Well, first of all, what is a basic hybrid?
To some, it may be the bike that's advertised in the paper for $199 with a free helmet and lock thrown in.
To us here at Rapid Transit, a basic hybrid is a bike that will carry you and your gear around Chicago 365 days a year (366 this year).
When we evaluate our vendors' offerings each year, we look for a minimum of features before we decide if the bike is appropriate to carry in our store:
- A corrosion-resistant, durable and lightweight frame with quality construction. Some folks duke it out over the relative merits of chromoly steel and aluminum. Chromoly is getting harder to find on a reasonably priced hybrid, and many well-made aluminum bikes, sometimes with a chromoly fork, can do the job admirably.
- Wheels that can take a beating. We stock hybrids with double-walled alloy rims, with sealed hubs and stainless steel spokes. Such wheels resist corrosion, and can handle rough roads and occasional potholes.
- A crankset that allows for a reasonable cadence on urban streets, such as a triple set with 48 on the outer ring, 38 on the middle and 28 teeth on the inner ring. Anything smaller, and you may run out of gears on Chicago's flat streets, especially when you have a tailwind.
- Dependable brakes, including alloy (NOT resin!) hand levers. The brake mechanism itself should be sufficiently adjustable and solid to allow for squeak-free, confident braking, without shuddering. Brake levers should allow for adjustment for smaller hand sizes.
- Appropriate rider comfort features. For urban riding, we like bikes that don't go over the top with whistles and bells, but a few well-thought-out comfort features can go a long way. Such as a simple suspension seat-post that can be locked out when not needed, or an adjustable stem for customizing your position on the bike.
- Eyelets for mounting fenders and racks. This is a small but crucially important feature of any hybrid bike. After all, if you can't put a rack and fenders on your bike, are you really a commuter?!
- Out-of-the-box rideability. Yes, virtually any bike can be improved through customization. But a good basic hybrid can be ridden as-is. It comes factory-equipped with decent, grippy, smooth city tires, and a reasonably comfortable gel saddle.
Some of our favorite basic hybrids are Jamis Coda (one of the rare chromoly steel city bikes) and Marin Larkspur (a worthy aluminum competitor). They sell around the mid-$400's. Not a bad deal, all things considered.
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