When people talk about the different kinds of bikes, they are usually classified as road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, and folding bikes. However, there is one kind of bike that flies under the radar, especially in the context of transport cycling: the hybrid bike.

Also known as a fitness bike, these bicycles designed for urban riding and commuting. They’re called “hybrid” because they take features from road bikes and mountain bikes. However, they are neither sporty nor rugged as far as performance is concerned.

My first experience with a hybrid bike was also one of my most memorable cycling memories: Riding my uncle’s Trek FX in California. After dabbling with many more bikes, I grew in appreciation of hybrids after getting my Riteway Sonoma earlier this year.

Here are five reasons why hybrid bikes are underrated.

1. Hybrid bikes are affordable

One of the best parts about hybrid bikes is that the cost of entry is low, but the value for money is high. You can get a surplus Giant Escape for less than P10,000 on Facebook Marketplace. Meanwhile, the Riverside 500 goes for P19,990 at Decathlon.

Since hybrid bikes usually have flat bars and rigid forks, they easily come out cheaper than road bikes, gravel bikes, and mountain bikes. They aren’t marketed as premium products and this reflects with the lower cost of entry.

2. The geometry is beginner-friendly

Finding the right bike is like buying clothes: The size needs to fit your body. The advantage of hybrid bikes is that the geometry is designed for ordinary people.

The riding posture is upright and relaxed, perfect for leisurely riding. Unlike with a road bike, you won’t have to contort your body for marginal gains and aerodynamics. Some models even have a step-through or low-sweep frame so that people can easily mount and dismount.

3. Hybrid bikes are versatile

This is where hybrid bikes outshine performance-oriented bicycles. The former are usually outfitted with rack and fenders mounts for added practicality. This means you won’t have to worry about protecting yourself from splashes, or carrying cargo while heading to the office.

You can slap on thicker rubber (compared to a road bike) because of the wider clearance. This makes the ride comfortable, but not sluggish like when you have thick, knobby tires. Some of the older models even have a 3x crankset with a granny gear for steep hills.

4. Hybrid bikes are simple

Simplicity is rare in an age where bicycles are becoming more complicated with proprietary technology. Even gravel bikes tend to go this route with excessively wide tire clearances, an overload of mounting points, and other unnecessary stuff for the ordinary person.

Hybrid bikes aren’t minimalist like a fixie, but they have just enough features to be usable for city commuting and leisure riding. One benefit of this is that they don’t end up heavy or cumbersome (at least until you load one with cargo).

Less is more and there’s a unique kind of beauty with bicycles that don’t try to be good at everything.

5. Hybrid bikes are plain fun

When you get rid of the notion that a bicycle must have the latest and greatest tech, this opens the door to a different kind of enjoyment.

What I like the most about my Riteway Sonoma is that it’s a casual bike that I don’t have to take so seriously. This lets me enjoy it in ways that I can’t with my Bridgestone Eurasia or even my Marin Nicasio.

Cycling is inherently fun, which is why your bicycle should be one that you enjoy riding. Not everyone needs a cross-country mountain bike or a carbon-fiber road bike.

Hybrid bikes are underrated because they are the kind of bicycle designed for the everyday cyclist in mind.