Looking for a great round-town bike? Here’s our pick of six tough, fun urban road warriors perfect for commuting.
The best urban bikes out there come in a range of styles and features, from slick-tyre hybrids to flat-bar road bikes, or Dutch style sit-up-and-beg bikes. An urban bike can have a step-through frame or a standard, unisex, shape and still be ‘female specific’ by clever tweaking of the geometry, fit and handling.
Female-specific urban bikes are fitted with women’s saddles and components to make life on the bike more comfortable and easier. They’re cheap too, with a good cheap women’s bicycle starting around £200.
Many manufacturers still offer a step-through frame design, in days gone by these bikes were designed for decorum and accommodating skirts, but they are back in fashion for their looks (and because you can ride them in a skirt).
When buying an urban bikes, look for additional useful features like mudguards, pannier racks or the right fixings for you to fit these in the future. Some have chain guards or even wheel guards to keep your trousers, skirt or dress clean.
Urban bikes are designed to get you around town efficiently and comfortably. The riding position is nice and upright giving you a good view of the road and a relaxed position.
The more you spend the lighter the bike tends to be, meaning that hills and accelerating are easier, although if you live in a flat town you can afford to be less worried about the bike’s weight.