Features of a Good Utility Bike

I own four bikes, a road bike, a touring bike, a cargo bike and a hybrid bike. My hybrid a Raleigh Oakland was the cheapest bike I bought, but it is the one I use most for everyday cycling because it has all the features I need for utility cycling. I use the road bike for sportives, the touring bike for touring and the cargo bike for work, for everything else, like going to the shop, the pub or a party I use the hybrid.

My Raleigh Oakland

If you want a bike to go shopping, collect a child from school or cycle a short journey to work, then you want a good utility bike, not a sporty road bike. In the modern world that usually means a hybrid bike. So what are the features to look for on a good utility bike ?

Cost
There is no need to spend a lot of money to buy a good utility bike. Around 300 euros will buy a good hybrid bike. Racing and mountain biking are much more demanding on components than utility cycling, a 300 euro bike is not good enough for that kind of cycling, but it's fine for less demanding utility cycling.

Anything less than 300 euros will be built with poor components and poor quality steel. In the medium term a really cheap bike will prove a very poor investment.

Frame
The most important part of any bike is the frame. I like a steel frame, which is usually about 4 or 5 kg heavier than an aluminum frame. But a steel frame can be welded if broken and straightened if bent. Steel also flexes more than aluminum and is better at absorbing vibrations. A good steel frame will be long lasting if kept out of the rain and even when it does fail it will do so gradually, rather than suddenly and catastrophically.

Look for a frame with a relaxed geometry, in other words that the head and seat tube are not close to vertical like on a racing bike, but have a more raked angle. This will give a longer wheel base, a more comfortable ride and a more relaxed steering. Don’t get too hung up on this as most hybrid bikes will have a relaxed geometry.

Look for a bike with handbars at the same height or higher than the saddle. This will give a much more comfortable upright riding position.

Once you have a good frame it is always possible to buy better components in the future. I have done 13000 km on my hybrid bike and it still has the original brake and gear components and they show no sign of wearing out.

Pedals

Platform Pedal

The pedals should be usable while wearing ordinary footwear. The rubber or hard plastic platform pedals found on cheap adult and childrens bikes will do fine. Make sure to wear footwear with good grips on the soles to avoid your foot slipping off the pedals. Avoid any kind of clip in pedals that need special cycling shoes.

Chainguard
If your going to cycle in ordinary clothes a chainguard is a must. It protects your clothes from rubbing on the chain and getting dirty. If you buy a bike with hub gears get a chainguard that totally enclosed the chain, this will keep it free from grit, greatly extend its life and cut down on maintenance.

Flat Handlebars
I would not cycle a long journey on a bicycle with flat handlebars, I would want drop handlebars like on a racing bike. But for a utility bike flat handlebars are much better, they require less bike handing skills than drop handlebars and work much better with a small bag of shopping hanging on them.

Gears
The number of gears is dictated by the terrain and the amount of cargo to be carried. In a flat place, with a little cargo a single speed bike will do. In a hilly place and with lots of cargo you need 18 or 21 gears.

If your can get by with 3, 5 or 8 gears a hub gear system is best. In a hub gear all the working parts are enclosed inside a shell, keeping them free from dirt and grit. Hub gear system are easier to maintain than the more common derailleur in which all the gears are exposed, but they are more complicated and costly, and servicing them is a skilled mechanics job.

Carrier (Rack)

Pannier Bag

A rear and/or front carrier is an essential feature of a good utility bicycle. Without it you have to carry cargo in a back pack, resulting in a very high centre of gravity and a lot of wobbling and control issues. If your cargo carrying needs are simple a basic carrier will suffice, but if you carry bigger loads you need a good set of pannier bags on the carrier, which will give a lower centre of gravity.

Mud Guards (Fenders)
If you ride in ordinary clothes on wet roads mudguards are essential. They stop the spray from the wheels ending up all over you and your bike.

Stand
A solid stand is an indispensable feature on a utility bike. The best kind are the two legged and big enough to  load and unload a bike without it falling over.

Tyres
A good utility bike has medium width tyres, not narrow like a racing bike or very wide and heavily threaded like a mountain bike. Over the years I have come to like a 700 x 35 tyre on my hybrid bike. Big enough to absorb a good deal of the shock from rough roads and carry a heavy load. For convenience sake it’s best to ride on a puncture resistant tyre, not cheap but well worth the extra cost.

Lights

60 Lux Dynamo Light

If you ride in urban areas weak battery powered front and back lights will do fine. If you ride on unlit rural roads get a powerful front light, at least 60 Lux. Ideally get a dynamo light and a dynamo hub.