Top 10 Best Comfort Bikes Under 500 Reviews

As the name suggests, a comfort bike is comfortable. It combines the best of both worlds: street/city/cruiser bike and mountain bike. This makes the bike a great choice for people who need a bike for casual weekend rides, daily commutes, or outdoor exercise. In this post, we’ve selected the top 10 best comfort bikes so you don’t have to spend hours researching. Let’s check out what they are right below!

Top 10 Best Comfort Bikes Under 500 Reviews in 2021

Schwinn High Timber Mountain Bikes, Multiple Sizes, Multiple Colors

Schwinn High Timber is the number one bestseller in comfort bikes with over 200 happy customer reviews. What we love about this bike is that it looks sturdy. The frame is well-made from high-quality steel. The welds are finished beautifully. Schwinn really nailed every component of the bike. This is why it makes the number one spot on our list. The bike’s wheels are quite big: 27.5 inches (700c). The standover height is around 32”. That’s about the waistline of a person over 5’5” tall. People from 5’9” to over 6’4 will still find the bike a good fit. What you can do is adjust the seat up or down a bit to suit your height. The High Timber sports a 21-speed Shimano rear derailleur gear, which together with its wide tires, can take you over all types of terrains. Riding up mountain tops, downhills, over grass, through puddles, or just about anything. A small point that we didn’t like about this bike is that it doesn’t have a chain guard and fenders. Other than that, this is a solid choice.

Schwinn Discover 700c Hybrid Bicycle with Full Fenders and Rear Cargo Rack, Men’s and Women’s Frame Styles

Compared to the slightly more naked High Timber, this bike looks more like a warrior. The bike has all the shields and armor, aka the full fenders and cargo rack. In our eyes, this model is more complete. There are not many spokes in this Discover bike as there are in the High Timber which creates a cleaner look. Some people prefer the spider-web-like spokes on High Timber, though. The Schwinn Discover comes with a 21-speed SRAM grip shifter along with a high-quality Shimano derailleur. If you’re not very familiar with changing speeds on a Schwinn bike, here are some quick tips: Schwinn is famous for its unique grip shifters on most of their comfort bikes. These work like the throttle on a motorbike, or like the volume knobs on your hi-fi. To change to a higher and harder gear (e.g. when climbing up a mountain), you just twist the grip away from you. To change it to an easier gear (e.g. cruising along a shoreline), just twist the grip toward you. This will become so much simpler after you do it a couple of times. We also like the rear cargo rack that ships with this bike. A great bike, overall!

Schwinn Network 3.0 700C Men’s Hybrid Bicycle, Multiple Colors

Out of all the Schwinn models, this Network bike has our favorite spoke design. We don’t even know how to describe it. It just looks so pleasing to the eyes. Unlike the previous models, the Network has two EZ Fire shifters because some beginners find it difficult to twist the whole handlebar end to change gear. As a result, Schwinn has designed this EZ Fire shifter so riders can shift gear with just one finger (i.e. their pointing index finger). Looking right above your brake lever, you can see a little tail poking out. That’s the shifter. Behind it is an activation lever. It’s kind of like a lock. Whenever you want to activate the shifter, you click the activation lever. It’s there to protect you against accidental shifts. To change gear, you simply click the shifter. When you’re happy with the speed, you can deactivate the shifter. Super quick and easy! In a nutshell, this is an awesome bike with all the best Schwinn has to offer. You can even mount a water bottle cage on the bike in case you get thirsty during your ride. Very handy!

Northwoods Pomona Men’s Dual-Suspension Comfort Bike

This Northwoods Pomona reminds us of one of the first comfort bikes our neighbors had. It looks cool with a silver coating and touches of black and blue here and there. The Northwoods is very meticulous with their design and the specs are also high. You get a 26-inch aluminum wheelset. Coupled with this are an ergonomic steel handlebar and easy-to-use twist shifters. To change gear, just twist the grip as you may twist a towel. The bike is equipped with a chain guard. Few bike manufacturers add this to comfort bikes. So, this is a big plus for the model right here. A tail light is also included, which is very nice. Thanks to the suspension forks and lightweight frame, the Pomona can “swallow” up bumps on the bumpiest roads, leaving you with no hiccups during your trip. Overall, this bike is very good for the price. Read more:

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Raleigh Bikes Venture Step Thru Comfort Bike

Raleigh is a big name in the comfort bike and bike industry. This bike looks simple and rides amazingly well. It’s one of those bikes that your friendly and dog-loving girl next door could ride on her way to the beach with friends. There are 4 sizes to choose from: XS, S, M, and L. The smallest recommended is a rider’s height is 5’1” and the tallest is 5’10”. People taller than 6’ may find the bike a bit too short and tight. The Step-Thru design on this Venture bike is an innovative feature. They make the top tube like a letter J sliding down like a slide on kids’ playground. This makes getting on and off the bike super easy and pain-free. What we also like the Revo twist shifters. These not too big, not too small, but just the right size. So, you can just Rev it up and ride! The 27.5-inch wide tires also make riding over bumpy roads or pavements an easy task. Assembling this bike may take between 30 minutes and 2 hours depending on your skills. If you’re unsure, get some professional help or read their instructions. Raleigh stands behind their bike quality and craftsmanship. So, you can take your Venture out for your next adventures!

Schwinn Solana Women’s Bicycle, 27.5″ Wheels

This Schwinn Solana is great for ladies who have an active and healthy lifestyle. The sound and look of it give the feeling of a romantic song, just like Frank Sinatra serenading us to the moon. Getting back to earth, this model, once again, shows how thoughtful Schwinn is when designing bikes for their riders. The shifters they use on this Solana are Micro thumb shifters. Now, we understand that ladies may have smaller hands and shorter fingers than men which is why the EZ Fire shifter may not be a good fit because ladies may not be able to reach the shifters comfortably. Grip shifters may work, but some petite girls might not be able to grab hold of the grip tightly. All of this led to the invention of the Micro thumb so small women can easily change gear using their thumbs. The lever is micro-sized and very easy to click. Many riders will love the fact that this bike is made from high-quality and lightweight aluminum. A small point we didn’t like, however, is there are no pre-drilled holes on the bike to mount a water bottle cage. Other than this , this a beautiful bike for all of the amazing ladies out there.

Raleigh Bikes Venture 3.0 Comfort Bike

Can we just say: This Raleigh Venture 3.0 is beautiful! It looks like a masterpiece and is so unique and different from the rest of the models. And this model has some seriously heavy duty Hercules power. It can carry riders over 300 lbs with ease. Considering the bike is only a little over 30 lbs, this is 10x their body weight. Amazing support! You get 21 speeds with this bike thanks to the 3 front and 7 rear gears. Its body frame is made from top-grade aluminum with True Comfort geometry. You also get front and rear brakes that are easy to use thanks to the Promax alloy V-brake system. You can also mount 2 water bottles onto the bike. That’s double the power! So cool! The seat is plush like a small mattress contouring your bottom area comfortably and the crankset is made by Prowheel which will certainly stand the test of time. Overall, this Venture 3.0 has some really high specifications and power.

Raleigh Bikes Venture Comfort Bike

To make a long story short, this Venture model has all of the features and functionalities the Venture Step Thru model has, except for its top tube design. The Venture follows the traditional geometry many bike manufacturers use for their comfort bike: The horizontal top tube (crossbar) that completes the front triangle in the frame. The black finish on this bike is superb, It’s not matte, but a little polished but too polished that’s over-the-top glossy. Perfect. The bike ships 85% assembled. This may sound like bad news for people who are not good with their hands. On the other hand, this is going to be a fun project for those who love a bit of DIY. Either way, you’ll find the instructions super easy to follow. Some people assembled the bike in under 15 minutes! As with the Venture Step Thru, this is a 7-speed bike with 1 front gear and 7 rear gears. Shifting gear is also easy with the Shimano Revo twist shifters. This is also the lightest model out of the Venture series Raleigh produces. There is1 water bottle mount right on the bike. All in all, if you want a less curvy design and a somewhat more sturdy look, this is the bike for you. We give it 5 stars and highly recommend the model!

Diamondback Bicycles Wildwood Classic Comfort Bike

Does the Wildwood’s green color remind you of anything? Personally, we were reminded of Japanese seaweed and for others, this is like the iconic green of Monster energy drink. We like this bike because its stem is adjustable as you can change its height and angle to suit your height. The handlebar is flat, allowing you to ride in a natural, comfortable, and upright position. The Kind Shock Seatpost works in tandem with the HL Zoom suspension forks to smooth out any bumps on your way to your destination. There are 3 gears at the front and 7 gears at the rear, giving you a total of 21 different speeds to choose from. The drivetrain of the bike uses the Shimano Tourney mechanism. This system is very reliable and provides crisp gear shifting. You can choose from 4 sizes: S, M, L, and XL. Although the Large size fits folks up to 6’1”, some people as tall as 6’2” find the size right for them. Because the bike arrives 95% assembled, you only need 30-60 minutes to assemble all the remaining parts. Be sure to check if there are any missing parts in the package, though. Other than that, this is a well-rounded bike for the price. You can count on it for years. Some people had to order a second one because bike thieves couldn’t resist getting their hands on this bike. So, secure your bike carefully! Other readers liked these similar posts:

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Vilano Diverse 3.0 Performance Hybrid Road Bike 24 Speed Shimano Disc Brakes

If 21 speeds are too limited for you, check out this 24-speed Vilano bike. Unlike the other models we’ve seen, this Vilano also has a disc brake system. Mechanical disc brakes are very powerful and with such power, you can stop your bike easily even in wet and rainy conditions. The overall bike is not heavy, the frame and forks are made from aircraft-grade 6061 aluminum, a super durable, strong, and lightweight material. The manufacturer uses the Shimano EF51 ⅜ speed shifters on this bike. Remember the EZ Fire shifters on Schwinn bikes? The shifters here are exactly the same. You adjust the speed by pulling the shift lever backward with your index finger. Vilano includes 2 free pedals with every bike and there are pre-drilled holes on the bike for you to mount your water bottle cage. The tires on this bike measure 700 x 35 mm, meaning, you get big fat tires that can smooth out any bumpy road. No kickstand ships with the bike, so, you may want to add one. Overall, this is a great bike with awesome performance.

The Ultimate Guide To Choosing  Best Comfort Bikes Under 500

Which type of gear shifter would be best for you?

If you are looking for a comfort multiple speed bikes, you need to consider the gear shifter. Is it easy to use? Can my fingers reach it comfortably? As you can read in the review, the most common types of shifters you’ll find on most comfort bikes today are:

• Twist grip shifter: change speeds by twisting the grip like a throttle
• EZ Fire (or EF51) trigger shifter: change gear by pulling or pushing the shift levers up or down
• Micro Thumb shifter: shift gear by using your thumb to click the lever

There are many other kinds, but we recommend the micro thumb shifter for ladies and those with smaller hands. A Trigger shifter, in general, will be easier to control for beginners. Because some riders find it hard to maintain balance while twisting the grip to change gear. The twist grip shifter would be perfect if you’re more comfortable with riding overall.

Do you need pre-drilled holes to mount a water bottle cage on your comfort bike?

It is a nuisance if you have to drill holes on your bike to attach a water bottle cage on. Some manufacturers have Velcro tape adhesive hooks as a holder. These tend not to have a good grip on the bike frame. They may drop down, especially when you’re riding over obstacles while carrying a water bottle on yourself is out of the question. Choosing a comfort bike with pre-drilled holes right from the beginning will save you a lot of time and hassle. Some models like the Schwinn Solana, unfortunately, don’t have this feature. Other models like Schwinn Network 3.0, Raleigh Venture, Raleigh Venture 3.0, and Vilano have 1 or 2 places for your water carrying needs.

Do you need a cargo rack?

If you don’t need a rear cargo rack, you can skip this section. If you do, check out the Schwinn Discover 700c bike. It’s one of a few comfort bikes we could find that ships with a rear cargo rack. This extra accessory is very useful, especially for carrying items like a backpack, groceries, and other things that you may need along your ride.

Do you need a kickstand?

If you want a kickstand, you can forget about getting a comfort bike as no comfort bikes on the market have this little piece. If you like one, you can head over to our review of the best cruiser bikes. The reason why they don’t add a kickstand on comfort bikes is simply that riders don’t need it. A comfort bike is a slight variation of a mountain bike. And on a mountain bike, there is no kickstand. This feature is removed for a couple of more reasons. It may be dangerous for the rider when they crash., it adds weight and may damage the frame by shifting the weight and balance over to one side. Also, it’s somewhat inconvenient when riders have to kick the stand up and down every time they need to use their bike.

FAQ

1. What is a comfort bike?

A comfort bike is a comfy variation of a mountain bike. It was originally designed for casual short distance jaunts on bike paths or any flat terrains. Some comfort bikes are equipped with derailleur gears while others have hub gears. A lot of hybrid comfort bike models nowadays can even carry you up hills, downhills, and over other rough terrains very easily. You can use these bikes for daily commutes, outdoor exercises, or weekend cruising.

2. Which bike is the most comfortable?

We recommend the Schwinn series (High Timber, Discover, Network), Raleigh Venture series, and Vilano. If you’re a bit heavier or taller, you can check out DiamondBack bike. Northwood is also a very good option.

Interested in more similar posts? Check these out:

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