Trek Soho S

For commuters who want a simple comfort bike for riding to work, the Trek Soho S receives high marks. It's a single-speed bike, which can be good or bad, depending on where you live. Single-speed commuter bikes are easier to maintain and are usually less expensive than multigear bikes, but they are limited to relatively flat terrain (because you can't shift to a lower gear for hills). Reviewers say the Trek Soho S is speedy and fun to ride. On a negative note, the bike doesn't come with many commuting accessories -- there are no racks, fenders or lights, but you can add your own. In addition, some owner-written reviews indicate that the pedals are poorly designed and don't provide a good foot position. Overall, however, most reviewers like the Trek Soho S and say it's a great commuter bike. It also weighs quite a bit less than most comfort bikes. If you need more gearing power for hills, reviewers say the Fuji Absolute 3.0 (MSRP: $600) is a good hybrid bike for hilly or long commutes.

Professional reviewers have yet to test the 2011 Trek Soho S, so the best source of information comes from user reviews on the Trek website. Bicycling magazine covered the 2009 Trek Soho S in its annual buyer's guide, just keep in mind that components may have changed.