Best Hybrid Bikes
Leitner Venice
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Loved it to start with, got one for my wife, then disappointment – I purchased this bike nearly 2 years ago, great, easy to assemble and easy on the aging body. I had clocked up about 1000klm + . All of a sudden… Read more
after 15klm on a ride, it died, the battery was fully charged prior to the ride. Got home and recharged the battery, went for another ride and the same problem. I contacted Leitner and they gave me a list of things to look for and the conditions the bike was ridden under, I provided all the relevant and correct information, and the response I was given, that I would have to buy a new battery. This is a poor option as I am an aged pensioner and can't afford to keep buying batteries every 18 months. I purchased this bike on reliable recommendation from a relative who has had the same bike for 5 + years with no worries. In the end, Leitner agreed to give me a used battery FOC but I pay the postage, now this battery is failing. After doing some research, I find that ebike battery's should last 5 - 8 years depending on use. I don't think that I have over used my battery. I am not convinced that I have been well treated by Leitner, especially after all the referrals that I have give to people who have asked after the bike. Geoff. Geraldton. WA.
Best Decision – After a lot of research and a lot of reservations I finally lashed out and bought my Dyson folding e-bike from SEB Hornsby. Best decision I ever… Read more
made. Love this bike. So easy to ride and feel like a kid again. Made being 60 and now riding again a breeze. Too many positives to list !!
Leitner Santorini
Awesome E bike 4 months old, 1300 trouble free kilometres, great battery life when used accordingly, 60-80 klm range, Lola the chihuahua loves it too with her daily 10k rides Show details
Valk Metro TR 5 +
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I had this for around 6 months and I enjoyed it a lot. Rides well and has power to spare for hills. Being a mid drive it operates only when you are… Read more
pedalling. If you arent pedalling then it cant supply power (its via the chain through to the back wheels). This has advantage of leveraging the gears but as I said it not great for lazy pedalling to go fast like a rear drive motor.
I had an issue with the mid drive motor that required replacement. This became a problem as it was going to be at least 3 months (11 weeks - not guaranteed) plus I had already been sent a spare power control cable, that didnt fix the issue.
I requested a refund given the timeframe and my needs. Mytopia, who I purchased this from, agreed without any real need to push for this. I did have an issue based on my advice on the BSB for the refund. That was my error.
Why I recommend the bike, is that it was a good ride, well suited to hilly environments, excepting the repair time issue.
As well the company (Mytopia) support was good and helpful.
Merida Speeder 400
Great all rounder – Have had this bike for a month now and have ridden approximately 1000 km so far, i changed the seat and tires to suit light gravel tracks as well as… Read more
bike paths and road conditions. I ride some very steep hills around Petrie and have found it to be an awesome hill bike and i even have on the occasion overtaken club riders on the steep hill at Youngs Crossing, i also ride 80 km trips regularly at a comfortable average speed of 25 kph, would highly recommend this bike for anyone wanting to ride on paths, tracks or the road and keep comfortable while riding at speed or at a leisurely pace
Electra Townie
Worth a look. Quality build and great value – We came across the Electra range when visiting the USA in 2016 and my wife who has short legs and never been comfortable on standard road, mtb or… Read more
hybrid bikes was particularly impressed with the forward chainwheel/crank 'flat foot' design which allowed her to both touch the ground and have a less cramped pedal stroke. The downsides are a longer wheel base which is very stable and cruisy but not as manouverable in tight spots, and the forward pedal position makes standing to pedal on hills awkward. The 7 speed 'Revo twist' twist grip operated Shimano rear derailleur has well spaced ratios and works well, although the wrist operation may not suit everyone. These bikes have quality components, comfortable sprung seats, and are supported in Australia by the Trek network. We were fortunate to find a good used example in Melbourne when we came back and have not been disappointed, recently upgrading to a Townie 7D Go electric pedal assist model.
Rain is great for the garden but it delays me from enjoying this wonderful ebike! – It's important when considering purchase to know not just whether something is "good" or not, but whether it's likely to suit you. So I'll start… Read more
with a bit about me and how I came to purchase this e-bike. Due to serious health concerns, I felt the need to exercise but in a way that I would enjoy doing and thus keep doing it. I decided in 2018 to get a bike, which I hadn't had since my early 30s (I'm 65 now). Because I have been in the situation where I was facing a health crisis during a ride, I decided it best to buy an ebike, and if I felt sick during ride, then I'd just increase the assistance so as to get me home. This turned out to be a great decision. I rode 10K KMs between 2018 and 2024, and while the ebike was still going just fine, I got to feel that perhaps the battery may give out soon. Or maybe I just wanted something shiny and new? Whatever, I browsed various makes and models, with some preference for those sold by 99 bikes, which have been a favourite of mine for years. There were many ebikes at substantial discount, and at the time, this particular bike had the highest discount of 40 percent. This really got my attention at a time that I was eyeing off something a little cheaper but far less capable. The battery size (625 watt-hour) seemed quite large as my old ebike was around 280 watt-hour and I had a ton of fun on it. I can tell you now, that battery size is something that looks a lot smaller when you really get into use the bike. For one reason, the Bosch mid-drive system makes riding a lot more enjoyable, and "doable". Steep hills are a pleasure rather than a pain to accomplish. And thus even at 65yo and with failing kidney, I'm riding 65KM in just over 3 hours and now looking for where I can get a second battery! Thankfully (and unlike possibilities with my previous ebike), it's not hard to add a second battery or even to upgrade the original one.
This particular bike has the Bosch "Smart System", which I highly recommend getting. I believe there are still some ebikes with the old Bosch system, but I recommend going Smart System if you can. It's not just about what it can do now, it's also the functionality coming in future over-the-air updates.
Brakes: Huge 203mm discs combined with hydraulic actuation are the best I've experienced on any bike, electric or not. Weight: I've gone from a 32KG ebike to 23KG in this one. Very welcome. Very balanced, easy to ride in crowded car parks and I imagine on tricky trails. I tend to ride road plus rail trail, avoiding the "bush bashing" that others may get into. Offroad: on the Brisbane Valley rail trail, I find the ride to be smoother than on my old ebike which actually had dual suspension, however I've gone from 2.3" width tyres to 2.6" tyres, and perhaps the tread pattern may have something to do with it as well. In any case, this is the best ride on rail trail I've experienced, however on roads I have to go a bit slower around corners, as my old ebike had road tyres which don't "walk" when hitting corners hard and fast. I have no doubt that with road tyres this bike would handle similarly around bitumen corners but I will likely keep these hybrid tyres due to hitting the rail trail far more often now.
Gears: Previously my gears were 10 on rear, 3 on front. So 30 gears. Now I have 12 on rear only. Which is better? 12 on rear, no question whatsoever. Front derailleur is mostly redundant, weighing the bike down and leading to clicking when you don't have the optimal combination of gear settings. The Bosch mid-mount motor is so capable at 85nM, that I haven't even come close to needing the lowest gear selection yet. I will have to try it one day just to see how low it is. The thing is, as you drop down into lower gears, the assistance you receive keeps increasing. I don't believe there is a hill that will challenge this system, you are more likely to tip over backwards before running out of torque to get up a hill.
Battery: is fairly easy to get out. You can remove it and plug the Bosch charger directly into the battery if you want, or leave it on the ebike and use the charging port on side of bike. I used a thermal imaging camera to inspect my ebike immediately after a 66KM ride on rail trail. Hottest spot on bike was lower end of battery at 31.9 degrees followed by motor at 24.2 degrees and seat at 24.0 degrees. Ambient temperature at the time was 22 degrees. Battery at start of ride was at 99% charge, dropping to 27% using "tour" mode for entire ride. As the batteries are a very significant cost of any e-bike, it's a good idea to learn what you can do, to maximise the life of your lithium ion battery. Did you know that depending on the temperatures that the battery is exposed to, and the choices made for charging and discharging can result in lifespan reduction of up to ten times? Many know not to discharge beyond 20 percent, but few know that charging to 100% can be even worse, particularly if left at 100% for long periods, and even worse, in storage that experiences high ambient temperatures (over 25 degrees C). Because of what I learned, I've setup to make it practical for me to charge my ebike just before use, stopping charge at a point where my ride is likely to bring charge down to between 30% and 60%. Typically, I will ride 20KM per day, using around 20% battery. So I charge to from 60% to 80%. On days when I go further, I charge to around 98%, ride ending at around 30%. To support longer rides, my goal is to get a second battery rather than use this original battery faster. It does help that the Smart System allows me to monitor battery charge level live on my smartphone. But I suggest that Bosch should add functionality such that charging automatically stops at a preset charge value, such as 80% or 90%.
Assistance modes: I'm used to an ebike with very much less assistance, probably around 25nM in rear hub. Assistance modes are off, eco, tour, sport and turbo. Eco is similar to what I experienced on old ebike, but with old ebike assistance mode to 3 out of 4, although new is far superior for uphills. In tour mode, there is more than enough assistance, and I find myself constantly hovering around 25KPH (even on rail trail) which is where assistance cuts off suddenly. It's possible to tweak these modes and I intend to do so, creating a mode that is somewhere between eco and tour modes for use when I want more distance on the rail trail. Frankly, tour mode offers so much assistance that I fail to recognise the extra boost that higher modes offer. When I face challenges due to heavy traffic on roads, I may switch to turbo then but honestly I don't really see the need. The 25KPH cut-off though, I do see a need to remove this, or at least increase it to at least 32KPH. This is nothing to do with Cube or Bosch, it's the governments of countries such as Australia that impose this. Expect something to happen soon in this space, forced by the rampant sales of "tuning chips" sold for multiple hundreds of dollars, threatening to void warranties and turn honest people into criminals. Thanksfully, it looks like Bosch has made it easy to change this limit, for when regulation changes are ultimately made. It also makes it easy to sell the same bike to multiple countries, ie NZ uses a 32KPH assistance cut-off.
Charger: is okay, however it does get a bit warmer than I expected, at 52 degrees case temperature after 1 hour of charging the 625 WH battery. I don't imagine this is cause for alarm. As for any situation where you regularly store and charge lithium ion batteries, install a smoke detector as the risk of fire from larger LI batteries is real, even if it is mostly in cheaper chinese equipment rather than quality Bosch units.
If you want to ride at night, get yourself something like a MagicShine MJ 906s or 902s. MagicShine sell a cable that allows you to connect to the aux port on the Bosch CX motor. Or you can get the model with battery. I've used both, and each work just fine. If you intend to use offroad at night, I would definitely not go with the 902s, I believe 906s is minimum and even more lumens if you can afford it.
Grips: are okay. If anything, they are too "grippy", leading to blistering on long rides over rough terrain. A better grip comes from "Ergon", check out the GP1 to GP5 range. The "large" gives you larger, smoother surfaces, making quite a difference on long rail trail rides. You could use riding gloves but I find the best solution is the large Ergon grips, allowing you to change your grip at times where circulation is becoming an issue. The downside is some added weight and air resistance.
Summary: I really love this bike. The modularity that comes with the Bosch Smart System gives great peace of mind and promise of wonderful things in future as well. If I was choosing a bike today, I would choose same again, although if I could get a battery even larger I would, but not with dual suspension. Fitting a PowerPack 800 (when available) should make this ebike just perfect.
Update 10th April 2024: I've had this ebike a month now, and love it just as much! I talked to a couple this morning that bought "Pedal" brand ebikes from same store I bought this ebike from. Theirs was a sad story, having paid $1700 but for a product that cannot even be compared with this ebike. I suggested that at least their had good brakes (hydraulic disc brakes front and rear) but they replied that these had given them a lot of grief and it seems that it's because they are the very cheap variety. It made me feel that I chose wisely with the Cube Reaction Hybrid. From what I've seen online, Giant is a decent brand as well. But for me, why would I change from Cube?
Update 11th June 2024: Still very happy with this ebike after around 1000KM. I tend to stay in top gear a lot of the time, and managed to damage the smallest gear on the cassette. I've ordered a 44T chainring so that the new cassette lasts longer through more varied use of the available gears. I typically use fairly low cadance (I'm 65yo) which aggrevates the issue of overusing the highest (tallest) gear most of the time. Had I spent more time on trails rather than roads would probably result in gear usage being spread more as well. But as I mostly am on good straight roads, taller gears seem way to go.
Cube Touring Hybrid ONE 500
CUBE Hybrid eBike – How good is eBike riding! My partner and I purchased one each earlier this year and we love them. We've ventured into nature and met so many new… Read more
people along the way - what a joy.
Our bikes our heavy and we are yet to install the car carrier to go further afield, but so far the local burbs have provided a pretty good playing field.
We did manage to put mine into his wagon and he hired one for himself, when we visited the Riesling Trail during winter but that's another story - just quickly, the trail is awesome and very eBike friendly - a must for any avid cyclist.
The batteries on the bikes have been sufficient for our rides and we've taken up the service option with the seller - there have been no issues with the bikes to date.
I've looked into joining eBike groups in Adelaide but I'm yet to find one suitable - perhaps it's too soon as eBikes are still pretty new, and I'm not keen to start one myself.
I would love to consider a camping trip as I think the bike has the capacity to hold the weight of the tent etc. but I'm yet to really understand the battery limit and recharging - as I said, it's all very new to me, and society I suspect.
So far so good!
Polygon Path 3
End to end review, from discovery to using the 2016 Polygon Path 3 - 29er City Bike – I have been commuting to work for two years now (Gold Coast), the round trip being 38km, it’s by no means flat route so there is a quite a bit of… Read more
gear changing and getting off the saddle. My previous bike before the Polygon Path 3, was a specialized mountain bike converted into a ‘hybrid’. I bought this specialized bike 18 years ago, the best money I ever spent. I used this specialized bike to commute to work in London UK (through 3 winters) as well as weekend off road fun. Thought this history would be relevant for the review of the Polygon Path 3. Just to add, I have been road cycling on and off for 30 years
Approximately two months ago I decided it was time to upgrade to a new bike. I stumbled across [link removed] and found the Polygon Path 3. The price was just right - on a tight budget. After using Bicyclesonline sizing up guide, emailing and phone correspondence, which was OUTSTANDING, I committed to purchasing this 2016 Polygon Path 3 - 29er City Bike. The bike came as advertised, and was very easy to assembly with all tools provided - I was impressed. Just to add, I purchased the pannier rack (https://www.bicyclesonline.com.au/polygon-heist-path-carrier-rack-fits-disc-brakes) as well, as I have panniers. The assembly took approximately one hour. My clip-in pedals and seat bottle holder were transferred from the old specialised bike without any issues. My ortlieb panniers required only minor adjustments to fit on the new rack and do not interfere with the rear derailer or disc brakes at all.
On my first day using the 2016 Polygon Path 3 - 29er City Bike to commute to work I was VERY IMPRESSED. It was quick, the difference is wheel size from 26” to 29” makes a HUGE difference (very similar tyres on specialized). The bike is very smooth and responsive, and the geometry is very similar to my specialised bike which made for an easy transition (http://cyclingtips.com/2011/02/the-geometry-of-bike-handling/ ). The disc breaks as great - my first.
Lastly my previous bike had front shocks where this Polygon Path 3 does not, so you feel it a bit more in the hands and arms but a happy trade-off as the bike is more responsive and ergonomic handlebar grips help as well.
This is an outstanding value for money bike and highly recommend it.
Just A Really Good Practical Bike! – Fell in love with it from my first test ride! Shows importance for shops to offer test rides.. Pricier than what I intended for my budget for a… Read more
practical commuter bike. But well worth it! Smooth ride for town riding! Toddlers love it too with the installed child seat. Cheers!
Marin Fairfax SC3
A great bike – The bike came well protected and fault free. It took me a while to finish the final assembly and adjust everything to my liking, but I can be a bit… Read more
fussy and methodical. The bike looks great and so far has been performing well.One thing to watch is the orientation of the tyres. They are directional and were installed backwards. Easy enough to fix.
Giant seems to be faking their websites reviews so posting here – A few problems with the Revolt 2, needed to take it back twice so far. Gear changing can still slip, but the bikes usable. Stable and comfortable… Read more
at least.
I asked giant why they didn’t post my review on their website and they said they’d check things, but I actually think they are just suppressing negative views on their website, which is really disappointing. I’ve attached a screenshot of my review that they declined to post.
Trek 8.4 DS
Jury is still out – I was looking to replace my Giant mountain bike with something with a bit more roll and I get an extra 1-2km/h on a ride. It's a comfortable bike to… Read more
ride with excellent brakes. Gears are a bit clunky, front suspension is a bit soft and I am also having trouble with rear wheel spokes. I have purchased a large size bike and weigh 96 kg and have popped out a second spoke today whilst riding up an incline. Have only had the bike for 5 months of regular riding so reliability is an issue.
Edited: good hub, bad frame – Really long story, short. The hub on this bike kept developing a fault, even after service/replacement. It turns out that the brand new frame was out… Read more
of alignment and the replacement frame from BMC was also out of alignment. I purchased this bike from 99 Bikes and i was without my bike for about 50% of the time i owned it (3 months). I eventually asked for a full refund, which i received.
What is a hybrid bike?
A hybrid bike is something in between a road bike and a mountain bike, utilising features of both to make it be able to tackle all kinds of terrain while being comfortable to ride. These bikes are mainly designed for recreational use and commuting.
You can expect a hybrid bike to:
- have wider tyres than road bikes but narrower tyres than mountain bikes.
- usually have flat handlebars to allow the rider to be in a more upright riding position.
- have disc brakes to provide better stopping power in wet weather, although rim brakes are also found in hybrid bikes.
- have eyelets (if you’re looking for a hybrid commuter bike) to attach pannier racks and mudguards to your bicycle.
It’s a broad category and the term ‘hybrid bike’ can be used rather loosely, as different styles offer different levels of performance and quality depending on what they’re designed for.
Factors to consider when choosing a hybrid bike
Frame material
The desired material of your bike frame will largely depend on your purposes for your bike, as each material has advantages and drawbacks.
- Aluminium: Aluminium is strong, lightweight, and affordable, which is why it’s commonly found in hybrid bikes, particularly those designed for city riding.
- Carbon fibre: Carbon fibre is durable and lighter than aluminium, but it’s more expensive than both aluminium and steel, making it more prevalent in higher-end bikes.
- Steel: Steel is heavier than aluminium and can rust easily, but is durable and absorbs bumps, making it comfortable to ride.
Wheels
Wheel size
Hybrid bikes most often have 700c wheels with narrower tyres - this larger wheel helps the bike smoothly roll over bumps and obstacles on the road or trail, letting the rider maintain high speeds on different surfaces.
Some hybrid mountain bikes have smaller wheels which make for a stronger, more lightweight, and easy to manoeuvre bike.
Tyres
For city commutes, you can avoid more pronounced, knobbly tyres - those are meant for more off-road biking. Urban bikes have smoother tyres with a lighter tread, and are slightly wider than those found on road bikes. You should also look for puncture-resistant tyres to reduce your risk of getting a flat on your way to work.
Commuter bikes usually use tyres in the size range of 700x28 to 700x42 - the first number is the tyre’s diameter while the second is the tyre width in millimeters. Think about the terrain you’re tackling and how comfortable you want to be while you ride - wider tyres generally have more traction and shock absorption.
Suspension
Many hybrid bikes don’t have any suspension, as they add weight to the vehicle and can make it more difficult to pedal - if you’ll mostly be riding on pavement and smooth surfaces, then you may not need it.
There are however some hybrid bikes with front suspension forks that can help absorb impact on the road, making it more comfortable to ride over bumps and small obstacles on rougher terrain.
Gears
What kind of gearing you need depends on what you’re using your bike for. Most hybrid bikes have either double or triple chainrings - the former is useful for quick changes across gears, such as when you want to drop to a low gear to ride up a hill. Double cranksets are generally suited to those tackling different terrains and who do faster endurance riding.
Triple chainrings offer up a range of gears, particularly lower gears, which can be handy for riders commuting over mixed terrain, touring, and climbing hills - particularly if you’re carrying a heavy load.
If you want some extra assistance with commuting or cruising along, then you might want to consider getting an electric hybrid bike. These also have various levels of pedal assist so you can speed along with less effort.
Brakes
If you’re riding through the city, you’ll need to be able to stop abruptly in traffic, which is why finding a bike with effective and reliable brakes is so important.
The main two options are rim brakes and disc brakes, and although disc brakes are recommended, sometimes high-quality rim brakes perform just as well as lower-end disc brakes.
Rim brakes are lighter, cheaper, and more aerodynamic than disc brakes, and are easier to repair and maintain, however their stopping power isn’t as effective as that of disc brakes.
Disc brakes offer more precise control over braking, better speed modulation, and are reliable in wet weather. They’re heavier than rim brakes, however this gap is fast closing with disc technology developments.
You can choose between 2 types of disc brakes, hydraulic disc brakes and mechanical disc brakes. Hydraulics offer up stronger braking with less pressure applied at the brake lever, but are more pricey than their mechanical counterparts.
Accessories
All riders should have a well-fitting, ventilated, comfortable helmet that abides by Australian safety standards. It’s generally recommended to spend at least 10% of the cost of your bike on a high-quality helmet.
In addition to bike must-haves (lights, a lock, a bell, and a pump), a commuter might also benefit from the following extras.
- Pannier rack: A pannier rack can be attached to the front or rear of your bike for extra storage. They’re handy if you don’t want to wear a backpack or have a lot of gear to transport.
- Mudguard: When riding in the rain or when there’s water on the road, a mudguard helps keep mud and water from splashing up into your chain and gears, as well as yourself. This makes for a comfortable ride, and keeps all your bike parts cleaner.
- Kickstand: A kickstand allows your bike to be kept upright without leaning against a wall or someone holding it - it’s a piece of metal that can be kicked down from the frame to prop up the bike.
Price
Hybrid bikes can range anywhere from around $250 to $6000 and upwards, although you can get decent quality bikes starting from around $500. You should generally expect to fork out more when you go for features like an aluminium or carbon fibre frame, disc brakes, and suspension.
The bottom line
You don’t really need to worry about getting a dedicated womens hybrid bike or mens hybrid bike - go to a specialty bike store for a bike fit service, and if possible, take a few bikes out for a test ride to see what feels good for you. This will help ensure you go home with a bike that suits your needs and will last you years to come.