Comfort Bike Review

Comfort bikes blend value and commuting practicality

Comfort bikes are pretty much what they sound like -- bikes meant for commuting and tours through the park rather than for road racing or trail rides. Comfort bikes -- also called commuter bikes -- have big, soft seats, fat tires to cruise over road bumps, low-maintenance gear hubs, easy-reach handlebars and an upright riding position. Comfort bikes are usually less expensive than road bikes and true mountain bikes.

Most comfort bicycles also have chain guards and fenders to protect your clothes from mud and grease on your way to work. The accessories on each bike vary, but the most sought-after commuting accessories include head- and tail lights, storage racks, bells, water bottle mounts and kickstands. Budget commuter bikes usually have fewer accessories than more expensive models, but they include mounts so you can add your own fenders or racks.

There's no reason you can't use a regular road or mountain bike for commuting, particularly if you plan to try some racing or trail rides. ConsumerSearch has separate reports on road bikes and mountain bikes. Commuters might also be interested in folding bikes. These literally fold up for storage or for carrying into your office so you don't have to leave your bike chained to a rack. We plan to cover folding bikes in an upcoming report.

Like other types of bicycles, commuter bikes are subject to safety recalls. There have been 15 bicycle recalls since the beginning of 2009, including several involving popular comfort bikes. The well-reviewed Electra Amsterdam Royal 8 (MSRP: $970) was picked by Men's Fitness as one of the best commuter bikes of 2009, but it has encountered some safety issues within the last year. In conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Electra voluntarily recalled more than 10,000 bicycles in July and August 2008, including some Electra Amsterdam Royal 8 models. The CPSC says owners say the chain guard suddenly derails the chain, and they report injuries. Electra offers a free replacement part for owners of recalled bikes, which include Royal 8 models sold between January 2007 and June 2008 -- excluding frame numbers starting with EL or 06/08 chain guards. Although the problem is fixed, keep this in mind if you plan to buy a used Electra Amsterdam Royal 8. Visit CPSC.gov to stay up-to-date on the latest recalls.

There is no single source that provides the best reviews of commuter bikes. Rather, we find good reviews in a number of different publications and online sources. Bicycling magazine covers commuter bikes in their annual buyer's guide, but they don't provide as much coverage on commuters as they do for road and mountain bikes. Women's Adventure magazine provides balanced reviews of several commuter bike options, and shorter reviews in Men's Fitness, National Geographic Adventure and several newspapers are also helpful. Some of the most detailed reviews come from commuter blogs like BikeCommuters.com or CommuteByBike.com. These reviews usually offer one tester's feedback, but they provide detail and balance that the professional reviewers can't match. There are few comparative reviews of commuter bikes; ConsumerReports.org doesn't provide coverage of bikes, and the majority of reviews are based on tester feedback.