Best Women Hybrid Bikes

If you’ve been looking for a women’s hybrid bike, chances are you’ve hit some challenges. Your local bike stores may not have the sizes and styles you want and can experience long waiting lists for their next shipment.

We’ve found two of the best available comfort hybrids, along with the best dual sport hybrid and best performance hybrid models for women. If you see something you like in your size, you’ll want to act fast because it may not be available for long.

4 Best Women Hybrid Bikes

Here are our top choices for the best women’s hybrid bikes:

Schwinn Wayfarer Hybrid Retro Step-Through Cruiser – Best Steel Frame Comfort Hybrid Bike

When most people think about a hybrid bike, they think about the comfortable ride you can get from a step-through cruiser.

This one has a retro look and has an English touring bike style with a coil spring seat, fenders, and a rear cargo rack. Just add a front basket to complete the look.

Experienced bikers who have ridden bikes three times the price of this one will be happy with the quality of this hybrid comfort bike.

Because of supply issues, if you’re looking for a small bike (5’4”-5’7” riders), you can choose a step-through version in white or yellow. However, if you’re looking for a medium bike (5’7”-6’2” riders), your only choice is step-through in black or blue.

The bike has a steel frame, which has more give and makes for a more comfortable ride.

sixthreezero Step-Through Hybrid Cruiser Bike – Best Aluminum Frame Comfort Hybrid Bike

The sixthreezero hybrid cruiser is another step-through bike with a retro English touring bike look. It also has a rear rack, but the fender for this one matches the bike color.

One of the best things about the sixthreezero hybrid cruiser is that it fits women who range from 5’ to 6’. One-size-fits-all sizing eliminates the current problem of trying to find a bike in the correct size.

Shorter women in the 5’-5’2 range have had both positive and negative reactions to its fit. So, it might fit some better than others.

Unfortunately, some speed options aren’t currently available. You can choose a cream-colored bike with 21 speeds, a blue bike with one, three, or seven speeds, or a teal bike with one speed.

It has an aluminum frame, which is lighter weight but can be a little less comfortable when going over potholes and bumps, especially without shock absorbers.

Schwinn GTX Comfort Dual Sport Hybrid Bike – Best Dual Sport Hybrid Bike

If you’re mainly looking for a road bike but want it to have mountain bike off-roading capabilities, the Schwinn GTX is your best choice. The design still allows for an upright, comfortable ride with less spine curvature.

The 17” frame (or 5’3”-5’10” riders) is available in blue and light blue, the 18” (for 5’6”-5’11” riders) is available in black/blue, while the 20” (for 6’-6’4” riders) is available in black.

This bike has an aluminum frame, which makes it lightweight. Luckily, the shock absorbers will take some of the stress off the rigid structure for a smoother ride if you want to go off-roading. The tires also provide plenty of grip on slippery surfaces, gravel, or mountain paths.

Vilano Diverse 3.0 Performance Hybrid Road Bike – Best Performance Hybrid Bike

Vilano has the best performance hybrid road bike. It is a fast bike for commuting or regular bike riding, but it can also handle off-roading. Its disk brakes make it ideal for riding in muddy and wet situations. Its 24 speeds allow it to go faster than any other hybrid bike on our list.

The 53cm size accommodates a 31” inseam, while the 57cm accommodates a 32.3” inseam. Riders have reported good results sizing down rather than sizing up.

Vilano uses a hydroformed aluminum alloy for their performance bike frame. The handlebars still allow for upright comfort while driving.

Without a step-through option, dismounting can be trickier, and it won’t accommodate wearing a dress or skirt during a commute.

The seat is also rigid and less comfortable than many comfort bikes, plus it has no shocks to help out your tailbone.

However, if you put a lot of speedy miles on your bike, it’s a good choice.

Things to Consider

Other than finding a hybrid bike that will fit you, other considerations when buying a hybrid include type, frame, gears, brakes, handlebars, and suspension. We’ve broken down these specifications below.

Type

• Comfort: Comfort hybrids are between a beach cruiser and a commuter bike. The upright seating position gives you the ultimate in comfortable bike riding.
  
  
• Dual Sport: Dual sport hybrids are mostly fast road bikes with mountain bike maneuvering capabilities.
  
  
• Performance: Performance hybrids feature an upright seating position and street speed.
  
  
• Sport: Sport hybrids are mainly mountain bikes with some road comfort capabilities.

Frame

• Carbon Fiber: Carbon fiber frames are the lightest and most robust frames.
  
  
• Aluminum: Aluminum frames are the cheapest light frames. However, its stiffness can make for a rough ride with potholes or more uneven terrain.
  
  
• Steel: Steel frames are a little heavier, but they’re less expensive than carbon fiber and still provide a more comfortable ride than aluminum.

Gears

• Single-speed: A single-speed hybrid works fine if you mainly plan to ride on flat surfaces.
  
  
• Multiple-speed: The more you plan to climb hills and mountains and the steeper the grade, the more valuable multiple gear speeds. The more gear options you have, the faster your bike can go.

Brakes

• Disk Brakes: Disk brakes cost more and are more difficult to service, but they provide quick braking action and are better in wet and muddy conditions. They also don’t wear out your wheel rims because they grip a rotor on the wheel hub.
  
  
• Rim Brakes: Rim brakes are the standard type of bike brake. They’re cheaper, easy to use, and easy to replace. However, they can be insufficient for braking down steep hills and damage the wheel rim over time.

Handlebars

• Flat: Flat handlebars go straight across and provide reasonable control. However, they can push you forward more for a less comfortable ride.
  
  
• Riser: Riser handlebars go up and back toward the rider, which is comfortable for upright riding. They work best for smooth terrain.
  
  
• Drop: Drop handlebars go straight across and then curl under. They allow you to move faster, bent into an aerodynamic position. However, this position can strain your back over time.

Suspension

• No shocks: Without shock absorbers, you’ll be able to feel every bump.
  
  
• With shocks: If you plan to go over rough terrain, shock absorbers can make your ride more comfortable so that you don’t feel every hole and bump.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect hybrid bike right now can be tricky, but there are still some good options out there.

Consider where you usually drive your bike, how much comfort you want, what gears you need, and how much speed you want. After making your decision, go ahead and take the plunge to buy one of these great hybrids from our list.