A comfort bicycle is important when you’re a beginner. You want to feel good riding your bike and don’t want to worry about too many bells and whistles. Cruiser bikes and Dutch-style bikes may be right up your alley. Consider the cruiser style if you’ll do your riding on natural surfaces such as dirt, sand or mud. Meanwhile, Dutch-style bikes are great on pavements in flat landscapes. They are popular among urban riders.
Cruiser Bicycles
A cruiser bicycle is for casual riding. Many beginners who live in rural areas find cruisers more accessible than Dutch-style bikes. Cruiser seats are large and comfortable, and the bikes often have balloon tires. These tires are wide, low volume and low pressure. They are good for riding on sand, mud, snow and other unstable/soft types of terrain. Balloon tires do give riders more of a workout on sidewalks and asphalt, but they cushion riders against potholes and rough spots.
Cruiser bikes have upright handlebars and large frames. Despite their multi-terrain friendliness, you can ride these bikes around town or to the park as you get the hang of biking. For example, the BodyEase bike for women features hybrid tires and a seat post suspension for back and hip support. Rider comfort remains paramount. Meanwhile, an IntheBarrel bike features semi-slick cruiser tires and can have a multi-gear system. This type of bike is able to handle a little more multi-terrain/aggressive riding than the BodyEase but is still great for beginners.
The best cruiser bicycles include these:
- IntheBarrel
- Womens Cruiser
- Evryjourney
- Be Cruiser
- AroundtheBlock
- AroundtheBlock 24″
- AroundtheBlock Girls
- IntheBarrel Fat Tire
Dutch-Style Bicycles
Dutch style bikes feature taller frames for better visibility and are hugely comfortable. The Netherlands has a flat landscape perfect for sturdy, even heavy, bikes to get riders around with no trouble. These bikes are practical and pragmatic, perfect for many beginners. That’s especially true if you live in an urban area.
Due to their heaviness and sturdiness, Dutch-style bikes may not be the best choice for beginner riders who live in rural areas. Dutch-style bikes typically do not have gears and are often called city bikes. As with cruiser bikes, a lot of room exists for customization, and some bikes double in both styles. The best Dutch-style bicycles include these:
- Womens Cruiser
- RideInThePark
- BodyEase
- Evryjourney Steel
- Evryjourney 24″
- ExploreyourRange
- IntheBarrel
- Evryjourney
- AroundtheBlock 24″
As noted above, there’s some overlap between the cruiser and Dutch styles. That’s because of the body design, accessibility and customization options.
Electric Bicycles
Electric bikes are a great option for many beginners. They shoulder some of the pedaling load and are helpful in these ways:
- Allow riders to focus more on their surroundings (helpful for safety as well)
- Let riders travel farther
- Are low cost and energy-efficient
- Deliver a more customized workout
Electric bikes especially benefit certain segments such as senior citizens, people with disabilities, folks who heavily use bikes for urban work and, of course, beginner bicyclists. As you consider which entry-level bikes are best for you, think about where you will do most of your riding and for what purpose.
