What is a comfort bike and why should I get one?

Are you getting ready to hit the trails this summer but need your bike to perform well on the pavement also? Do you enjoy riding on trails but wouldn't categorize yourself as an extreme mountain biker? If you are looking for the best of both worlds, its time to consider a comfort bike.

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.

During the nineteen nineties mountain bikes exploded out of the margins and into the American mainstream. No one wanted to ride a road bike anymore, they came to dislike the curved handlebars, skinny tires and bad suspension. Those bikes were built for speed but most riders weren't racers. They enjoyed the feel of the mountain bikes but didn't want to spend the big money often associated with these specialized bikes. Hybrid bikes, a combination of road and mountain bike was created to fill this niche.

Hybrid bikes became popular pretty quickly but the term hybrid became a bit confusing. With the recent price of gas many people have turned there bikes into bikes with an engine and the term hybrid has become connected to the auto industry. Manufacturers of the bikes realized the confusion and wanted to help consumers recognize the value of this budding bike style. They came to call the bikes, comfort bike to highlight the comfortable position and soft suspension. The older generation comfort bike, with curved handlebars and chain guards came to be known as the cruiser bike and a new breed of comfort bike was born.

You can find all these different types of bikes in three different levels. The entry level bikes are made of steel frames and heavy components. They are made to last but don't typically perform very well. For a good combination of durability and performance a casual biker should look to the mid range.

Mid range bikes have better components and lighter frames. These frames are usually made from aluminium or alloy and can give you speed as well as comfort. The comfort comes from the quality suspension, softer seat and upright riding position. Bikes in this range are perfect for most recreational cyclers.

The high end bike is truly high end. Prices can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. They are built to tackle the earths toughest terrain or win the world most famous races. This of bike isn't really necessary unless you are a professional or hard core biking enthusiast.

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.