There are so many great options for bikes that it’s hard to just pick a few. Several of my Greenville friends have asked for recommendations for around-town pavement riding, so I thought I’d compile a ‘starter’ list for reference. Most of these fall within the ‘city commuter’ category, but you can customize most mountain, cruiser, or road bike to suit your commute. For example, you might outfit a beater mountain bike in a city with high bike theft problems, or a cruiser if you live in a flat coastal area with low mileage rides, and I currently commute on a steel frame road bike model that I fell in love with that didn’t have a step through frame. Anyway, here are some general, around-town bikes to consider if you want something fun, reliable and practical (in no particular order); I’ve pictured the step through models but you can try out a men’s frame too if you need a taller size or if you don’t care about the step-through. Most bike shops carry one or several major bike brands, but you won’t find all of these at the same store. If you’re shopping for any new bike, treat it like buying a car: take the time to go to several places, talk to the staff, and take a few bikes out on a test ride at each place to get a feel for the differences between models.

 

 

The Fuji Absolute series ($400 and up) is a sporty model that’s great for city riding as well. It also offers upgrades to disc brakes, which perform well in rain/muddy conditions.

 

 

 

The Liv Alight series ($380 and up) is popular for paved trail and city riding. Liv tends to carry more petite sizes and is a womens-centered offshoot of Giant Bicycles.

 

 

The Specialized Alibi series (starting at $450) comes in a more skirt-friendly step through design, with fenders and a rear rack on the EQ model (pictured). I must admit I haven’t tried the Nimbus solid core tires for more than a test ride, but if you’re worried about flats they could be an added bonus.

 

 

The Jamis Coda series ($369 and up) is a great steel frame option with plenty of gears for hills – this bike is one of Jamis’s best sellers for city riding (just add a rack and panniers), and it can easily double as a fitness bike for paved trail riding as well.

 

 

Bianchi’s ‘Turismo’ collection of city bikes ($400 and up) includes this completely gorgeous Venezia Dama, and while I should have highlighted the Torino, Milano or really any model that’s not a single speed, this one is the prettiest and I’m more than a little smitten with it. If you like the vintage European look, you may also want to check out Linus and Biria bikes.

 

 

 

PS: this is not a paid/promoted post in any form, I just like recommending good stuff.