Whether you’re looking to start commuting or you’re an existing regular commuter, here’s a bunch of sorted bikes for getting to work on.
A good commuting bike needs to be reliable, comfortable and affordable. We’ve considered the main types of bike that are best suited to the task and list below some excellent examples of each.
The road bike
Going for the road bike option is sort of playing it safe but it’s also definitely playing it sensible. Road bikes are quick and light. Even if you have a swish road bike already for your weekend recreational riding, chances are that you don’t want to use it as your commuting bike.
Commuting can be hard on bikes. They need to withstand all weathers and all road surfaces. Commuter bikes don’t stay pretty for long. It’s best to go for a workhorse of a road bike.
Our latest and perhaps in a way our greatest road bike offering. A sophisticated aluminium frame and carbon fork combo. 8 speed Shimano Claris drivetrain offers crisp, accurate gear shifting over a broad range.
The Mavic CXP-22 wheelset is a free-spinning and robust pair of hoops. Outclasses bikes that cost more than twice the price. Our finest ever entry level road bike.
The folding bike
Folding bikes are not suited to every commute. Their small wheels and gearing range rules them out for long distance or hilly commutes. 
They’re great for short-ish flat-ish commutes where you don’t have a lot of room for storing them at certain points – whether it’s on the train or at your home or workplace. They can actually be really great fun to ride.
A great example of a smile-inducing folding bike. The Vybe C7A is just a laugh to ride. But it’s not a joke of a bike. It folds away in a matter of seconds. It feels really solid in use. It’s built to last.
Unlike some entry level folding bikes, the Vybe doesn’t weigh a ton either. It’s a really nifty little machine.
The cyclocross bike
A lot of people may not even know what a cyclocross bike is. Cyclocross is a type of bike racing that involves short lap courses over off-road terrain such as grass and cobbles. It’s kind of like criterium road racing but done in parkland instead! Off-road road bikes.
The upshot of the demands of cyclocross riders and courses has made for a type of bike that translates excellently over into the world of commuting. If you want a speedy drop bar bike that a bit more capable of mixed terrain (road, canal, woodland, wherever) then take a look at a ‘cross bike.
Most cyclocross bikes can look a bit agricultural or retro. Not so with the Sensa Fermo. The smoothed-over weld and the internal cable routing for both gears and brakes gives the bike a fantastically sleek and modern appearance.
The frame is made from excellent Superlite Y-9 aluminium. The tapered steerer straight blade carbon fork looks equally lovely.
The singlespeed bike
If your commute is pretty flat then gears can be more trouble than they’re worth. They’re more to go wrong. More to wear out. More to maintain. Keep things simple. Keep things single.
By removing all the gears and stuff it’s possible to have a light but rock-solid riding bike. A bike that can take a fair amount of neglect and just keep on chugging along day after day.
Merlin Single Malt Single Speed Bike (this is an old post and the linked content no longer exists)
A rather elegant (if we do say so ourself) urban run-around. Cromoly frame for that classic look. No nonsense but stylish finishing kit. There’s not a lot to it but that’s the beauty of it too!
If you really want to win loads of hipster points then the Single Malt comes with a flip-flop rear hub so you can run a fixed (as opposed to freehweel) rear wheel. The brake cable guides are entirely removable too – a nice little touch we think.
The kids bike
L
et’s not forget the kids. Nowhere near enough children are cycling to school these days. If your child wants to cycle to school then you should think about allowing them to – or even accompany them on your way to your workplace? Sustrans have a good page on their website about cycling to school.
The ultimate lightweight bike for kids, the high quality frame and forks, make this a sturdy bike just right for kid sized biking adventures. With adjustable brakes, 7-speed easy-twist gears and hybrid tyres that are suitable for road and off-road use.
Suitable for minimum inside leg of 62cm (around 8-10 years old), it has 24″ wheels. There are Frog bikes available for all ages of kids.
