Best hybrid bikes 2023 — the affordable bike genre that offers both comfort and versatility

The Canyon Commuter 5 is a fast urban bike that is undoubtedly good fun to ride, providing all the performance that you’d expect of a hybrid costing upwards of £1,000. While that would be at the cheaper end of road bikes it's quite a bit to drop on a hybrid, so it takes the spot as our best high-end hybrid. 

Often ride quality usually comes at the expense of speed and vice versa; however, the Commuter 5 really goes above and beyond with both comfort and stiffness, allowing for speedy riding without any issues. This particular model is very stiff, therefore if you were looking for out and out comfort, it may not be your first choice, but for those wanting a high end hybrid that delivers on both performance and speed, this is your answer.

All in all, the Commuter 5 is a really fantastic high end pick for anyone wanting a snazzy commuter, it provides all the thrills while also coming with a hub gear, similar to that of the Cube Editor. Making it nice and low maintenance, so all you have to worry about is riding the bike and getting to work.

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If the best handmade hybrid is what you are looking for, then look no further. The Model 1E from Oxford Bike Works is a handbuilt steel hybrid which is made from a full personalised fitting service at its headquarters in Coventry. This bike offers high quality componentry on a very high quality frame with added accessories such as mudguards. Not to mention, this hybrid also looks very quirky and somewhat vintage. It really would make the perfect shopper or hybrid to commute into work on, at your own leisurely pace. 

The most obvious quality of the 1E is that it's comfortable. The ride this bike produces is both smooth and forgiving regardless of the terrain you happen to be riding over. Be it tarmac, rough country roads or even canal towpaths, discomfort is no issue. The bike is more than 13kg, which isn’t particularly light but given the level of comfort offered, the weight isn't an issue. It’s still smooth to ride along the flat and a confident descender, offering grip from the tyres coupled with decent braking abilities.

All in all, the Oxford Bike Works Model 1E is a really excellent handmade bike that offers personalisation with regards to geometry and very high levels of comfort thanks to the steel it is made from. It may seem a little pricier, but for something handmade and steel, the pricing is actually rather reasonable. This would therefore make a great leisure bike to go out and explore on, or a quirky commuter.

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The Merida Speeder 200 is a flat-barred road bike that's claimed to be sporty and fast, but also comfortable. It offers good specification for the money, coming fitted with hydraulic disc brakes on a stiff and well-finished aluminium frame with tapered carbon forks. Only weighing a very impressive 10,570g, this bike is light for a hybrid, thus it gets to take the title of the best lightweight hybrid.

Offering a dynamic, controlled ride, the Speeder 200 is without a doubt at home on fleet-footed fitness rides and urban or suburban commutes. Riding along flat terrain with total ease, regardless of the pace you choose, and tackling hills confidently. This bike performs while both ascending and descending. Although not a full blown road bike, you can still hit sweeping bends while descending at speed with pinpoint steering accuracy thanks to the stiff frameset. 

Overall, this hybrid is a really great lightweight option. It’s not posh road bike light but as far as hybrids go, this is impressive, especially for the price. Therefore, if you were wanting a hybrid that is lightweight and more geared towards riding on tarmac, this is undoubtedly a superb option. 

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The Dawes Discovery 201 is a very affordable and comfortable hybrid. It combines a lively compact aluminium frame with a user-friendly single Shimano chainring at the front to create what we're calling the best budget hybrid. 

With regards to power transfer, the Discovery 201 does not compromise, offering a positive power delivery to make commuting much more effortless and enjoyable; even on a budget. It's also happy at a cruising pace, offering excellent comfort and a great overall ride quality. The direct front end also combines well with good overall balance to help ensure handling is easy, even in wet conditions. Weaving through traffic is also no issue for the Dawes.

Overall the Dawes Discovery 201 is a nice all-round option for leisure riding and commuting that is very wallet-friendly in price with an RRP of only £369.99. This hybrid really does just prove that price isn't always an indication of performance.

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Although this bike got a 10/10 from our reviewer who was utterly blown away at the time, we've come to realise that the unique Goldhawk Rodax is a rather rare beast, and perhaps not everyone would share the same amount of love for it. Even so, it had to make our list because we still agree that it does what it is good at very well indeed!

What you do get for your £1,495 is "a perfect handmade urban speed machine", so said our very impressed reviewer. It's a very simple and fun urban hybrid that would be a joyous ride for anyone looking for a speedy bike that is fairly straightforward to maintain. 

Steel bikes might not be as instantly reactive in comparison to aluminium, but for a versatile bike that you ride on a daily basis, it's hard to beat. In this case, the insulating qualities that are offered by the steel frame deal very effectively with lumps and bumps in the road, according to our reviewer. 

The Rodax was also found to be very responsive under power, making stop start commutes due to traffic lights all the more easier. While 1500 big ones for a commuter that won't really be suitable for riding off-road might be a little steep for a lot of us, it's one to consider if you're after a fast commuter to whip through the traffic.

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