Top 10 Best Hybrid Bikes Under $500 Review

If biking is your sport of choice then a hybrid bicycle is really worth considering. They are a revolutionized modern design combined of road bikes and MTBs that trails or streets aren’t a matter for them. See also:

• Top 9 Best Cheap Mountain Bikes Under $500/$1000 Reviews (2020 Update)
• Top 9 Affordable Road Bikes Under $500/$1000 Reviews In 2020
• Top 10 Best Comfort Bikes Reviews In 2020

But it’s really a matter if you’re looking for the best hybrid bikes UNDER $500. They should be a good blend of two riding styles and of course, there aren’t many options out there. To find a stud in amongst all the duds, this rounded-up list will give you some help. Read on!

Top 10 Best Hybrid Bikes Under $500 Review 2020

For Women

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Women’s Step-Through Hybrid Cruiser Bicycle (24-Inch and 26-Inch)

Inexpensive and well-reviewed, the Sixthreezero EVRYjourney is arguably one of the most popular hybrid bikes for women. The bicycle features a built-in rear coaster brake, front handbrake, matching fenders, and thick 26” semi-slick tires. Perfect for cruising, commuting to work or riding around campus. It also sports a woman 17.5” swooping frame made out of high-grade aluminum that an adult rider can step through easily. Your back and shoulders are also kept comfortably with proper leg extension thanks to the foot-forward design and the upright riding style. Sixthreezero also made some small changes on this women’s hybrid bike for a more feminine look, such as the comfy dual-spring saddle, the optional panniers, baskets, and the stylish, curvy frame. As long as the bike is ridden on flat terrains, you will feel like its performance is as smooth as butter. A lot of fans also give compliments for its easy stopping. And the price, it can’t be more affordable.

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

Schwinn is one of the top-rated bicycle manufacturers, but its Discover 700c isn’t an expensive mountain bike or high-end racing one. This cheap-priced hybrid option is ideal for urban riding, like taking a quick tour through the park and riding home or around campus. The classic look matches nicely about anything in your closet. And with the lightweight yet durable aluminum alloy frame, ladies can easily flip it up to pavements like a breeze. Compared to the original bikes created by Ignaz Schwinn, you can count on this upgraded version. It’s improved with many innovative features, such as the fenders, the cushy grips with dual density construction, and the back-sweep handlebar. They all help to enhance and simplify your riding experience to the best. Though optional, can’t deny the huge benefit of its built-in rear rack to help you carry your groceries or stuff like that back home with you. There are a Shimano rear derailleur and a 21-speed SRAM grip shifter which are powerful enough to let you pedal up against any nearby hills with ease. But talking about the best thing, it gives you two options: Preassembly and Non-preassembly. For ladies, it’s good to pick the 2nd one so that you can readily ride it out of the box without the need for any prep.

Schwinn Wayfarer 700c Women’s Hybrid Bike

If you’re looking for a hybrid bike that gets you around in all-weather with worry-free, check out the Schwinn Wayfarer 700c. Aside from the equipped full fenders, its included coordinating seat, rack, and grips give you more joys of sharing an excursion with friends or comfort for city riding. It’s truly a bike that fits your city style by providing sure stopping power and easy shifting based on the Schwinn 7-speed derailleur with alloy brakes. Like its previous sibling, the Wayfarer 700c features a rear rack to easily carry belongings or taking kids out for ice cream after dinner. Despite how much heft you’re going to carry along with, the upright riding position will give you plenty of comfort and visibility. In terms of assembly, you’ve got two choices: With or without expert assembly. I will agree with everyone else that this bike is a bit hardcore to put them together on your own. It might require you to consult some YouTube videos and images. Hence, it’d better pick the 1st option if you’re not good at installing things. If you have a lower budget, check out these best hybrid bikes under $300.

Retrospec Beaumont-7 Seven Speed Lady’s Urban City Commuter Bike

The Beaumont-7 Seven-Speed Lady’s Bike from Retrospec is a great option for women who want to take exercises as well as riding for leisure or urban commuting. Unlike other counterparts above, the frame of this hybrid bicycle is crafted from steel but don’t fret, it’s still lightweight yet durable. The combination of hand-built step-through frame design, RevoShift twist shifters, Shimano 7-speed drivetrain, and upright riding position helps with ultimate speed, precision, and control. At the meantime, it keeps your riding experience more comfortable and joyful. Besides, is the front and rear brake from Linear Pull to keep you in control and safe wherever you ride it. But the most outstanding feature should be two Kenda 700x35C tires – its extra thickness gives a better grip to the ground while delivering a sure-footed and smooth ride every time. One last but the biggest bonus is its 85% built when arrival that you can easily follow the provided instructions, with assembly tools, to finish putting your bike together. Hence, it’s alright to pick the “Without expert assembly” option for the economy.

Diamondback Bicycles Calico St Women’s Dual Sport Bike Small/16 Frame, Silver, 16″/ Small

This sporty bicycle from Diamondback is pretty strong, durable, and effective to mender on the bike path or take a trip around town. But don’t be afraid that it would break your feminine look or cause discomfort. The Calico is designed with reasonable geometry while the 6061-T6 aluminum alloy frame features touchpoints and a size range to give enough comfort for female fit. Highlight with the fast-rolling traction of dual sport 700x40c tires that all you need is to just pump them up and go anywhere you want it to. Combined with the Tektro disc brakes for smoother stopping and the Shimano 3×7-speed drivetrain, it soups up your confidence to challenge on any conditions, even it’s a steep hill. All in all, a very good deal!

For Men

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

If you’re finding a well-made hybrid bike that looks like it was pulled from the past, the Schwinn Discover 700c is surely your best bet. This old-school model features a high-grade aluminum frame and full fenders to deliver an extraordinary outer performance as well as help male riders with easier access to other features. With a front suspension fork, it makes pavement patches and manhole covers easier to take. Even, the built-in rack, the anatomic grips with dual-density construction, and the extra-padded sport seat make this men’s bike even more comfortable to ride. I’m personally liking its type of gear shifters. They are exactly the 21-speed SRAM grip shifter, featuring 3 on the main and 7 on rear sprockets. You might take some time to get used to while riding, however, after that, they work precisely without the frailty and complexity of some other products. Lubrication is a must to keep them last longer, but I think that small task doesn’t trouble you at all.

sixthreezero EVRYjourney Men’s Hybrid Cruiser Bicycle, 26″ Wheels/ 19″ Frame

Made with a Matte Black frame and blacked out components, the Sixthreezero Evryjourney is a sleek and fantastic way to get about, especially when considering its inexpensive price. Aside from looks made for the beach, its gears are crafted with sophistication. From the 19” swooping well-made aluminum frame, rear coaster brake and front handbrake to the integrated fender, dual-spring saddle, and grips. No doubt, this is a hybrid bike that’s ready for anything with lots of joys and safety. You can cruise it to the beach at the dusk or hit the trails at the dawn’s crack – as long as they are flat terrains. Take note that the Evryjourney comes in 4 gearing options:

• Single-speed
• 3-speed
• 7-speed
• 21-speed

This product is the single-speed, but whichever you go to, keep in mind that it will be built with the same size of tires – the 26”, 1.95” wide semi-slick. The biggest benefit of this type is the stable, cushioned ride for superbly easy rolling. Overall, this is my recommendation for single-ride trips with a max speed of 30MPH for 45-60 minutes.

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

The Schwinn Network 3.0 is a good choice as a modest-price mountain bike for versatile everyday riding, from long weekend jaunts to simply a speedy morning commute, that doesn’t cause ache to your back. As other popular Schwinn siblings, this is a capable hybrid that combines the durability of a mountain bike and the speed of a road bike. Plus, is the comfortable suspension seat post, padded comfort style seat, and cruiser riding position. They all help to shape a perfect upright riding position as well as when stopped, allowing you to put your feet flat on the ground with proper leg extension. If you’re wondering about the difference between this and other Schwinn’s hybrid bikes, my answer is the Shimano EZ Fire shifters. They are quick and easy to operate in comparison to others. But the best thing is these shifters come pre-adjusted that no extra prep needed.

Schwinn Capital 700c Hybrid Bicycle, Men’s and Women’s Frame Styles

The Schwinn Capital 700c is the best hybrid bike to get you from A to B with the maximum of fitness and the minimum of fuss. It has some unshown features, like the Allen nuts on the rear tire fork, the quickly-detached front wheel, and the deluxe, palmate handlebar grips (not the straight round ones as shown on the images). I guess it’s been on the scene for many years up to now, and such that period of time has allowed the Capital 700c to mature into an easier assembly product. Or, at least compared to other Schwinn’s hybrid bikes that I’ve tried. The lightweight, the high-grade aluminum frame has all fittings that you might ask for to equip with a suspension fork, 26” wheels, 21-speed EZ-Fire shifters, and V brakes. It’s also efficient and comfortable to ride. One take note that this model doesn’t have a rear or front mudguard so, you can easily guess the result of a morning ride after rain, right?

sixthreezero Explore Your Range Men’s Hybrid Commuter Bicycle

The Sixthreezero Explore Your Range is an unashamedly utilitarian ride to ride through the city or on hard-packed specialized crosstrails. It nails up with the hybrid 3-speed construction with lightweight yet durable aluminum frame. Plus, is the combination of Nexus shifters and Shimano internal hub to let you conquer any long-distance rides with comfort. Featured a 700x38c wheelset with double-walled rims and grippy, thick tires, this bike is considered quicker than other previous siblings. Fans of the Explore Your Range even give it a nickname of “no-holds-barred go-fast beast”, meaning it’s the best choice for anyone who wants to ride fast and explore new places. Another popular feature of Sixthreezero’s hybrid bicycles lies in their seat. It’s the softest that I’ve ever sat on, emphasizing with comfortable padding. Besides, the brown synthetic leather saddle matching with classic stitching gives a classic but cool look. I think for the price, you will hardly find a better value. Even, might some other high-end models not ride such that good.

The Ultimate Guide To Choosing Best Hybrid Bikes Under $500

1. Frame

Bike frame material is my most concern, as it decides virtually whether my hybrid bike is solid enough in long-term use. Also, it’s a decisive feature for the bicycle’s weight. After some research and from my experience, there are three common kinds of bike frame material:

• Aluminum
• Steel
• Carbon fiber

That each of them comes at a particular level of strength, weight, and even price, which is shown as follow:

In reality, 85% of the best hybrid bikes under $500 are utilized aluminum for their frame as a safe choice to keep the price down while ensuring some benefits of the strong, light material. And the rest is steel. They are usually picked by heavy riders who require extra strength and stiffness in the material. People also love the steel frame for their decent durability and wear resistance that can last a couple of more years than aluminum. There’s actually a close connection between bike frame and purpose of use to decide which kind of material is the most suitable for you. If it’s bought to commute, cruise, and leisure, aluminum is my high recommendation. Conversely, steel is a better choice for heavy training and touring. If your preference is aluminum, it’s still possible as long as they are newer construction techniques.

2. Wheel & Tire

Next up are wheels. The most important thing you should consider is their size, with 2 options:

• 700c
• 26”

Among them, the 700c is considered the standard size wheel for hybrid bicycles and accordingly, are the 700cc tires. They are made for uphill traveling and easy acceleration hence, a good choice to roll over small bumps, cracks, and pavements with smoothness. The 26” wheels and tires, easy to guess, are utilized for cruising and commuting only. They can’t stand those rough and tough surfaces and easily wobble when rolling over them. In turns, this type gives higher speed with good wind resistance.

3. Brake

Disc brakes They are constructed with brake pads to grip onto the brake rotor. There are two common kinds: Mechanical disc brakes: Is an old-school kind that as its name defined, using mechanical motion to stop the wheels. Hence, it requires manual adjusting because of the pads’ wears. Hydraulic disc brakes, on the other hand, provide stronger and more progressive braking whereas requiring less finger effort. But the biggest bonus is their self-adjusting for brake pads’ wear. Rim brakes Like the disc brakes, rim brakes have pads but, in this case, to grip onto the wheel rims. So, which is better between the two of them?

4. Suspension

It’s not compulsory to equip your hybrid bike suspension, especially those who ride on smooth streets and paved bike paths. It’s because suspension forks add weight to the bike, making pedaling less effective. Actually, the front suspension is only recommended when riders need to smoothen the ride on rough streets, like urban riding. This will help to absorb impacts on the front wheel.

5. Seat & Handlebar

The level comparison of the handlebars and the seat will decide whether your sitting posture on your bike is comfortable or not. If the bike is used for leisure, commuting, or cruising, seats should be lower than the handlebars. On the contrary, you are allowed riding in a more aerodynamic posture to apply efficiently more power to the pedals when choosing seats higher than the handlebars. A perfect choice for heavy training and touring. Besides, when it comes to handlebars for hybrid bikes, there are basically 3 styles:

• Moustache bar
• Riser bar
• Flat bar

6. Accessories

Fenders If you are running errands or commuting to work during the rainy season, fenders are worth considering because they keep road puddles and grime from splashing up to you. It’s particularly suitable for students or office workers since you don’t want your uniform to get dirty, do you? If you carry a friend at the rear rack, he/she will appreciate your fenders because they keep their clothes clean and dry. But take note that it’s just an optional component, hence, during dry weather riding, you can leave your bike’s fenders home to cut off some precious weight. Cargo racks This accessory is perfect for regular trips to the grocery stores or commuting to work that you need a place to put your suitcase or handbag in. If you’re in this group of people, don’t remove the stock bike racks because they help to haul extra cargo. Take note that 90% of racks will require you to buy some separate pannier bags to hold your stuff safely.

FAQs

1. Are hybrid bikes good for commuting?

Yes, they are the best bike for commuting based on their practical and safe form. Two major components that make them become a great option for commuters are the gearing coming on hybrids and the upright riding position.

2. Are hybrid bikes good for long distance?

Yes, they are. When it comes to long-distance cycling, there are two common options: Mountain bikes and hybrid bikes. But the 2nd pick is considered more suitable because of their extra comfort provided and the upper hand.

3. Are hybrid bikes faster than mountain bikes?

Well, it really depends on the environment you’re going to ride through. Besides, bikes aren’t fast, riders are! For example, on rough terrains like muddy balls-to-the-wall downhill wide path with many obstacles, a mountain bike surely performs better than any mere hybrid bikes. On the contrary, on smooth paths or urban roads with panniers and racks, a hybrid goes always faster than an MTB.

4. Do you need suspension on a hybrid bike?

Again, it depends! I’ve explained detailly in the Buying Guide Section, you can take a look here for more information.

Conclusion

$500, I think for many people, it’s a lot to drop on a bike. But from my bitter experience on some cheaper models, I will never choose them ever again. Remember, once you require for lower at price, manufacturers also start making a deep compromise of quality and producing cost. Some even sacrifice the 1st component for extra profit. That’s why I always advise my readers to think realistically and carefully about their riding needs. Hopefully, this article is helpful to you. Thanks for reading!