How to choose the right city or touring bike: Your buying guide

It’s a well-known fact: commuting to and from work by bike increases happiness and productivity. Besides that, it’s often quicker and much more fun compared to driving or taking public transport. 

Commuting by bike means that you’ll get to spend more time outdoors and, of course, more time on your bike. You can ride just about anything to get to work, but a city or touring bike is designed to make your daily ride more comfortable and efficient. Here are our recommendations on how to find the best bike for commuting. 

Commuter bikes are not an easily defined category, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Your lifestyle is unique so you need a bike that’s perfect for your daily commute, and anything else you’d like to use your bike for. Likewise, whatever model your bike is or the features it might have, if you use it to commute, it kinda just is a commuter bike. 

Generally speaking, however, a commuter bike is designed for mostly city riding, with plenty of mounts to carry everything that you might need. While some commuter bikes are designed to get you from A to B as quickly as possible, other commuter bikes are so capable and versatile that they can easily replace a car. 

A lot of our commuter models also come in an e-bike version to give you power when you need it most. E-commuter bikes allow you to arrive at your destination sweat-free and raring to go. 

While there is some overlap between commuter bikes, city bikes and hybrid or touring bikes, a commuter bike can really be anything that you like. Ultimately, you should choose a model that will work best for what you plan to do on your bike.

You can use just about any bike for commuting, as long as it will be comfortable to ride everyday. If it’s also capable of whatever other riding you’d like to do when you’re not on your way to and from work, that’s a big bonus.  

The best bikes for commuting normally have mounts for mudguards and luggage racks, so that you can carry your necessities without the need for a backpack.

For those who want a dedicated bike for their routine daily journeys, a dedicated city bike will be best. On the other hand, if you’d like to also be able to go exploring on your time off, then a hybrid or touring bike will be able to handle your commute to work as well as any weekend adventures you’d like to go on. 

City life has a different meaning for everyone and that’s why we have such a broad range of city bikes. Typically speaking, a city bike is designed to be fast on city streets, with narrower tyres and a lightweight frame. They usually have plenty of mounts for front and rear racks, mudguards and bottle cages. 

Many city bike owners use it as their main method of transport, which means that city bikes should also have dependable components such as disc brakes, tough tyres and pedals, coupled with a well-built frame fit for the road ahead.  

For all these reasons, city bikes make great commuter bikes. 

A hybrid or touring bike is a jack-of-all-trades bike designed to be comfortable over multiple terrains and for a variety of purposes. Hybrid or touring bikes are a blend between a road bike and a mountain bike with some better suited for urban and city journeys and others designed to get a bit more mucky on traffic-free cycle paths. They have a focus on long distance adventures and being able to tackle whatever the terrain may throw at you. 

First and foremost, hybrid or touring bikes are fun to ride and allow you to explore your surroundings well within the safety of your comfort zone. A variety of options and setups mean you can choose between a bike that will get to work a bit faster or a more rugged model to enjoy the paths less travelled. 

The best commuter bike will look different from person to person. Maybe you’re looking for a comfortable and upright bike to cruise through the city on your way to work or maybe you prefer a more traditional city bike to speed up your commute and beat the traffic.  

At Canyon, we believe we have an option for everyone, including an e-commuter so that you can get to work without breaking a sweat.

Our lightest city bike, the Roadlite (also with the electric version Roadlite:ONfly) is designed for improving fitness, enjoying the local scenery, or speeding up your daily ride to work . The ergonomic flat handlebars give you full control throughout your ride even when your heart rate is pulsing. With options for every budget, the Roadlite is a good investment if you want to dip your toes into the world of cycling. Some people use it to complement indoor gym workouts by adding an outdoor element to a health and fitness routine. The Roadlite is also perfect for a bit of ‘me time’ on a balmy summer evening. 

Eyelets for mudguards make it a great choice for cycling to work while narrower tyres and a wide range of gears mean you’ll be able to speed along city streets and cycle paths with ease. 

As the name suggests, the Canyon Commuter is made for year-round commuting. Its sleek design and carbon belt drive ensure every commute is easy and comfortable. All Commuter models now come with pre-fitted luggage racks, too.  

The Commuter bike family comes in a range of configurations – including the electric Commuter:ONfly – so there’s sure to be an option for everyone. Models range from a stripped-back simple city bike that can be ridden as is or customised to your heart’s desire, all the way up to the award-winning Commuter 9 with its pedal-powered integrated handlebar light. 

The Precede:ON Comfort is as stylish as it is practical. With its powerful Bosch motor and battery, comfort on this e-city bike is unparalleled. An ergonomic design and upright riding position ensure you arrive at your destination relaxed and ready to go. Best of all, it has a one-size fits all frame design.  

Smart safety features of the Precede:ON Comfort 7 include GPS tracking, a movement sensor and anti-theft alarm – all of which provide peace of mind in the city. The Precede:ON Comfort 5 has a remote lockout feature. Regardless of model, with the Bosch eBike Flow app you can lock up your bike and go about your life without a concern. 

Hybrid or touring bikes are designed to handle multiple types of terrain, including city streets, gravel paths and backroads. With grippy tyres and front suspension, the Pathlite:ON adds a power Bosch motor and a battery with up to 750 Wh for long days in the saddle.  

Most models of the Pathlite:ON come pre-equipped with all of the accessories that you’ll need for everyday use or for weekend adventures, with mudguards, racks and built in lights. For those looking to explore more technical terrain, many models also come with a dropper post, so that you can get your saddle out of the way on steep and more technically challenging descents.

Decided which design’s right for you?  

Now it’s time to pick which exact model you need! Luckily, at Canyon we’ve got a logical naming system that makes it a bit easier. 

If you’ve browsed through a couple of our touring and city bikes, you’ll have seen that a typical Canyon bike name might read something like ‘Pathlite:ON 4 SUV mid step’ or ‘Commuter 9 LTD’, to use two examples. 

This is what it all means. 

In short – the higher the number in the name, the more premium the components. 

In general it’s important to remember: even on our most affordable bikes, the standard of modern bike components is very high in terms of reliability and durability. That’s to say, even on an ‘Roadlite 7’ you could ride across entire continents or around the entire globe (as long as you keep your bike well maintained and looked after). 

However, on the higher-number bikes, the higher-quality components are significantly lighter, and feel more premium and more comfortable, which makes a major difference the more time you spend in the saddle.

BUT: functionally, remember it’s nothing you absolutely need to take on epic rides and love them. 

The most common abbreviations you’ll see on our bike model names are AL and CF. These are the materials the frame is built with: AL means aluminium, while CF stands for carbon fibre. Of course, we tend to fit a higher spec of component onto the higher-end models. 

There are plenty more abbreviations used to indicate a particular characteristic.

Sometimes, you’ll see a bike name with an extra word or phrase added on the end – examples including ‘LTD’, ‘Comfort’, or similar. 

These words typically describe a standout feature or characteristic of the bike that makes it standout. ‘LTD’ means Limited Edition, offering exclusive designs or special specs. ‘Comfort’ bikes focus on practical, everyday riding in urban environments. 

We recommend reading the short description on a bike’s product page for a clear idea of what the standout features of one of these bikes is. 

There are many things to consider when you’re looking for a commuter bike. Once you’ve chosen what style of bike will suit your riding style best, you can start to consider different model options, and which ones may be best for you.  

City and touring bikes come in several frame materials and have different options for drivetrains and tyres. We’ll walk you through the many choices you have in today’s market and help you determine which options will work best for you.

Typically, there are two common frame materials to choose between when it comes to buying a commuter bike. Aluminium is the most common of the two and is a durable frame material that is perfect for commuters. Aluminium frame bikes typically have plenty of mounts for racks, mudguards and anything else you may need.  

The other frame material you may run into is carbon. Carbon frames are lighter than aluminium frames and are perfect for commuters who want a fast and lightweight bike that can still go the distance on weekend rides.

There are a ton of different drivetrain options out there and it would take us forever to go through all of them. Here are the basics of what you should be looking for in a drivetrain on your commuter bike.  

First, look for bikes with a wide range of gears will allow you to speed through city streets and cruise up hills, no matter how steep they are. Many modern city and touring bikes achieve this wide range without a front derailleur, which means that you’ll have one less moving part to worry about.  

Another option to think about if home maintenance isn’t really your thing, there are some commuter bikes out there with internally geared hubs. These bikes use belts rather than chains and work without a front or rear derailleur. 

The benefit of this kind of system is they are not exposed to the elements, and therefore take far, far longer to get gross and gunky.  

For daily commuters, you’ll want to look for a bike with fast rolling 700c or 29-inch wheels that are strong and durable enough to stand up to the rigours of all-weather commuting.  

City bikes tend to have slick tyres, for speed on city roads, while touring bikes will have more tread for better traction on the trails.  

Most commuter bikes will come with plenty of different mounts for accessories such as front and rear racks, baskets, mudguards and bottle cages. These mounts will allow you to carry everything you need for a day at work or a weekend getaway without having to wear a backpack.  

Some higher-end models of commuter and city bikes will come already equipped with all of the necessary accessories, so that you can just get on and go. 

It’s a common worry we hear all the time: when buying their bike online, some riders are concerned they might choose the wrong size, ending up with a bike that fits poorly.  

However, we can confidently say that nothing could be further from the truth.  

To make sizing quick, easy and intuitive, we've developed our own bike sizing tool called the Perfect Positioning System (PPS). All you need to do is take two basic measurements – your height and your inner leg length – and dial them into the PPS tool.  

The whole process takes about 5 minutes, and when you’re done, we’ll give you a tailored size recommendation for any Canyon bike you're interested in.  

The tool uses over 15,000 data points to determine your perfect frame size, and it also recommends a seat height range. And it checks to make sure the bike you're browsing can accommodate your seat height. We've found that 98% of people, when inputting correct data, will receive their ideal frame size using our tool.  

Once you've entered your measurements, you'll see your recommended frame size on each bike's page. And if the worst happens, and your bike doesn't fit, you can return it us within 30 days for a full refund. 

The answer is no. Most Canyon bikes today are unisex, with components designed to suit all riders. Some people may feel more comfortable with a step-through frame – for various reasons, not just gender. Canyon bikes are built around achieving the perfect fit and riding position for every individual, supported by the Perfect Positioning System, rather than offering gender-specific models. 

To recap, commuter bikes are designed for daily urban rides, with city bikes offering comfort for shorter trips and hybrid or touring bikes providing the versatility needed for longer journeys or mixed terrain. Regardless of the type, each bike is crafted to make your ride more efficient, comfortable, and enjoyable.

Now that you know what to look for in a commuter bike, it’s time to get out there and start riding! If you’re unsure about which model is right for you, our handy comparison tool can help break down the differences between options. And for more tips on commuting, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide to commuting by bike.