Best women’s hybrid bikes under $500

An aluminum frame is not as light and strong as a carbon frame, and it does not bounce. Compared to steel, an aluminum frame is much lighter, so it's a great option for an amateur biker, especially if it's made using modern butting and hydroforming techniques.

The steel frame is too heavy, so it is used only in the most budget models. But, there are frames made of special steel, with the addition of chromium and molybdenum, which significantly increases the strength of the steel, which makes it possible to make the frame pipes very thin and light.

Transmission

Hybrids are often equipped with mountain transmissions with an increased number of teeth in the system, which shifts gear ratios towards higher speed. That's right, because we want to go faster. So, the standard system of a motocross bike has 48-38-28 or 48-36-26 teeth, and a mountain bike has 40-30-22 or 42-34-24. In this case, the cassette is usually the same as that of a hardtail, for example SHIMANO HG200-8 (12-32) or HG200-9 (11-34). See also this buying manual Best women’s hybrid bikes under 500.

Best hybrid bikes for under 500

Transmissions are divided into different levels, which differ in the number of gears, reliability, durability, clarity of operation, weight and cost. If we take the most popular brands Shimano and Sram, then their transmissions are divided into groups as follows:

• lower touring level: Shimano Tourney;
• entry-level amateur: Shimano Altus, Sram X.3;
• intermediate amateur level: Shimano Acera, Alivio, Sram X.4;
• high amateur level Shimano Deore, Sram X.5;
• semi-professional level Shimano SLX, Sram X.7;
• professional level: Shimano XT, Sram X.9;
• the highest professional level Shimano XTR, Sram X.0.

The best price / quality ratio has equipment of medium and high amateur classes.

Instead of a conventional cassette drivetrain, the bike can be equipped with a planetary hub, such as Shimano Nexus or Sram i-Motion, in which the shifting gears are inside the hub. The planetary hub is not exposed to the environment, dust, dirt and water do not get on it, which prolongs its service life.

Brakes

Hybrids are equipped with rim or disc brakes. Touring, entry-level, and sometimes middle class bikes are equipped with rim brakes, they work quite reliably, especially in normal weather and road conditions.

Disc brakes, especially those with a hydraulic drive, have higher reliability and more braking force, but they also have a higher price, they are put on models of the middle, high and professional class. Disc brakes will be useful for those who ride in an aggressive style, as well as for those who ride in any weather where mud and snow can stick to the rims.

Should I buy a hybrid, what type, class and model?

If you're going on bike trips that will run on a variety of roads and light off-road, then you should definitely buy a hybrid MTB type. Moreover, if these are long trips with a large amount of cargo, the equipment should not be lower than the average amateur level. Pay attention not only to the body kit, but also to the thickness and material of the spokes, 2 mm stainless steel is quite suitable.

For those who like aggressive driving, it is better to take a high amateur class, for example AUTHOR AIRLINE, $1100. It is equipped with a chic 80mm travel RST Viv Air TnL air fork. Here, the air cartridge serves as a shock absorber and damper, which does an excellent job, especially when riding in an aggressive style. The drivetrain is also top notch - 30 (3x10) speed SHIMANO Deore, with a 10-sprocket HG50-10 cassette, which has a large 36-tooth chainring, which makes it even easier to climb the hill, the gear ratio of the lowest gear is 26/36.  Read more here Hybrid.

For sports cycling, choose a professional class, not lower than AUTHOR CODEX, costing about >$1350. This chic bike features a reliable 30-speed Shimano XT pro-level rear shifter drivetrain that shifts very crisply and smoothly for fast acceleration and easy climbing. Better than CODEX only top carbon bikes, such as SYNERGY, costing about $2000.

For multi-day cycling on roads of various types, but under a backpack, but for serious distances, you need to choose bikes that are not lower than the average level. The AUTHOR GRAND model, costing about $1000, is best suited for these purposes. Why is this bike better than cheaper models? The most important thing is a high-quality spring-loaded RST Vita TnL oil fork with 80 mm of travel, in which an oil cartridge acts as a damper, so this shock absorbs the bumps encountered on the road much better, especially if you drive aggressively. Also, in its arsenal is a good 27 (3x9) high-speed SHIMANO Alivio / Altus transmission, hydraulic disc brakes, and of course large 29-inch wheels with 2 mm stainless steel spokes. Just what you need for a backpacker! For girls, the GRAND ASL model is produced.