Best hybrid bikes 2024 for leisure and commuting: top rated models

The best hybrid bikes are a versatile option that will serve for your commutes and cycling around town. Also called fitness bikes, as they'll help you to keep in shape, they're also good for weekend excursions and, with their wide tires and stable ride, can handle off-road trips on gravel tracks, bridleways and tow paths too.

A hybrid bike mixes the properties of a road bike and a mountain bike. While a road bike or a gravel bike has drop bars and a more aggressive ride position, a hybrid bike will allow you to sit more upright, which many riders find more comfortable.

Although some hybrid bikes include a suspension fork, many don't. This is a feature that may not be needed for less extreme riding, as the hybrid bike's wide tires will take care of bumpy surface conditions. A suspension fork can add substantial weight to the bike, while lower priced suspension forks may not add much comfort to the ride.

Some hybrid bikes may use less complex suspension systems, as with the Specialized Sirrus X below. Most will allow you to fit fenders for year-round use and also a rear rack, so that they can be used for shopping or commuting without needing to carry a backpack.

Hybrid bikes are also a popular option to which to add an electric motor, making them some of the best electric bikes. We've included some electric hybrid bikes in our round-up of the best hybrid bikes below. 

To put the bikes through their paces, our testers rode a variety of terrain across varying distances and weather conditions, detailing important considerations such as comfort, ease of use and durability - all vital components of the best hybrid bikes. 

Read on for our top picks or head lower down the page for advice on how to choose the best hybrid bike for your needs.

The best hybrid bikes

Technically a flat bar version of Vitus's Substance gravel bike, the rugged spec gives you great all-round capabilities for a hybrid. It's stable and easy to ride both on road and off, on fast off-road and picking through traffic.

There's a quality alloy frame with a carbon fork and the cables routed neatly through the down tube, which helps to protect them. There are plenty of mounting points for racks and fenders and you can even fit a third water bottle or a tool case underneath the down tube.

The component choice gives a wide gear range from its 46/30t Prowheel crankset and 11-34t 9-speed Shimano Sora cassette, while the Tektro mechanical disc brakes offer effective stopping power. Both have a very light touch, making them easy to use.

The Vitus rolls on quality WTB ST i23 rims and Vitus hubs. It's let down by its non-tubeless 40mm tires though, which have a recommended minimum 45psi/3.5 bar pressure, which is too much for comfort on tarmac, let alone off-road. Drop below this and they squirm. A swap to tubeless tires on the tubeless-ready rims upped the Vitus's game no end.

Read more: Vitus Substance V-2 Flat Bar full review

We test rode the electric version of the Ribble Hybrid AL - the Ribble Hybrid AL e - and loved it so much we gave it a Cycling Weekly Editor's Choice Award as it's one of the best hybrid electric bike's we've seen. 

Offering a smooth level of assistance from the Ebikemotion system, coupled with decent range and a fully loaded spec the Ribble Hybrid AL e can handle the daily commute as well as anything. But being both capable and rewarding, it's certainly not restricted to A to B rides and could take you on many adventures.

The aluminum frame features elegantly shaped tubing profiles including pencil-thin, dropped seatstays for added compliance and a distinctive dropped driveside chainstay design. There's a step-through frame option as well as a frame with a crossbar if you prefer a bike that's easier to mount and dismount.

Ribble has specced a full carbon fork on the Hybrid AL e to help keep weight down whilst still retaining a good level of steering stiffness and much needed vibration damping.

The Ribble Hybrid AL e is really quite a joy to ride in most respects. It has an engaging handling feel and a build quality that turn it into a bike you look forward to riding rather than a dead and dreary commuter.

At this price point you get a fully loaded electric bike with a superb frame, quality motor system and really decent parts the Ribble Hybrid AL e certainly offers almost unbeatable value when compared to its rivals. 

If you want a non-assisted bike, the Ribble Hybrid AL is available in a range of pre-built specs, many of which come with mudguards and a rear rack. Ribble provides advice via video link to its showroom if you want a walkthrough of the bike's features or more buying info.

Read more: Ribble Hybrid AL e full review

The Tenways CGO600 Pro has an alloy frame and fork with a slender battery enclosed in the downtube. It's a low maintenance design with a lubricant-free Gates belt drive that Tenways says should go up to 19,000 miles without servicing. Tenways says that the bike is weatherproof, but should not be stored outdoors regularly.

Assistance comes from a 350W (in the US) rear hub motor, which gives a 53 mile claimed range and includes a torque sensor that helps ensure that the power output matches your pedalling input. The battery locks into place, but can be removed for easier charging. The on-bike LCD display gives plenty of data and allows you to switch between the four assist modes and there's an app which lets you log trip distance and other data.

The CGO600 Pro has Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. It's kitted out with grippy tires, mudguards and an integrated front light, although there are no water bottle cage mounting points.

Tenways sells its range of commuter bikes part-assembled, so there's a little work to get everything set up, with some tasks a little tricky. The bike is supplied with some useful extras like a mini pump. The handlebar grips were a little uncomfortable with bare hands, but they're easy to swap out and a pair of cycling mitts would solve this.

Read more: Tenways CGO600 Pro e-bike full review

The Priority Bicycles Continuum Onyx includes front and rear lights, fenders, and uses a Gates Carbon belt drive system with a continuously variable rear hub. It's unlike most anything on the market and offers the advantage of reduced maintenance and no chance of grease on your clothes.

If you want a bike that feels at home in the urban jungle the Priority Continuum Onyx might be the perfect solution.

Both the frame and the fork are made from aluminium - a material common at this price point. It's light but stiff and easy to work with.

But what's really unique is the continuously variable NuVinci N380 CVT drivetrain. What you get is roughly the same gear range as a common 7-speed chain driven bike but without distinct gears. Shifting happens with a grip shift and there is a smooth progression from easy to difficult. 

It has a carbon belt instead of a chain and all the shifting components live in the rear hub. The system is silent and requires no real maintenance, which is why it suits a commuting bike so well.

With the Priority Continuum Onyx there is no real point of comparison on the market. It's possible to get other hybrid bikes in the same price range with a focus on different features. It's also possible to find cheaper bikes but if you want something with this unique mix of features, this is it. There's simply nothing else out there that's quite the same.

Read more: Priority Continuum Onyx full review

The Triban RC500 is a speedy hybrid bike that's more tarmac than off-road orientated and will suit those riding mostly on the road. The carbon fork supplies phenomenal value and adds an enormous amount of comfort to the ride.

The bike's head tube puts you in an upright position from the off. Out on the roads you're left feeling in control of the bike but also comfortable, with the aluminium frame absorbing a good amount of the road's lumps and bumps.

Just because it has a focus on comfort doesn't mean the RC500 is slow to respond. We were impressed by the bike's fast acceleration and how well it holds its speed. Newer riders will certainly be impressed by its turn of pace.

It's a great price for a great bike; the mechanical disc brakes are OK, but worth a hydraulic upgrade if you see a good deal. There's a compact 50/34 chainset boasting a rear cassette replete with a wide spread of gears that will see you up and over most hills, without sacrificing flat speed.

The tyres warrant a special mention, having proven their robustness over the course of commutes (and many more shards of glass). The tyres and the wheels (another Decathlon in-house product) form a fine partnership and can even be set up tubeless should you want the extra security.

If you are looking for the best hybrid bike at this sort of price point, and are after plenty of versatility and dependability then look no further than the Triban RC500 flat bar.

Read more: Triban RC500 flat bar full review

The eye-catching carbon frame design of the Sirrus X stands out and, along with the Future Shock 1.5 headset, adds plenty of comfort. You can fit tires up to 42mm wide too. Reflective paint ups your road presence when riding after dark.

The combination of a 38 tooth chainring with an 11-50 tooth 12-speed cassette gives a wide gear range, although we found the SRAM Eagle NX shifting a little unrefined and that it lacked the top-end ratios for higher speeds on tarmac. There's a more road-going spec available if you do want higher gearing and skinnier tires.

The Sirrus X 5.0 feels light, fast and very comfortable on road and in its element on bumpy off-road, when its built-in compliance features make it very smooth, even with tires at higher than ideal pressure, to avoid pinch flats. The wheels and tires are both tubeless-ready, allowing you to lower pressure and add even greater comfort and grip.

The price is high for a hybrid, but the Sirrus X isn't your normal hybrid and its clever design will up your riding enjoyment no end, even is the component spec is underwhelming for the price.

Read more: Specialized Sirrus X 5.0 full review

The Boardman HYB 8.8 has a carbon fork paired with its alloy frame - the fork being a nice extra to improve comfort over an alloy or steel number. The bike's geometry is quite racy, so you're not sitting as upright as on many hybrids.

There's a smart-looking one piece bar and stem, which gives the Boardman Hyb 8.8 a stylish air, although it makes for fewer adjustment options than a more conventional separate bar and stem.

The bike comes with a single chainring 10-speed Shimano Deore groupset. That's a good combination, lowering complexity by eliminating the front derailleur. The wide range cassette still gives lots of gear range, although it does result in quite large jumps between ratios.

We reviewed the women's HYB 8.8, but there's a men's/unisex version too, which differs only in its size range and contact points: saddle and bar width. It's well specced for its price and comfortable and fast to ride, although we'd have liked wider tyres for more off-road adventures.

Have a look too at our review of the Boardman HYB 8.6, a lower priced alternative to the HYB 8.8.

Read more: Boardman HYB 8.8 hybrid bike full review

The Giant Escape 1 has a butted aluminium frame (Giant calls it ALUXX) with tons of stand-over clearance - an ideal bonus if you're commuting in jeans - and a composite fork. The tyres are wide and this model can go off-road, but this is a bike designed mostly with tarmac in mind.

This would be a great hybrid bike for anyone looking to start leisure riding or wanting to get to work in comfort.

The Shimano Altus gearing is excellent. As with most Shimano products, it has proven itself bombproof, and its shifting didn't miss a beat. It's a triple setup, which means you'll have the use of three rings at the front (in a 26/36/48 guise paired with a nine speed cassette on the back) which makes winching yourself up any hills relatively painless.

Giant has gone for integrated cables, a smart move as it reduces the risk of contamination or damage over time and thus maintenance. The brakes offer super speedy stopping and there's a huge choice of gears.

Features such as a riser stem allow for an upright and comfortable position.

There are a handful of Giant Escape Disc Sport Hybrids to choose from with the Escape 1 the range topper, although it can be a little harder to track down than the lower priced Escape 2 and 3.

Read more: Giant Escape 1 Disc full review

This bike from Carrera represents good value for money, and with mudguard and a pannier rack it's a versatile option too. If you're planning on cruising around town, riding to parks, to beaches or to other recreation spots, you can't really go wrong with this.

There are three Carrera Subway bikes in the range: a men's and women's-specific Subway 1 and a male/unisex Subway 2.

All three share the same lightweight aluminium frame, with the women's frame getting a subtle frame geometry tweak with a dropped top tube. 

We reviewed the women's Subway 1 and rode it on a mix of road and trail-like terrain.

Admittedly, it's not quite as comfortable as some other options out there, but a slight decrease of tyre pressure helped soften the buzz enough to take the Carrera Subway 1 off road, and it coped pretty well.

It's nimble enough to navigate tight slow corners, while being predictable to give a rider handling confidence, especially when descending at a reasonable speed or when riding slowly in traffic.

The mechanical disc brakes were top notch and we actually struggled to tell the difference performance-wise compared to hydraulic ones.

The Carrera Subway 1 is a good bike that will get you out rolling and enjoying the world on two wheels. With its mudguard and pannier rack mounts, it also offers a good deal of opportunity to be reasonably versatile.

Read more: Carrera Subway full review

Best hybrid bikes: comparison table

Hybrid bike buyer's guide

This type of hybrid bike will normally also come with gearing that reflects its road origins, mainly designed for relatively fast riding over flat roads. At its bottom end, the gearing should also be easy enough to tackle some pretty fierce hills. But, if you're carrying extra pounds in your panniers (or around your middle), then you may struggle a little.

However, if you are going to be riding on rough cycle paths and bridleways, then it's better to go for one that will be able to cope with the terrain.

The main difference with this type of hybrid is that it will come with a suspension fork, which will improve comfort when riding over rough, rutted surfaces. These bikes will also come with slightly wider tyres, usually with a bit of tread on too to give a little more grip.

With regard to gearing, they will generally have slightly easier gearing than their more road-orientated brethren.

Although you won't be able to hit quite the same top speeds, having a big sprocket at the back and a tiny ring at the front should help you get better at climbing hills. Our video on how to ride faster up short, steep hills could help here,  especially at the end of your commute, even on a Friday evening at the end of a long, tiring week.

Compared to road bikes, all hybrids will come with wider tyres. The width will vary, but it will generally be something between 28c and 42c. Not only will this help to improve comfort, ironing out any rough surfaces, but will also add to the level of grip when the roads are wet.

The more varied the terrain you plan to ride on, the wider you'll want your tyres. If you're sticking mainly to the road, opt for the lower volume end.

What's the best hybrid bike geometry?

The best hybrid bike frame will generally have a fairly relaxed geometry. This means a short top tube and tall head tube to give a relaxed and upright riding position that should be nice and comfortable and help you avoid cycling neck pain.

Many of the best hybrid bikes also feature a top tube that is sloped downwards from the front of the bike towards the back, which will increase standover clearance and should make it a little bit easier to get on and off whatever you are wearing. Step-through frames without a top tube are also available for many hybrid bikes if you want even easier mounting and dismounting.

Although disc brakes have been used on mountain bikes for years, they're a more recent addition to road bikes, although they are pretty commonplace now and a perfect match for the best hybrid bikes.

Although discs supply more predictable braking in the wet, the stopping power of mechanical discs is not always greater than rim brakes in the dry. 

Additionally, the rim brake system is lighter than the mechanical disc system. 

Expect the superior hydraulic options to come with a bigger price tag.

Another advantage of disc brakes is longevity of your wheels. The rim-braking surface wears down over time, particularly if the bike is ridden in wet or dirty conditions. Moving it to a disposable rotor saves having to replace more expensive wheels.

Another thing to consider is the saddle that comes with the bike. Check that it suits the sort of riding that you're going to be doing. Also consider the clothing that you're going to be doing it in.

If you're riding more than a couple of miles then we highly recommend you invest in the best cycling shorts as getting a pair of padded cycling shorts will vastly improve your comfort in the saddle.

As is the case with most bikes, you may find even the best hybrid bike is sold either without pedals or in some cases, you might find plasticky black flat pedals included. If it's the latter, the first thing you should do to your new hybrid bike is take these off and throw them in the bin. Seriously. Invest in a more suitable pair. Check out our guide to clipless pedal systems and the best models reviewed.

The best options for commuting and urban riding are off-road pedals such as Shimano's SPD system. These are easy, even for beginners, to get in and out of. The recessed cleat makes walking easy and since it's an off-road design it's less susceptible to mud.

You can buy a bike online, but it might not be the best choice. As a result of being new to the cycling world you might be unfamiliar with the right bike fit for you. A good shop will make sure you leave the shop with the perfect fitting hybrid bike.

Look for a retailer that will fit the bike for you and allow test rides. Some also offer money back guarantees after 30 days in case you change your mind.

How we test

We have a dedicated team of testers here at Cycling Weekly, whose job is to review a whole range of cycling products and to write objective reviews of their experience of using them day in day out in a whole range of conditions.

With huge experience, they're really well placed to compare products, identify their strengths and weaknesses and bring you an honest, unbiased assessment of how they perform.

To test  hybrid bikes we undertake rides of varying lengths and conditions. Typically these will include town and city commutes as well as longer leisure rides. Our testers assess the performance each bike across a number of factors, including comfort and handling and the bike's suitability for commuting (for example, how well it is equipped to carry panniers and other luggage) as well as the quality of the build, the durability of the components and the bike's overall value for money.