Bikes for comfortable recreational riding?

[JHZR2]

We bike as much as we can when it’s nice out. Nothing terribly far, and no mountain or trail biking for a while when we have small kids. Just streets, rail to trails, boardwalks, etc. with kids and trying to do small chores by bike, we usually are set up with a tagalong or trailer on each bike.

I have a scott 29er mtb, my wife a canondale mtb.

We went today for our first time of the year and did about 6 miles of riding. We were both pretty uncomfortable. Part of it is not riding enough, some of it getting old, etc. But we are thinking that maybe some slightly less “aggressive” bikes would be in order. Bikes we can have smooth tires and less gearing, and be optimized for just doing these 2-10 mile pleasure and errand rides, with kids in tow.

I think the main thing is a comfortable position. Maybe a bit more upright. Less weight on the palms, a seat designed for sitting,

I can’t tell if these hybrid bikes would be a good choice? Or something else. Not really looking for a bulky beach cruiser type bike. Something a bit more svelte and light. Trimmer and lighter are good. We like to travel with our bikes.

In searching, the Trek dual sport model came up. Looks kind of like an mtb with smooth tires. It would seem to me ideal would be a stem riser that went higher, and a handlebar with some upward lift. I don’t need a new bike that doesn’t give a new, more comfortable and upward position that’s easier on the arms.

So what’s the best bet? Just change risers on our existing bikes that work well... and maybe change to road-oriented tires? Or look for some other bikes more suited to what we want to do? I’m not opposed to buying them since I think that more comfort would result in more use.

thanks!

 

[UG_Passat]

Rail trails aren't exactly paved roads, so you don't want slick tires.

At flat bar hybrid with slightly knobby 35mm tires will be fine.

 

[bbhero]

My step father actually had a mountain bike with a very large/soft seat on it. Extremely comfortable and it had springs underneath it.

Coming from using a 12 speed with a racing seat on it... Made that bike of his feel like a Cadillac. It was very comfortable to ride for long time and distance.


I would buy one with the seat and handle bar position you want/need to have.

Maybe change your existing handle bar setup and get a new seat. With new less aggressive tires.

If you can do heavy mechanical work you have done recently... You definitely could handle making those changes on the bikes.

 

[skyactiv]

A stem change might work pretty good but it's not a total makeover of the bikes geometry.
Also, no change might be necessary at the moment. Being it was your first ride of the year, your significant other and you
used your muscles in a way you haven't for several months. After another ride or two, you'll be in better shape.



Example of a bike with a comfortable upright riding position. I like the handlebar on this bike.
I wouldn't buy it however due to the brakes and heavy frame.

Wife on her cyclocross when we rode past the airport last year when many planes were grounded.
It rolls fast.

 

[IveBeenRued]

My wife and I ride rail trails quite often. We both have Fuji Crosstown hybrid bikes. They are quite nice, have good shocks up front, a tube shock, hydraulic brakes, and 40c tires. I occasionally take mine on more serious trails but it’s not the best for that.

Men’s:

Fuji Bikes: Fuji Bikes | Crosstown 1.3

Learn more about Fuji Bikes Crosstown 1.3

www.fujibikes.com

Women’s:

Fuji Bikes: Fuji Bikes | Crosstown 1.3 LS

Learn more about Fuji Bikes Crosstown 1.3 LS

www.fujibikes.com

 

[JHZR2]

Rail trails aren't exactly paved roads, so you don't want slick tires.

At flat bar hybrid with slightly knobby 35mm tires will be fine.

Many of the ones we ride on are paved. Otherwise hard pack fine gravel. Lots of riding on roads and boardwalks at the beach too. Slightly knobby is fine. Tires are the easiest part of the equation, and the most DIY.

The key is, a hybrid is the kind of bike that will have a more upright position?

 

[skyactiv]

Check out KEI if close to one. Most bike shops will/want you to test ride a bike. They usually require you wear a helmet. Have yours handy in your vehicle if needed.

 

[JHZR2]

Check out KEI if close to one. Most bike shops will/want you to test ride a bike. They usually require you wear a helmet. Have yours handy in your vehicle if needed.

KEI or REI?

 

[supton]

IMO slick tires are fine on hard pack dirt. Unless if you plan on riding after it rains a road bike can go many places. I am pushing 200lb and take my road bike with 28mm tires on rail trails without a thought—worst case i have to bail and walk to deal with an obstacle. Wider tires would be better, 32’s might be best for all around, but then it’d suffer on pavement.

Personally, I’m not a fan of flat bar bikes, a traditional road bar allows for many different hand positions. I installed brake interrupters on my home bike (I used to have a “fast” bike for group rides at work) and have at least 3 positions I use regularly, with braking ability in two of them. My bars are seat height or thereabouts, I’m sure in the future I’ll want to raise even higher.

Obviously you need to try out some bikes and see what feels good for you, and what appeals to you—my point isn’t to sell you a road bike as much as to not rule them out.

 

[LazyDog]

For me not riding a bike for ~ 25 years, the biggest pain was that little bike seat. I had to buy a nice and chunky one after that when doing more than 5 miles was the height of the handle bars, too low.

 

[JTK]

It sounds like you have decent bikes. Provided these bike frame sizes fit you and the missus, maybe just try new sets, bars and seat heights?

I went from a mongoose dolomite 26" fat bike to a Schwinn Axum 29er and the 29er fits me much better and is so much easier for me to ride. I can easily do 6 miles+ on it and I am not in shape. Both frowned upon bikes in bike world I know, but the Axum is quite nice for just under $400.

 

[JHZR2]

My wife and I ride rail trails quite often. We both have Fuji Crosstown hybrid bikes. They are quite nice, have good shocks up front, a tube shock, hydraulic brakes, and 40c tires. I occasionally take mine on more serious trails but it’s not the best for that.

Men’s:

Fuji Bikes: Fuji Bikes | Crosstown 1.3

Learn more about Fuji Bikes Crosstown 1.3

www.fujibikes.com

Women’s:

Fuji Bikes: Fuji Bikes | Crosstown 1.3 LS

Learn more about Fuji Bikes Crosstown 1.3 LS

www.fujibikes.com

Those are some nice bikes. They are set up for what looks like a comfortable fit/ride.

A stem change might work pretty good but it's not a total makeover of the bikes geometry.
Also, no change might be necessary at the moment. Being it was your first ride of the year, your significant other and you
used your muscles in a way you haven't for several months. After another ride or two, you'll be in better shape.

That’s a good point. Once the weather is nice and the bikes are set up it’s easier/better. But my wife (who is pregnant btw, so that doesn’t help) noted that it’s a stark contrast between cycling on her peloton, which she does for 30-60 minutes at least a few times per week, and her MTB. So at least for her (it bothers her more than me), it’s not like she stopped biking altogether last November like yours truly....

This is our current setup. I anticipate something like it for the foreseeable future, like 8-10 years, so I’m not opposed to buying new bikes. That way we can also keep our MTBs as MTBs for use as such as my oldest starts to want to ride more off-road.
While I’ll never amortize enough fuel savings or reduced vehicle wear and tear, I am all for having another bike setup for more errands that are less than 10 miles.

FWIW, I’ve been looking at Trek. I have no brand loyalty, they just have a lot of options.

I do think I want disc brakes, hydraulic ones, because the shimano hydraulics on my Scott are the best I’ve had. The pricier, possibly more aggressive Trek has a 1x11 drivetrain. That’s kind of interesting to me, don’t know why, just seems appealing to only row through one set of gears. I’m not sold on the need for a front shock. I do think the higher handlebars would be desirable.

Some examples of what I’m looking at:

This one has the 1x11 drivetrain, shimano stuff, hydraulic discs. But the handlebar is lower. Not sure if because of that it will be that much different. I’m not a good eye on geometry. It’s also the most $.

Middle ground I guess. No front suspension fork, but we both ride with ours locked out more than being used when doing these family rides. So I’m not sure I need the expense and weight of a suspension fork. Has to be worth a few lbs, which is nice since we are often putting them on and off of bike racks.

This is the lowest end but has a more comfortable look. Again, not a good eye on geometry, but this does seem to be set up a bit different.

I’m curious if the 1x11 vs 2x9 is anything to be caught up on. Of course we would need to try these or any others that we would look to buy, before buying them.

 

[JHZR2]

IMO slick tires are fine on hard pack dirt. Unless if you plan on riding after it rains a road bike can go many places. I am pushing 200lb and take my road bike with 28mm tires on rail trails without a thought—worst case i have to bail and walk to deal with an obstacle. Wider tires would be better, 32’s might be best for all around, but then it’d suffer on pavement.

Personally, I’m not a fan of flat bar bikes, a traditional road bar allows for many different hand positions. I installed brake interrupters on my home bike (I used to have a “fast” bike for group rides at work) and have at least 3 positions I use regularly, with braking ability in two of them. My bars are seat height or thereabouts, I’m sure in the future I’ll want to raise even higher.

Obviously you need to try out some bikes and see what feels good for you, and what appeals to you—my point isn’t to sell you a road bike as much as to not rule them out.

Agree. I’m sure bikes with smooth hybrid/mtb tires aren’t slick... I’d suspect we will end up with 700 wheels with wideish tires with some “street” tread.

When you say flat bar bikes, you mean flat mtb bars? Road bike bars (we both have road bikes) are comfortable, but we don’t need the lower positions, at least unless they can be raised as a whole much higher up. I’m thinking for us some -u- type bars that get a bit of a raise might be better.

For me not riding a bike for ~ 25 years, the biggest pain was that little bike seat. I had to buy a nice and chunky one after that when doing more than 5 miles was the height of the handle bars, too low.

Yeah that takes a ride or two to go away. Right now it’s more the handle bars being low. My wife being pregnant doesn’t help, but as noted, she’s fine for an hour on her peloton, fwiw.

It sounds like you have decent bikes. Provided these bike frame sizes fit you and the missus, maybe just try new sets, bars and seat heights?

I went from a mongoose dolomite 26" fat bike to a Schwinn Axum 29er and the 29er fits me much better and is so much easier for me to ride. I can easily do 6 miles+ on it and I am not in shape. Both frowned upon bikes in bike world I know, but the Axum is quite nice for just under $400.

We do have decent, if a bit old mtb and road bikes. I’m not opposed to buying another bike if not that expensive because I think we would/will get lots of use out of them, especially if comfortable and nice to ride, and we will use them for a long time. We are also somewhat keen on keeping our MTBs as MTBs because we do go with friends, and their kids are getting into it, and I suspect our oldest will as well. So purpose specific if used for family time, health, doing things together, etc. is worth the $$ to me.

 

[UG_Passat]

Yes, from the Trek lineup, it's the FX

I wouldn't do the dual sport. While it does have a front suspension like a mountain bike, it's not going to be a high quality fork. It's going to be some cheap fork that will be more trouble than it's worth.

If the FX bar isn't upright enough, you can always get a a different bar with more rise to it.

Many of the ones we ride on are paved. Otherwise hard pack fine gravel. Lots of riding on roads and boardwalks at the beach too. Slightly knobby is fine. Tires are the easiest part of the equation, and the most DIY.

The key is, a hybrid is the kind of bike that will have a more upright position?

 

[JHZR2]

Yes, from the Trek lineup, it's the FX

I wouldn't do the dual sport. While it does have a front suspension like a mountain bike, it's not going to be a high quality fork. It's going to be some cheap fork that will be more trouble than it's worth.

If the FX bar isn't upright enough, you can always get a a different bar with more rise to it.

Will look more at the FX and other bikes from other makes like it.

This is the fork on the dual sport 4. Coil spring with lockout. To me that makes sense, no seals, no air, can lock to be hard. Use it if you want, or not.

NRX D RL DS 700

The do all hybrid fork. Great for commuting and sport trail riding. A substantial upgrade over most conventional hybrid forks. Equipped with a remote lockout for easier convenience. Coil spring preload Remote lockout Magnesium lower casting for light weight STKM stanchion tube 30mm stanchions...

www.srsuntour.us

But it doesn’t mean we need them. I assume non suspension forms will be lighter, and they are smaller. It looks like about 2lbs difference with or without the fork, fwiw.

What about the 1x11 vs 2 or 3x 8-10?

I have a hard time telling if the geometries are actually much different from ours. I feel like I should be looking for bikes with a much taller headset, higher rise on the piece that connects the headset to the handlebars, and bars with more rise. That and a bigger seat are the only way to get a more upright position.

 

[totegoat]

We put thousands of miles on comfort bikes, me a Trek and she a Raleigh before we switched to Pedegos. Have fun.

 

[IndyIan]

For your bike you can buy a shorter stem with a rise and bars with more back or upsweep. The cannondale has a larger steer tube so maybe its harder to find a shorter stem? I use ergon type grips with the wider shelf for the heel of your palm on my "gravel" (just an old xc)bike and its comfortable enough for a couple hours. I actually stretched out the riding position a bit which is more comfortable for rides with more effort I find, but not good for 8 mph on the paved trails.
For your wife dragging the kids around, that Verve3 has the most adjustability for bar position with the quill stem(goes up and down) and adjustable riser angle, it should be able to duplicate the peloton bike. You guys are used to 2 or 3 by drivetrains so I'd just stick with those from a cost perspective and having lower gears available, no need for 1 by for rec riding, and the lower end 1 by systems don't seem to have as low ratios for climbing, which would be handy if you have the trailer on!
I don't know how old your kids are but I got mine onto easy cross country trails as soon as they fit a 20" tire mountain bike and then my mountain bike feels fine again.

 

[NYEngineer]

Store - H-Bars - Jones Bikes

jonesbikes.com

 

[JHZR2]

So Im now understanding the bike shortage issues. Local stores have next to nothing. Even the local Trek corporate store has nothing.

Started looking for what interested us by design. I really was in to the jamis sequel, but the best guesstimate that any of the local stores could give is July. I liked the Trek fx4 concept (1x drivetrain), but couldnt find one other than at the trek store in NYC, and didn’t really want to go in to the city.

Turns out the bike store in the town where we go to the beach got a big allotment. All trek bikes fwiw. I had the chance to ride an FX3 and a verve 3. Both xl frames, both the exact same components. The store was packed, every thing was selling fast just In the time being there.

The Verve felt really good. Almost too good. Upright, good posture, chest wide open. Almost concerning when we want to do longer rides if it’s windy. It felt solid and stable, maybe a tiny bit clumsy or numb. I remember that when I was trying 29er bikes. I bought my Scott because it felt much more agile and nimble than other 29er bikes I had tried. The verve wasn’t bad by any stretch.

I tried the FX3. I liked the position, not stretched out, reasonably upright, comfortable. The seat was comfortable too despite being much smaller. It felt much lighter, much faster, more nimble. It does have a carbon fork, and I assume about 5 lbs lighter. But it also felt fragile. It felt sort of like my road bike with a flat bar. Kind of like a couple bumps or potholes will damage the wheels. I liked how light it felt, and how the geometry was about “just right”.

My wife kept with the being upright. We are set on keeping our mtbs as mtbs. They work well and are comfortable enough on trails, where we tend to be out of the saddle more. We want to do that, and I want to get my oldest out. But she was pretty set on the verve because it’s more upright. She’s very fitness focused.... she does peloton many times a week, runs the rest, etc. but sees this as a family use bike. She likes the concept of an fix being useable as a triathlon bike, and a family fun bike (which I do t think the verve would be). But I think she’s set on the verve, and if she gets into triathalon again, just use her old road bike or buy a new more aggressive hybrid like the fx when the time comes, and sell her old road bike.

So that’s where I’m at. I put deposits on two verve 3 bikes. I’m not 100% sure if the decision.... they had two fx3 bikes in our sizes too. Dubious they’ll be there this weekend, but they were there today.

So I’m curious on others opinions.... verve? Verve with lighter thinner tires (stock are 700x45 and I think 880g each) to lighten up the bike as a whole and the rolling mass? Or do I go fx and potentially wider tires than the 700x32?

If I really got into fitness biking I wouldn’t be opposed to buying us yet again other bikes, maybe the James sequel for me and a sequel or trek fox for her... but we’d really need to be into it, like 1000 miles of outdoor higher speed exercise type riding in a year to make that investment.

Enough rambling.... thoughts on the verve vs fx?

 

[javacontour]

This came up as a suggestion, so pardon for being late.

I have a pair of Giant Cypress bikes for more comfortable riding.

When I can get oilBabe out on the trails, that's what we normally ride.

We've ridden them on the Katy Trail in Missouri, a rails to trails that is covered in crushed limestone.

Of course, you lose energy you put into the bike with the pneumatic from suspension, but it's a more comfortable ride.