Best hybrid bikes for under 500

It would seem that for those who drive on the highway, you need to buy a road bike and the issue is closed. But, road bikes are not suitable for many fans because they are not at all suitable for driving on any kind of off-road, even poor road coverage causes inconvenience while riding a highway, and if the road is badly broken, then you can’t ride a bike on it at all without shock absorber and with very narrow tires, which on the highway have a thickness of only 25-28 mm.

That is why it was decided to create another type of bike that would have the advantages of MTB, but would be suitable for long and fast trips on various roads. And so a universal class of bicycles appeared, Best hybrid bikes for under 500, another name is a cross bike (cross). Their main purpose is cycling, traveling and driving around the city.

Distinctive features

The main differences between these bikes are:

• rigid or short-stroke suspension fork;
• large wheels with a diameter of 28 or 29 inches;
• tire thickness is medium or narrow, but thicker than a road bike;
• semi-slick or slick tread;
• the carriage is lower compared to mountain models;
• multi-speed mountain transmission, the gear ratios of which are more sharpened for speed, compared to MTB;
• high enough landing;
• straight, slightly raised steering wheel;
• a more comfortable saddle, often on a suspension pin.

Main advantages and disadvantages

A cross bike has excellent ride quality while riding on flat asphalt and ground, while modifications with a shock absorber in the fork allow you to ride comfortably on light off-road and bad roads. High speed is provided by rolling 28- or 29-inch wheels with rather narrow tires with slick or semi-slick tread, which have low rolling resistance. Also affects the greater number of teeth of the system, which increase the gear ratios.

Due to the less massive frame, they are lighter than mountain bikes. Special frame geometry and handlebars provide a more upright and relaxed riding position. The saddle is also more comfortable.

So, the advantages of hybrids are:

• high speed on asphalt;
• many models allow you to drive on bad roads and light off-road;
• low weight;
• good review.

But, there is a drawback, these bikes are not suitable for serious off-road riding, cross-country competition, trail, freeride and downhill, for such conditions you need a hardtail or two-suspension.

Varieties of hybrids

Depending on the presence of a suspension fork and the thickness of the tires, cross-country bikes are divided into 2 types: MTB and road.

The MTB hybrid is assembled on a more powerful frame and is equipped with a suspension fork with a short travel of 60-80 mm. The thickness of the tires is about 42 mm, the tread is semi-slick. It turns out a universal bike. The shock absorber smooths out vibrations from bumps in the road, the transmission ratio is enough to drive into any reasonable hill. At the same time, large wheels and tires of medium thickness provide good speed, so long distances are traveled much easier than on a mountain bike. Landing - the average between highway and MTB, quite comfortable for most fans. It is easy to install the trunk and fenders, which means it is convenient to ride bike trips, both on asphalt and on the ground.

The road cross bike is assembled on a lightweight frame without a shock absorber in the fork and is equipped with a straight handlebar. Tires are narrow, 33-38 mm thick, slick tread.

Frame

The basis of any bicycle is the frame, the main characteristics of the bicycle depend on it: weight, speed, vibration damping, etc. Much depends on the material from which the frame is made, as well as on the technologies used in the manufacture.

The best frames are carbon. The proprietary carbon frame is very light, incredibly strong and springy, absorbing micro-vibrations from small bumps in the road. But carbon frames are very expensive, so only top bikes are equipped with them.

Source: Hybrid