Comfort bike vs cruiser bike

People often don’t know that comfort bikes and cruiser bikes are really similar.  They’re both designed for casual riding. They both offer comfort features to make the ride for comfy than bikes such as hybrid, road and mountain bikes.

Both bikes are useful for light exercise and riding around your local town.  Whilst both bikes wouldn’t be recommended for commuting.  The main uses would include any of the following:

• Leisure riding
• Light exercise
• Short distance riding
• Running errands

When we talk about “comfort features”, we can expect both bikes to include inward curved handlebars, wider tires and suspension saddles.  All these features provide added comfort which you wouldn’t find on other bikes such as the mountain bike.

What’s a Comfort Bike?

Comfort bikes are a type of hybrid bike which are starting to become increasingly popular. They’re the ideal choice for cyclists that are looking to make short distance trips and beat any potential traffic jams!

Their name can cause a little bit of confusion though. By calling them comfort bikes it sort of puts across the message that other types of bikes aren’t comfortable.

That’s far from the case as there are plenty of examples of comfortable hybrid and mountain bikes on the market. A comfort bike isn’t called as such just because it provides cyclists with a comfortable ride.

They earn the name because of their overall geometry. Here are some of the features that you can expect to find on a comfort bike;

Stretched Frame

The length of comfort bikes tends to be longer than other bikes on the market. That gives cyclists a lot more while they’re getting on and off the bike.

Not only that but the stretched frame means that the pedals are slightly more forward then what you’d expect from a standard bike. Their positioning ensures that the rider enjoys a more comfortable and accessible seating position.

Lower Seat

Aside from the stretched frame, comfort bikes also feature a seat that’s slightly lower than your standard bike. Consequently, cyclists get to enjoy a very relaxed and accessible sitting position on a comfort bike.

Thanks to the overall geometry of the comfort bike, riders can place their feet flat on the ground when they’re coming to a stop. However, despite the low positioning, the cyclist won’t face any trouble fully extending their legs while pedaling.

Padded Seat and Upright handlebars

Lastly, you can expect a comfort bike to feature both padded seats and upright handlebars. Both of these features help improve the overall comfort of the bike. Whether you’re making a long journey or a short one, it’s important to have a comfortable seat.

When does a comfort bike work best?

A comfort bike works best when the cyclists wants to enjoy slow and leisurely rides along the pavement. Imagine you’re making a short trip to your neighborhood market or are riding along the beach taking in the views as you go!

They also work brilliantly for cyclists that are just starting out with riding and don’t have extensive previous riding experience. A hybrid bike or road bike, encourages the cyclists to actually contort their body.

As a result, it can be slightly more challenging for new cyclists to get used to riding in that position. Comfort bikes on the other hand provide cyclists with a very comfortable sitting position and make things much easier.

They’re also great for riders that are suffering from an injury and don’t feel comfortable on a standard bike.

What’s a Cruiser Bike?

Another type of hybrid bike that you can choose is a cruiser bike. They’re very similar to hybrid bikes, but multi-speed beach cruisers are more durable and comfort-oriented.

Naturally, for the additional comfort that cruiser bikes provide, you’re giving up a bit on speed and design. However, they’ll help ensure that you’re always comfortable whenever you’re riding through your city and neighborhood.

Whether you’re cycling for some daily exercise, using the bike to run errands, or just enjoy a leisurely ride on the beach, a cruiser bike will get the job done.

Here are some of the main features that you can expect from a cruiser bike;

Comfort Orientation

Even though they aren’t on the same level as comfort bikes, cruiser bikes also place a lot of focus on providing the cyclist with a comfortable ride.

Consequently, they’ll feature a padded seat and extended handlebars. Both of these will encourage you to maintain a relaxed cruising posture.

Thick Tires

Normally, with a street bike you’d expect them to feature narrow tires to allow for minimal rolling resistance. However, cruiser bicycles actually feature thicker tires.

The thick tires help roll over road debris without having to worry about getting a puncture or a flat.

Low Speed

If you’re looking to speed around, then a cruiser bike is definitely not a good option. Their design encourages riding at slow leisurely speeds. A cruiser bike will have a very hefty frame and weigh a significant amount.

All these feature combine to make cruiser bikes ideal for some daily exercise or errand running. Alternatively, they’re also great for riding leisurely on the weekend.

When does a cruiser bike work best?

Cruiser bikes work best for city riding and on light trail excursions. They work exceptionally well in low-speed and low-impact riding situations.

If you’re looking for a daily rider that encourages you to enjoy an upright sitting position, then a comfort bike is ideal. No matter how long the ride it won’t get uncomfortable thanks to the padded seat.

They also feature thick balloon tires that feature enough strength to roll over all kinds of obstacles without having to worry about punctures.

Cruisers bikes are ideal for both daily riding and leisurely rides on the weekends. Thanks to their versatile nature, cruiser bikes can adapt to a number of different situations.

Their wide tires make them ideal for riding on the beach and other gravel roads. Not only are cruiser bikes a good way to stay active, they can effectively provide you with a full-body workout.

Aside from just being a great daily workout, a comfort bike provides a number of other benefits. It helps increase the flexibility, reduce mental blocks, and decreases overall fatigue.

Cruiser bikes also feature at least a single gear to help ensure you ride both up and down a hill.

They also feature enough space to make it easy to install a bike rack, it’ll be perfect to carry any summer essentials that you need.

Comfort vs Cruiser Bike – Which one should you pick?

Comfort and cruiser bikes are good as long as you’re using them for the right uses.  Those which we’ve mentioned above. 

When it comes to comfort vs cruiser bike, they might seem similar but there are enough differences to warrant debate.

Ultimately, picking between a comfort vs cruiser bike is down to the cyclists personal preference. Comfort bikes are strictly reserved for one-road riding and will perform poorly in off-road situations.

Similar to a road bike if you plan on using it on the road then it’s going to be a good bike.  Whereas if you plan to use a road bike on dirt trails you’ll soon find that it isn’t a good bike.

Additionally, if you plan on getting a cruiser or comfort bike, just know that they won’t provide you with high level performance. They have a very hefty frame which makes it difficult to reach high speeds.

So as long as you’re using the bike for leisure use on the road, then a comfort bike will do you good. A cruiser bike on the other hand is capable of managing light off-road terrains thanks to the wide tires.

It’s ideal for when you want to ride around on the beach or go for a leisurely ride on a scenic trail. Cruiser bikes are slightly less user-friendly that comfort bikes so they tend to have a higher barrier to entry!

In terms of if you should buy and which brands you should consider.  Make sure you’re planning on using a comfort bike for the right reasons.  And if so then consider brands such as Raleigh, Sixthreezero, Schwinn and Diamond Back.

There all brands which are known for their quality, without charging ridiculous prices.

Frequently Asked Questions