Perhaps you’ve read about the current bike shortage. Put simply, the pandemic interrupted the supply chain just as the need for socially distanced activities rose and public transportation usage dropped. And of course, all of those things happened to coincide with the arrival of spring and summer, when bike sales soar anyway. The result is that all of the reasonably priced bikes are disappearing, and not many new bikes are coming in. It’s happening with kids’ bikes, too. But hope is not lost. We scoured the internet and contacted experts to find a bunch of great options for new and seasoned riders alike. We capped our search at $1,200, since more expensive bikes are less affected by the shortage. Just be sure to act fast. As quickly as things are selling out, we can’t guarantee that these bikes will be in stock for long either.
This bike is available in this cheery shade of blue and a more subdued “satin black.” With 27 gears and “beefy” tires, it can be taken out on any kind of road, whether it’s smooth pavement or gravel.
If your biking plans include a trip somewhere off the beaten path, this bike, also from Marin, is built to handle unpaved roads. It has a sturdy aluminum frame and tires made for bumpier stretches — though we should note that it’s not quite as backcountry-ready as a mountain bike, and could work just as well for a commute or city ride.
Now that a bike might be your go-to form of transportation for running errands, it’s not a bad idea to choose one that can actually schlep those grocery bags home. This Benno bike has an aluminum utility rack where you can easily strap in your latest farmers’ market haul or everything you’d need for a day at the beach.
Another cargo-friendly option, this bike has an especially spacious rack that’s compatible with Thule’s Yepp Next children’s bike seats and can comfortably accommodate two to three kids.
While city biking might seem like a smoother ride than backcountry trails, there are plenty of not-so-smooth impediments to consider, like curbs, grates, and roads under construction. This bike is built for all of the city’s unpredictable obstacles — it has an extra-sturdy steel frame and hydraulic disc brakes, which are common in mountain bikes and provide especially consistent braking.
An all-terrain bike, this Devinchi model will work equally well for bike paths as it would smooth pavement and gravel.
If you’re looking for a packable bike, try out a folding model like this one from Tern. It also has a built-in bike light to help keep you safe during trips after dark.
One of the most affordable bikes on our list, this Pure Cycles model is a fixed-gear single-speed bike, making it an appealing option for someone new to biking who doesn’t want to deal with lots of different gear settings.
If this summer has taken you to greener, more mountainous pastures, consider this Co-op Cycles mountain bike, which is built for trekking up and down hills.
This road bike can handle both pavement and gravel, making it a strong option if you’re feeling a bit adventurous — or, as Moosejaw’s site puts it: “Riding on the road and see a trail you want to check out? Go for it.”
The modernist furniture company Blu Dot collaborated with Handsome Cycles to create this stylish single-gear bike.
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