Using a bike to get around town is far healthier than taking the car. When I switched from taking the car to the local shop I noticed that it not only gave me greater self-esteem from feeling good from the exercise. But I wasn’t having to stop at every intersections traffic lights and getting caught up in all the traffic.
I originally had an old mountain bike that I used but it wasn’t very comfortable when getting around town. After some research and a talk with a few friends. They told me that the best bike for getting around town are leisure bikes. Also known as comfort bikes.
Comfort bikes offer added features and specifications that are made to provide a comfortable ride. Some of these features include riding in an upright riding positon which is a lot more comfortable than slouching over the handlebars.
Padded seats for added comfort. Although they do have some limitations. For example they aren’t made for long distance riding. And are purposely adapted to be better for short distance, leisure rides around your local city or town.
Our Pick
Around the Block
✅ Suspension seat
✅ 21 Speed Shimano Shifter
✅ Rear rack
Sixthreezero are a well known bicycle brand that offer high quality durable bikes at affordable prices.
The only downside we could find about this bike. But it’s mainly down to the price range is the steel frame. It’s slightly heavier than a aluminium frame. But as long as you’re not carrying it up flights of stairs you’ll not notice it.
I personally have never mentioned or complained about the steel frame and my wife would agree I’m a fairly picky person.
The upright riding position allows you to keep you back straight.
And the dual spring saddle really does cushion the bumps in the road.
Although I didn’t need it because I live in a flat area. I opted for the 21 speed shifter version which offers great gear ratios.
Standard 26 inch wheels. But the slightly wider 2.125 inch wide tires offer a large waffle thread which provide added comfort.
Alternative Pick
Schwinn Suburban
✅ Upright Riding Position
✅ Schwinn comfort seat
✅ 7 speed shimano shifter
Likewise the Schwinn Suburban also comes with a steel frame. But not having a rear rack reduces the weight.
My friend stated “one of the things I like about this bike is the Schwinn comfort seat”. He explained to me that it was one of the comfiest bike seats he’s used and it’s down to the quality of Schwinn providing exceptional quality on it’s custom parts.
If you live in a hilly area the 7 speed shifter may be a turn off for this bike. Unfortunately like the sixthreezero there is not an option to upgrade to a 21 speed shifter. Something you should definitely consider if you don’t live in a flat area.
Budget Pick
Sixthreezero EVRY
✅ Step-Through Frame
✅ Comfort riding position
✅ 21 Speed Shimano Shifter
The Sixthreezero is a classic hybrid cruiser which is built for maximum comfort. The frame is designed to keep your back upright which is best for leisure rides
The 36 spoke wheels are extremely strong and can carry heavier weights.
Mounting and dismounting is a lot easier due to the step through frame design. The low step-through frame sits you in a more upright position so you aren’t leaning forward whilst riding.
Although the tires seem to be good quality. You could take our recommendation at opt for some more heavy duty tires such as the Schwalbe Marathon tires mentioned earlier.
Why Trust Us
Why should you trust us? That’s a very good question. But we believe we have some valid reasons. First off we use the Sixthreezero Around the Block For our daily driver for getting around town.
We personally have experienced and gone through the whole research stage to committing to a new bike purchase for getting around town.
We checked what other people thought by checking out the reviews on large retailers sites. And also asked our friends which bikes they use for getting around their local neighbourhood. And that’s how we’ve come up with the three picks.
Just to sum things up about the three picks we chose.
- The “Our Pick” is my personal comfort bike that I use on a regular basis for getting around my local town.
- The “Alternative Pick” is used by my friend who has the opinion that the bike is more than adequate in providing a comfortable riding experience.
- And finally the “Budget Pick” is a cheaper alternative to the two bikes me and my friend uses which has extremely positive reviews on major retail sites.
If you Fall into These Categories Then These Bikes are for you!
The bikes we’ve chosen are for people who are looking for a comfortable bike for getting around town. I personally use mine for popping down to the local shop to get the odd bits and bobs that we need. Such as milk, a paper, and even sometimes some bacon and sausage for a mid-morning breakfast. Obviously if I need more than my backpack can hold then I’ll have to take the truck.
Do you fall into one of these categories?
- Looking for a comfortable bike for leisure use.
- Need a bike to run local errands.
- Bike with modern appeal.
- Durable bike you won’t have to replace in 12 months.
If you fall into one of the above categories then I’d seriously encourage you to take a further look into the bikes that we’ve chosen.
Speaking from personal experience the bikes offer a comfortable ride that is more than suitable for getting around town and running the local errands.
Who are these bikes not for?
If you’re looking to commute on this bike then I’d suggest you look at road or hybrid bikes.
If you’re looking to hit the dirt trails then I’d suggest looking at a mountain bike.
These bikes offer the following specifications
When I was looking for a bike for getting around town there was one main priority. Comfort. I didn’t want to be riding around town in an uncomfortable position with hard suspension and having the clench every time I went over the tiniest bump in the road.
I also didn’t want to buy a cheap and unreliable bike that I’d have to replace in 12 months’ time due to cheap parts.
So I had …. Things in mind.
First off BRAND. I knew that I’d have to choose a popular and trusted bike brand. So who was at the top of the list? Schwinn, Kent and Sixthreezero.
Alternative brands that I knew I could trust were Giant, Raleigh and Diamond Back.
The Second specification that was at the top of the list was sitting in an upright position. Some bikes make you sit slouched over the handle bars and this can cause back pain if you’re not used to it. But it’s backed by facts that bikes that allow you to sit in an upright riding position are the most comfortable.
Third Specification. A seat with suspension. Oh and memory foam. Both offer a compete combination of comfort and affordability. If you’ve already got a bike then maybe just opting to change the saddle to a “comfort bike saddle” would suit you. The suspension helps reduce the impact of any bumps in the terrains. And the memory foam helps to provide extra comfort to some of the hard foam you can get in normal bike saddles.
Alternate Specifications
Depending on where you live you may want to opt for the bike with more gears. If you live in a relatively flat area then a 7 speed shifter will be more than suitable and make light work of the flat terrain. However, if you live in a hilly area and will be climbing up steeper inclines then I’d suggest you opt for the 21 speed shifter which gives you more gears to find the right gear ratio. Obviously the 21 speed in slightly more expensive but trust me. It’s worth the price increase for the ease of getting up the hills.
Useful add-ons I’m glad my bike had
As I use the bike for travelling to the local shops the rear rack allowed me to tie a small plastic box so I could carry a few extra items if we needed items that could get crushed. Let me give you an example.
If you go to the shops and buy some milk and a loaf of bread. If you put both those items in your backpack the bread can get crushed when you’re on your way home.
However, with the rear rack I was able to attach either a separate backpack or a small plastic box that allowed me to not only carry more items but separate any items that could get squished.
It also helps if you are looking to move something heavier and you don’t want all the weight in the backpack on your shoulders.
