By Catarina Cowden
TheActiveTimes.com
There's nothing quite like the rush you get while riding a bike. You feel light and quick as you power yourself distances across all different types of terrain. With summer's swift arrival, the streets and trails are filling quickly with bike enthusiasts of all levels. Bicycling is the sport we all know and love. Some of our earliest memories include the days of learning how to ride a bike and the scrapes and bruises that led up to the expert ride that would keep us wanting more.
Today, hopping on that bike feels like second nature. But, whether we commute to work, take a slow ride around town, hit the trails, or compete in a race, riding is just as fulfilling as that first time we learned.
And, riding becomes that much better when you've found the right bike. So many times, people ride bikes that aren't fitted correctly, or aren't the right choice for their preferred type of riding. Having an enjoyable, smooth ride is dependent on the comfort you have with your bike. It is a simple relationship that can prevail through the toughest traffic, steepest hills, and muddiest trails. If you are in the market for a new bike, these stellar bikes are a great place to start.Best Bikes Of 2014 Slideshow
Jamis Coda: No. 1 Hybrid
Frame: Reynolds 520 double-butted chromoly Price: $540-$1,000 More Info "Jamis Coda hands down period. Our best selling bike, and/or series of bike for the last 18+ years. Yup, steel, usually 520 or 631 Reynolds with maybe a carbon fork, middle of the road components, often a taller set of rings than many hybrids. It's not a touring bike, it's a somewhat aggressive commuter that can be a workhorse, a daily beast.. closest thing I've seen is the KHS Urban series or the classic Treks of 15+ years ago.. why they thought that AL was a good choice for commuting is beyond me." -- Bicycle Michael's "Two words, Jamis Coda. This thing sells like hotcakes in DC. We can't keep Jamis Codas built up, much less in stock! People love the ride, it's a high quality steel frame, and can take fenders, racks, the whole nine yards!" -- BicycleSpace
Trek 7.4 FX: No. 2 Hybrid
Frame: FX Alpha Gold Aluminum Price: $799.99 More Info "Trek FX! This is the most versatile bike you can buy. Skinny tires? Sure! Cross tires? Absolutely! Racks and panniers ... fenders??? Or just ride it the way it comes. It does it all." –Over The Edge Sports “Trek FX line. Great commuters at a great value, really don't think anyone does these better.” –Lee’s Cyclery
Trek 7.3 FX: No. 3 Hybrid
Frame: FX Alpha Gold Aluminum Price: $659.99 More Info "Best selling sporty hybrids that are perfectly versatile, from cruising the trails to riding to work. 2014 models equipped with bluetooth and ANT+ technology and even include a clean mounting bracket for accessories (its the little things that matter)." –Wheel and Sprocket
Trek 7.2 FX: No. 4 Hybrid
Frame: FX Alpha Gold Aluminum Price: $549.99 More Info "For a flat bar equipped hybrid we don't sell anything else. We change tyres out depending on where the person rides and have had many happy customers with these models." –Freeze Thaw Cycles
The Electra Townie: No. 5 Hybrid
Price: $430 More Info “The Electra Townie continues to be a great selling town bike.Built in comfort with the Flat Foot Technology makes a comfortable and stylish way to get around town.” –First Flight Bikes
Giant City Escape: No. 6 Hybrid
Frame: ALUXX-grade aluminum Price: $550 More Info "Our choice for the hybrid bicycle is ... once again Giant bikes. The City Escape comes with all the accoutrements for commuting at a super reasonable price. We can't keep these on the floor, and all it takes is one test ride because this bicycle is comfortable and fast." –Pedal House
Handsome Devil and She Devil: No. 7 Hybrid
Frame: Devil Steel Frame Price: $1,199.95 More Info "Style, quality, versatility, and more style. Our customers love the lack of over-branding, DIY decal kit, simple 8-speed drivetrain, and sporty geometry. Looks great with Handsome or Velo Orange Fenders, and any sort of rack or basket setup." –Huckleberry Bicycles
Specialized Vita/Sirrus: No. 8 Hybrid
Frame: Specialized A1 Premium Aluminum Price: $520 More Info “The Specialized Vita/Sirrus for their versatility, comfort and efficiency. They are designed to deliver the best of both worlds - the efficiency of a road bike with the comfort of a hybrid." –Belmont Wheelworks
Kona Dew Plus: No. 9 Hybrid
Frame: Kona 6061 Aluminum Butted Price: $659 More Info "Robust commuter bike with hydraulic disc brakes for consistent braking in snotty weather. Big enough tire clearance for studded tires. Field tested as part of the Cycle Alaska tour fleet.” –Cycle Alaska
Bianchi Torino/Torino Dama: No. 10 Hybrid
Frame: Bianchi Turismo Aluminum, double-butted Price: $479.99 More Info “They make this in a standard and ladies step-thru frame. This is a nice simple bike that gets the job done, while having style points at the same.” –American Cyclery
Commuter Special: Soma Double Cross
Frame: Tange Prestige heat-treated butted CrMo steel Price: $419.99 (frame only) More Info "We build many 'build to suit' bikes for the customer who wants something more than just a standard bike out of the box. While drop handle bars are great for longer rides, most people riding around town want to be more upright, utilizing some variation of a flat or swept back bar." –American Cyclery
Best Hand Built Road Bike: Seven 622 SLX
Frame: Carbon with titanium lugs Price: $6,695-$11,345 More Info “At some point in their life, every rider deserves to own a bike that has as little compromise as possible. The Seven 622 SLX combines the stiffness, weight and responsiveness of high grade, rider matched carbon fiber with the durability, plush ride and unlimited frame geometry of high quality titanium. Every Seven is designed to fit, respond and handle to the individual and built to last forever; if fit properly in advance, a Seven 622 SLX offers everything that many riders would want if they were building their ultimate ride. As an added benefit, the Seven 622 SLX is thousands less than some other top of the line full carbon options.” –Fit Werx
Fashion: Electra Fashion Cruisers
Frame: 6061-T6 Aluminum Boomerang Frame Price: $689.99 More Info “So much fun and aesthetically unmatched in the industry.” –Lee’s Cyclery
Fun: Terra Trike Rover
Frame: Hi-ten steel frame Price: $999-$1,199 More Info "Trikes let people who thought they could never ride bikes again, to remember the fun and pleasures of getting back into cycling. We can hardly keep these bikes on the show-floor because as soon as we build them up, someone test rides it and takes it home that day!" –Wheel and Sprocket
Specialty: Trek Farley Fat Bike
Frame: Alpha Platinum Aluminum Price: $2,629.99 More Info "From snow to sand, the lightweight aluminum keeps the fun of a fat tire bike, with the luxury of great design and agility." –Wheel and Sprocket
Fat Bike: Borealis bicycles
Frame: Carbon Price: $3,999-$5,999 More Info "Borealis bicycles is an amazing option for the snow biker crowd. Fast, light and best of all....CARBON. With the right build up it comes in at a respectable 22lbs. This bike saved winter for us non skiers here in Wyoming." –Pedal House
Cargo Bike: The Xtracycle Edgerunner
Frame: 100% Chromoly frame Price: $1,499-$2,899 More Info “The Xtracycle Edgerunner has been a fantastic seller. Families are buying these things like it's going out of style. The ride is great, made of steel which means it's comfy, the design with the smaller wheel in the rear is brilliant. The Edgerunner was obviously a well thought out and designed bike.” –BicycleSpace
Electric Bike: Specialized Turbo S
Frame: Turbo alloy Price: $5,900 More Info “The Specialized Turbo S combines speed and style through an innovative electric-assist motor, advanced electronics, and sleek design. Capable of a top speed of 28 mph, the Turbo delivers superhuman power to anyone who rides it." –Belmont Wheelworks
Best New Triathlon Bike: Cervelo P3
Frame: Carbon Price: $3,950-$5,800 More Info “Available with electronic and mechanical shift systems from the factory for ’14, the freshly redesigned Cervelo P3 takes all that was good about the original P3 Carbon and improves the responsiveness, aerodynamics and fit/frame geometry. The Cervelo P3 takes a lot of inspiration from Cervelo’s top of the line P5 superbike in terms of performance, yet it offers relatively straight-forward cable routing and mechanical qualities without having many limitations in terms of fit and aerobar/stem compatibility.” –Fit Werx
Cyclocross: Cannondale SuperSix 105
Frame: Carbon Price: $2,330 More Info "Dirt roads in Wyoming are more abundant than the paved roads, and they are more fun on a cross bike. Light, fast, with a fantastic build up.” –Pedal House
