Lists of bike styles and terrain Comfort bikes Relatively new on the bike scene, comfort bikes keep their riders as comfy as possible. That means suspension seat posts (yep, they actually cushion the bumps), gel-filled seats for happy bums, upright handlebars and soft grips to reduce hand and wrist fatigue, easy-to-read gear indicators, and wide tires to cushion the ride like mountain bike tires do, but with smooth centers to speed up and quiet down the ride. Comfort bikes sort of look like mountain bikes and sort of look like hybrid bikes — sometimes comfort and hybrid bikes can be hard to distinguish. The big difference is the wheel size. Comfort bikes have 26" wheels, putting the rider’s center of gravity closer to the ground than hybrid bikes (which have larger, 700-centimeter wheels), making some riders feel safer. Most comfort bikes can handle just about any sort of terrain, but since they’re built for comfort they’re not exactly built for exacting performance on or off road. Home | Products & services | Choosing a bike | Places to ride | Fun stuff | News Athens Bicycle, 14 W. Stimson, Athens, OH 45701 (740) 594-9944 Toll-free: (866) 594-9944 E-mail: pete@athensbicycle.com