In a sensible world, a hybrid bike would just be a bike, and all the specialist bike types would get their own particular names. But the popularity of different bike types follows fashion trends. Before the mountain bike boom of the late ’80s and early ’90s ‘10-speed racers’ and touring bikes ruled the roost.
Then the mountain bike came along and reminded people that a bike with powerful brakes and an upright riding position was fun to ride, and very practical on potholed city streets.
A mountain bike’s fat tyres and sturdy build is overkill for most UK riding, though. A bike soon emerged with the flat handlebar and friendly controls of a mountain bike, but the lighter frame and larger, quicker wheels of a road bike: the hybrid bike.

What’s a hybrid exactly?
That broad definition of hybrid bike leaves a lot of scope for variation. At one end of the scale are flat-bar road bikes, which as the description suggests have the very skinny tyres and lightweight, close-coupled frame of a road bike, but with a flat bar. Just the thing for zooming through sun-drenched Tuscan lanes, if not so great for rainy, potholed British city streets.
Fatter tyres with deeper treads are more common though, and usually provide the grip and cushioning that make hybrid bikes really versatile. You can easily take a hybrid places where you'd hesitate to ride a road bike, or where very skinny tyres need a high level of skill and care. Canal towpaths, forest roads and easier singletrack trails are all accessible on a hybrid bike.
That versatility is reflected in the features you’ll usually find on a hybrid. Hybrid bikes almost always have mounts on the frame and fork for mudguards; mounts on the frame for a rack to carry pannier bags; and two mounts on the frame for water bottles. You may also find mounts on the fork for a front rack and frame mounts for a lock by the rear wheel.
A few hybrid bikes come with all this and more as standard equipment, especially if they are also intended to be sold in Europe, where people expect their bikes to be ready to roll as practical transport straight off the shop floor.
Such a ‘fully-equipped’ hybrid bike will have a pannier rack and mudguards, dynamo lighting, a built-in lock and even that most reviled of accessories, a kickstand for parking convenience.
Let’s take a closer look at hybrid bike features.
Frame & fork
Hybrid bikes are almost always made from aluminium for its combination of strength and low weight. They sometimes have suspension forks, which are arguably a bit of a gimmick, adding weight and cost without adding much useful function.
You will also find steel-framed hybrid bikes, usually aimed at trendy urban riders. If you’ve money to burn there are also a few manufacturers producing hybrid bikes with super-light carbon fibre frames, which sounds daft until you consider carrying a bike up several flights of stairs to a top-floor flat or room in a shared house.
Gears
For the most part, hybrid bikes use derailleur gears, with mechanisms that move the chain around sprockets on the rear wheel and cranks. These are light and simple but a bit vulnerable to damage, so a few manufacturers offer hybrids with fully-enclosed hub gears.
Either way, the controls are on the handlebar, right next to the brake levers and easily reached as you ride; this ease of use is one of the things that makes hybrid bikes popular.
To give a usable gear range, hybrid bikes with hub gears usually have seven or eight gears, though you occasionally see Shimano’s expensive, wide-range eleven-speed hub gear.
For maximum simplicity, some hybrid bikes just have a single gear. 
Hybrid bikes with derailleur gears usually have three sprockets (called chainrings) on the cranks and between seven and ten at the rear. This gives a really wide range of gears so you can zoom downhill and still climb comfortably.
Brakes
Hybrids have always borrowed braking technology from mountain bikes, and now use either V-brakes or disc brakes.
V-brakes mount on special bosses on the frame near the wheel rims and have a brake cable that pulls the top of two arms to bring the pads against the rim.
Like disc brakes on cars, bike disc brakes have a dedicated braking surface on the wheel, mounted on the hub.
Both provide good braking in the dry, but discs perform better in the wet because the braking surface is further away from the road.
Wheels and tyres
Most hybrids use the same wheel size as drop-handlebar road bikes, known as 700C. The designation comes from a French wheel sizing system and used to indicate a tyre that was 28 inches (700mm) across, though most modern 700C tyres are smaller than that.
A few hybrids use mountain bike size 26-inch tyres or the intermediate size known as 27.5 inches or 650B. The wheels are therefore a bit smaller and tougher, though the tyres on such a bike will be lighter and smoother than mountain bike knobblies. 
Hybrid bikes have a wide range of tyre sizes, from lightly-treaded narrow tyres (usually 28mm or so wide) for speed, to fat tyres with chunky tread for dirt tracks.
One popular option is highly-puncture resistant tyres such as Schwalbe Marathons, which will ward off all but the nastiest sharp objects.
Extras
If you’re going to do more than pootle round the woods on dry days, there are a few things you should consider buying along with your new hybrid bike.
Mudguards: Spray from the tyres makes a big contribution to a winter soaking, so if you’re going to ride when there’s a chance of rain (all but a few days per year in the UK!) mudguards will keep you a lot drier.
Clip-on mudguards can be fitted to bikes with tight clearances, while if your bike has more room in the frame you can use full-coverage bolt-on guards.
Rack & luggage: If you want to carry stuff while you ride you have two options: panniers that clip on to a rack bolted to the rear of the bike; or a rucksack.
Panniers are more comfortable and allow you to carry more, but are awkward off the bike. A rucksack is easy to carry off the bike, usually has lots of compartments to help keep you organised or lose your keys in, but will give you a sweaty back. You decide your priorities and make your choice.
Lights: A legal requirement if you’re going to ride at night, and just sensible too. A flashing rear light is now almost a sign of a bike; many riders like to pair a flasher with a constant light because it’s easier for drivers to track the position of a steady light on dark roads. Up front you have a huge range of choices from small lights that will get you seen to high-power systems that light the road for many metres ahead.
Lock: As a rule of thumb, spend 10% of the cost of your bike on a lock. Look for Sold Secure ratings and go for a lock that’s rated at least Silver if you’re going to leave your bike parked on the street for any length of time.
If your bike has the necessary mounts, a frame lock like the one on a Koga trekking bike, above, is wonderfully convenient for short stops
Fully-equipped hybrids: As mentioned above, it’s possible to get a hybrid bikes with all the trimmings, and it’s a lot cheaper that way.

How much to spend?
Hybrids are great budget transport. You can pick one up for less than £200, and by the time you get up the price range to around £300 there are some really quite nice bikes.
Buy a £300 hybrid bike on the Cycle To Work Scheme and the repayments will be trivial, especially compared to the cost of public transport. In many cities, you'll be significantly better off: a London Zone 1-3 Travelcard costs £153.60 per month, a Bristol Plus travelcard is £192.00 and a Cambridge Megarider Plus bus ticket is £96. Hybrid bikes pay for themselves very quickly indeed,.
As with almost all bikes, hybrids get rapidly nicer to ride as you climb the price range to about £1,000, after which you get into diminishing returns.
If you want disc brakes, you’ll need to spend about £400 and up.
Fully-equipped hybrid bikes, or ones with a rack and mudguards, are scattered through the price range.

​Reference: road.cc

WHY DO YOU NEED A SUSPENSION?
Suspension provides shock absorption underneath the handlebars and, oftentimes, the seat. It is the most common on mountain bikes because of the type of terrain they face. Instead of smooth, paved streets, mountain bikes ride over uneven trails and obstacles. Without suspension, the full force generated from landing after a drop would be transferred to some rather sensitive places.

While the practice is becoming more common, it’s still rare to see suspension of any kind on road bikes. Terrain, again, is a major factor in this decision. If you’re unlikely to face anything bumpier than a crack in the sidewalk, do you need suspension on your bicycle? Road bikes are also designed with speed in mind. Adding front or full suspension adds unnecessary weight to your ride. It isn’t unusual for competitive racers to swap out steel hardware for titanium units to save a few ounces on their bicycles.

SHOULD YOU GET SUSPENSION ON YOUR HYBRID BIKE?
Because they’re so versatile, it’s hard to know exactly what sort of riding someone on a hybrid bike intends to do. While you wouldn’t take them down a mountainside, easy dirt trails aren’t out of the question. If that’s the case, suspensions can smooth out any bumps you ride over.

While suspensions do add enough weight to be noticeable, you can’t find a competitive mountain biker without them. If you’re commuting or riding a bike for fun, chances are you’re unafraid of a little hard work. The few ounces or pounds added by a front or full suspension isn’t enough to make your hybrid bike feel like it’s stuck in the mud.

On the other hand, hybrid bikes also feature wider tires that operate at a lower air pressure than road bikes. As with a mens or womens beach cruiser bike, the softer tire pressure creates more give in the wheels of a hybrid, providing a little shock absorption. With that in mind, you may find yourself comfortable even without a suspension.

Overall, there are only a few reasons to get suspension on a hybrid:

• You find it more comfortable. This is a legitimate reason to buy a hybrid bike with a suspension, especially for heavier riders. There’s no point in riding if you’re going to be uncomfortable.
• You’re riding on difficult terrain. Whether this is a trail or a street that hasn’t been paved in years, a suspension system can make it easier to handle.
• The bike you want has suspension. Sometimes, your favorite bike just happens to have suspension. Don’t let it stop you if you like this bicycle.

​There’s no wrong answer here. Plenty of high-quality hybrids don’t offer a suspension because it’s not necessary. Shop for an exceptional mens or womens hybrid bike by finding the features that appeal to you.

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Reference: Times Square Chronicles

1. Ride Length Matters
Knowing the length of your commute could make all the difference in your wallet and your ride comfort. Every three miles or so, the general requirements and goal of your commute will change based on what the length of your ride does to your body and what your bike should be designed to handle. Be aware of cycling conditions in your city and try to accurately gauge how much you’ll be riding throughout the week.
If you find yourself riding less than three miles per day, any bike will fit your needs. At six miles your ride comfort will decline without paying special attention to your seat and the height of your commuter bike, and anything at nine miles per day and above benefits from bikes designed for speed and ride efficiency. Ride smarter, not harder.

2. Tire Size and Width Equals Grip
Most commuters want to make the trip between work and home as quick and painless as possible. While a totally reasonable goal, opting for a bike with large, skinny tires might lead to a quicker ride but the weather you encounter during your commute may not agree with your cycle designed primarily for warm weather touring.
If you live in an area that experiences high levels of precipitation through the year, ensure the tires on your bike can stand up to puddles and slick spots. In addition, keep in mind that approaching tram tracks with small tires can cause that they get stuck in the rail grooves more easily.

3. Suspension Is Not Always Better
In theory, a bike with a suspension system should have a smoother, more enjoyable ride. Suspension systems are designed to take the bumps and shocks that come with irregular road conditions and ensure the rider isn’t jostled around uncomfortably.
Unfortunately, low-end bikes with suspension systems often skimp on suspension quality that leads to a cycle with a lot of unnecessary weight for almost no tangible benefit.
If ride comfort is important, you should ensure the bike you wind up purchasing is well-constructed. Even if it has a solid fork frame instead of suspension, you might find the ride more comfortable than with a sticky, unpredictable suspension system that just makes it harder to pedal for no benefit.

4. Brake Systems Are Not Universally Useful
Most modern hybrid bikes meant to handle gravel roads and city streets alike will come with either rim brakes or disc brakes. Rim brakes, though much cheaper than disc brakes, rely on pressure applied to the inside of the tire via what is essentially a rubber-coated clamp. Though cost-effective and very lightweight, these brake systems are prone to slippage when overly worn or wet and often do not brake with consistent force.
Disc brakes work much in the same way as the disc brakes in the average car. As a result, these systems are heavier and more expensive yet offer more braking force and can be relied upon safely for longer periods of time. Keep in mind these systems are heavier, however, and heavy-duty braking may not be required for commutes along quiet side streets.

5. Your Comfort Is Key
If it’s worth saying once, it’s worth saying twice: find a bike you think is comfortable. It doesn’t matter how fancy or well-engineered a cycle is if it leaves you sore and achy every time you ride it. Find something comfortable to ride first and foremost before worrying about squeezing professional-level performance out of it.

Conclusion
Once you’ve gotten into a healthy routine of skipping the bus or avoiding traffic jams sitting about in your car, a commuter bike can be a more than worthwhile investment in your health and happiness throughout the week.
With a little research you can find a bike that is both safe and comfortable enough to keep you riding for years to come.

Reference: bikecitizens