Amazon has the Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bike (men's black or women's white) for $210 with free shipping. features SR Suntour suspension fork and alloy crank, 21-speed SRAM grip shifters and Shimano rear derailleur. Normally $260.
I'm not a fan of these hybrids. They are sluggish as heck on the street and not tough enough for off road. Pick the bike type you need and you'll be far happier.
I like hybrids. Road bikes have tires too narrow to handle potholes on a lot of roads and the average person with a mountain bike doesn't actually ride anywhere a hybrid couldn't go if given the right tire tread.
Also consider that you'd be contrasting with a mountain bike at the same price point for a fair comparison, so it isn't really built for mountain use either, though personally if I were to buy a hybrid I'd get one without a front suspension fork.
It's a largely unnecessary feature on a hybrid that adds weight and another potential point of failure, and often on low end bikes it is too mushy for the weight of an adult, even with preload adjustments they usually need a stiffer spring than they come with.
If you use it for regular commuting, anyone with a halfway decent road bike will leave you in the dust. I haven't really found potholes to be a major bike problem on city streets. But then, I live in a very bike friendly city.
Agreed on the suspension fork. Cheap front ones actually make the bike too bouncy and interfere with your peddling rhythm.
I'm not a fan of these hybrids. They are sluggish as heck on the street and not tough enough for off road. Pick the bike type you need and you'll be far happier.
I like hybrids. Road bikes have tires too narrow to handle potholes on a lot of roads and the average person with a mountain bike doesn't actually ride anywhere a hybrid couldn't go if given the right tire tread.
Also consider that you'd be contrasting with a mountain bike at the same price point for a fair comparison, so it isn't really built for mountain use either, though personally if I were to buy a hybrid I'd get one without a front suspension fork.
It's a largely unnecessary feature on a hybrid that adds weight and another potential point of failure, and often on low end bikes it is too mushy for the weight of an adult, even with preload adjustments they usually need a stiffer spring than they come with.
If you use it for regular commuting, anyone with a halfway decent road bike will leave you in the dust. I haven't really found potholes to be a major bike problem on city streets. But then, I live in a very bike friendly city.
Agreed on the suspension fork. Cheap front ones actually make the bike too bouncy and interfere with your peddling rhythm.