CITY SLICHERS

We test a quartet of well-priced bikes ideal for commuting but with the potential to do so much more come the weekend...

- Simon Withers

Need to know

Everyone has a different commute and different needs, so bear yours in mind before choosing your shiny new bike

PRACTICALITY SHOULD BE KING for a commuter bike, so think about your priorities (reliability, an upright position, mudguards, lights, decent brakes, racks?) before plumping for the coolestlooking one on the rack. This month's bikes all have their strengths, depending on what type of route and riding you'll be doing.

01 Dual purpose

Trek's  Dual Sport 2 has a very European feel to it. It's the sort of machine you'll see on Stuttgart's streets or being ridden on unsurfaced Black Forest tracks. It's quite heavy, but in part that's because it comes with all the fixtures and fittings (a rack, mudguards, lights and even a kickstand) for commuting, day-to-day leisure riding and touring - at a leisurely pace of course. And if you want a nurse's lock, a handy addition to security, it even has fittings for that too.

02 Single minded

Actually, Cannondale's Bad Boy is more single bladed, thanks to the distinctive Lefty fork, producing a strikingly asymmetrical front end. This fork and the seatpost both feature useful integrated rechargeable lighting. And while it may not come equipped with rack or fenders, it does have all the necessary fittings. Wide tyres promise comfort, the 1:1 ratio bottom gear will help on the hills and, like the Trek, it comes with hydraulic disc brakes.

03 Steel going strong