even though it was 1 size too small. The sirrus was replaced with a correct size Trek FX 7.2 when I found one used. The Verve went to my then late 50's dad, but when I got into vintage bikes, I let decide between both the FX and Verve as I was going to sell one. He liked the FX much more for the less than 5mi rides he does. We both have no major back issues and he still has the FX.

When the shops open back up, try to take a fitness and comfort hybrid on a 5 mile test ride each. If I was buying a new hybrid today, I'd look at a Jamis Coda, but the sport or better.
https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/codaseries.html

67RS427

I think for me a 5 mile ride would be really long and very very rare... I wish I could wait until the shops open back up but that will be 2 weeks minimum, most likely longer unfortunately. I'd rather not wait a month to get a new bike...

hokiefyd 

I think many of us probably do have first-hand knowledge with some or many of those bikes. I've had a Verve before, and I've ridden a Roll. I also own a Giant Roam and have extensive experience with a Trek DS. These are also bikes that may appeal to you.

The "problem" so to speak with bike recommendations is the fit is SO personal. It's not unlike different types of cars, where someone may say, "you just gotta try this new low-slung sports car; it's the best!" But you're used to driving a more upright SUV and prefer the comfort of that. The low-slung sports car may be great fun for some, and painful for others. There's truly no way to predict what any one person will or won't like in a bike. Heck, it's hard enough to predict what we ourselves will like in a bike! I bought a new Giant ARX bike two years ago, thinking that was the one bike for me, but I returned it within a week because it just wasn't comfortable for me.

Bikes are commodity items, and all the components are generally similar. It's not like cars, where you might buy a Ford because you like Ford engines, or you might buy a BMW because you like BMW's suspension tuning. Bikes are...just bikes. The components will all be Shimano or SRAM (with a few exceptions), will all be at about the same "level" within those product lines at a given price point, and reliability is generally good-to-excellent. The major differences between brands and models is not in product reviews or what components are best, but in how the bike fits you and fits your needs.

Both are fine bikes. I don't think a Roll would be better than a Crossroads; it's simply another option in the Specialized family for you to consider. The primary difference is the Crossroads uses 38mm tires on 622mm wheels (often called 700c), and the Roll uses 58mm tires on 584mm wheels (often called 650b, or 27.5"). In other words, the Roll's tires are the same overall diameter as the Crossroads' tires, but the wheel itself is smaller, meaning the tire sidewall/volume is higher. All else being equal, you may find this to be more comfortable as you can run the pressures lower with out pinch-flatting. As your trips are on the short side, you probably don't have to worry too much about rolling resistance factors, because you're not doing 20, 30, 40 miles at a time.

Another option to consider is looking at the used market. That will limit your financial risk now, when you can't test ride bikes at a local shop. Buy something used to get on the road and get pedaling, and see what you like. We can offer suggestions on what to look for in a used bike if you are interested in that approach.

67RS427

Totally understandable, unfortunately there isn’t much used around me right now that I’ve been able to find.

uriwvu

I have a Verve 3 that I purchased in early January, and I absolutely love it. For me the best thing with a Verve is that it's so comfortable and easy to ride that it motivates me to ride it every day I can (668 miles since Jan 8 purchase). I am 57, and in pretty good shape, and I originally purchased a Marin DS last summer. The adjustable front shock on the DS was overkill for what I was doing, 90% paved roads, 10% hard packed, and gravel trails, all of which the Verve handle with ease. As such I sold the Marin and looked for something that better fit for my type of riding (comfort, versatility, and fitness). I also tested the Specialized Roll, and it was nice but for me almost too relaxed or laid back. Most of my rides on the Verve are 45 - 90 minutes in duration and vary between 8-15 miles in distance (ave speed roughly 10-11 mph). For me, I've found the Verve to be an incredibly comfortable ride that meet all my fitness needs. Good luck with your search.

67RS427

Thanks for the input! I appreciate it... Seems most people browsing the Hybrid threads just want to talk people into something totally different from what they want/need. After talking to a local bike shop that sells Trek, they suggested I look at the Townie Path 9D which is made by the same company. I think I will be making my purchase on Friday.

From my local shop:
"The Verve and the Townie both fall into the comfort category and both are after the same type of rider: someone who prioritizes comfort over efficiency; however, they go about it in a different way.

The Verve maintains a shorter wheelbase than the Electra which makes it a little more "sporty." Your feet are also positioned more directly beneath which allows for better power delivery to the pedals. This makes the Verve more efficient and a little more reactive to rider inputs.

The Electra has a very long wheelbase and a larger saddle. The stretched frame also allows for your feet to land flatly on the ground with the saddle at the correct height (the Verve will just be your toes.) The Electra is more comfortable and rides akin to a 1970's Cadillac.

If you prioritize comfort above all else: pick the Electra
If you still want a responsive bike: pick the Verve

As for componentry ; they have largely the same parts so no difference there.
Trek and Electra are the same company so no difference there either."

Easy for me to understand and seems like the Electra will be the best choice for me at this time. Comfort is #1 for me so it makes the choice easy... I'd much rather be able to have my feet flat at a stop and maybe have to work a little harder to get the speed to keep up with the kids down the road. If in a few years my kids are moving much faster than I can keep up then I'll consider a sportier bike but until then I think both the Verve and Electra will do everything I need. Thank you all for the replies, I will keep you all posted on what I decide.

uriwvu

Very good explanation by your LBS, and I agree that the Verve is a bit more "responsive" and "sporty" as compared to the Electra Townie. Though I didn't check out the Townie, the style and geometry remind me of the Specialized Roll. As such, my comments about the Roll (a bit too relaxed/laid back for me) mirror his comments on the Townie. Bottom Line: you need to get the bike that best fits your comfort level and riding style/goals. Good luck with the Townie!

hokiefyd 

Yes, keep us updated with what you get. Many happy miles ahead I hope...!

MRT2

This is an enthusiast sight. I participate in enthusiast discussion forums for everything from bikes, to watches, to shoes, to knives, and at every one of them, there is a tendency to want to share our passion for the things we do.

The truth is, for occasional rides of less than 5 miles at slow speeds, the differences between similar priced products is very small. My advice was to consider something that might work if you got the cycling bug even a little. But if you know yourself, then just buy whatever you can afford, from a shop that has a good reputation and be done with it. It will be fine. We still have my wife's Trek comfort bike 14 or 15 years out from when we bought it and aside from occasionally cleaning and lubing the chain, the bike is fine. Even the tires are original since we never put more than 100 miles on it a year, and some years, quite a bit less.

Hybrid Cannon

Hello, I was also looking for a very comfortable hybrid bike. Road about six different bicycles. Trek, specialized, Bianchi just to name a few. Went with the Cannondale Adventure one. It was most comfortable bike I could find. Check it out

delacrue96

+1 for the Trek. We have three treks in the family, 2003 women's trek 7200 15 inch and two trek DS2s large.

Wanderer

What area are you in? Might be someone on here who could help you directly.

InvertedMP 

Spend a bit more and order a Canyon Roadlite. Way more bike for the money than any of those listed, they are fantastic bikes with great quality, and will be comfortable as they are a city/commuter type of bike with a quality group set.