In town or in the countryside, for daily or occasional use, a short journey or long walks: the perfect bike does not exist, it all depends on what you use it for. But there are still a few characteristics to take into account before making a decision.
YouTube conditions the playback of its videos on the deposit of trackers to better target advertising according to your browsing. By clicking on “Authorize” the trackers will be deposited and you will be able to view the video.
Short and urban journey
You are looking for a bike that you will use occasionally in town, for trips of 3 to 5 km. Go as simple as possible: a steel frame, six rear cogs and a single chainring, no suspension and studless tires. You need a cover on the platform so as not to grease your pants, mudguards and a pannier rack, or even a basket at the front. Choose a very upright position, suitable for frequent stops and constant monitoring of the cars around you. If the saddle and wheels of the model you are interested in are equipped with quick releases, ask your dealer to replace them with old-fashioned bolts, which will discourage thieves. On the brake side, traditional systems with calipers and pads are more than sufficient, but you can also be tempted by drum brakes, which are not very sensitive to rain. Coming from mountain bike racing, disc brakes are starting to become common on city bikes. They do not necessarily brake better than traditional calipers. Avoid cable disc brakes if possible, they are less powerful and less precise than hydraulic disc brakes.
Budget: you will find bikes in supermarkets starting from €150. At this price, no miracle, the finish is low-end (plastic brake handles, screws that rust, etc.), but these bikes are generally robust.
Walks on roads and paths
Your bike is intended for trips in the countryside of 15 to 50 km, on secondary roads, cycle paths, towpaths, forest roads, etc. Go for a real 18-speed VTC with a forward-leaning position. On long journeys, it is by far the most comfortable. It saves your strength in headwinds and distributes your weight in a more balanced manner. The very upright position, which seems so convenient on a short journey, tires the back a lot after around ten kilometers. A very simple guideline: your handlebars should not be higher than your saddle. Ideally, it should be a few centimeters lower. The same goes for the saddle. Models for the city, wide and well padded, are not suitable for long journeys. The thin models that look like torture devices are in fact more comfortable as soon as you exceed twenty kilometers. Choose quick releases for your wheels, they are more convenient in the event of a puncture (consider the repair kit). You need studded tires, but avoid huge, deeply treaded tires, they have very poor performance on the road. Useful accessories: the bottle cage but also the luggage rack, which will save you from taking a backpack, which is uncomfortable when cycling. Weight is obviously an important criterion. Do not go beyond 13 kg. On the suspension side, manufacturers compete in imagination. In fact, just one on the front fork is enough. Check that you can deactivate it (usually with a small button on the top), as suspension forks are very tiring on long climbs. You may see bikes in stores with strange shapes and odd frames. We have not tested them, but regular users overwhelmingly choose the classic triangular frame.
Budget: below €250, you take risks. The quality of the bearings and the frame will not necessarily be there and the ride can become painful. Especially if you don’t ride often and your physical condition needs to improve… You will easily keep your bike for around ten years, even without taking particular care of it. Investing €400 is not a bad calculation. Provided you choose it carefully, of course.
A bike for every day
Commuting from home to work even on rainy days, city walks, trips to the countryside, your bike is a daily companion. Give yourself a budget of at least €350 and a maximum weight not to exceed (15 kg). Forget suspensions, knobby tires and disc brakes, turn to an urban model. Don’t choose it too big. Adjusted to your dimensions (i.e. with the tips of your toes touching the ground), the seat post must be extended by at least 5 cm, with 10 cm being ideal. Choose a straight handlebar, barely wider than your shoulders. Wide handlebars are annoying when it comes to weaving between cars. Two chainrings are more than enough, with 8 or 9 cogs at the rear. Choose bolts over quick releases for the saddle and wheels, to deter thieves.