Utility bicycle

A freight bicycle used for child transport.

A utility bicycle (aka city bicycle or a beater) is one which is designed for a practical purpose, as opposed to "sport bicycles" which are designed for recreation and competition, such as touring bicycles, racing bicycles and mountain bicycles.

Utility bicycles are used for short-distance commuting, for running errands, shopping and sometimes promotion. They have been used for courier service in wars and to get around such large workplaces as large factories, warehouses, airports and movie studio lots. Utility bicycles often feature a step-through frame so they can be easily mounted, hub gears and drum brakes to reduce the need for maintenance, mudguards to keep the rider's clothing clean, a chain guard to prevent skirts or loose trousers from being caught in the chain, a skirt guard to prevent a long skirt catching in the rear brakes, a kickstand so it can be parked anywhere, and a basket or pannier rack to carry personal possessions or shopping bags. Utility bicycles typically are heavier than "sport bicycles", parts such as rims/wheels are chosen for strength and durability and low cost rather than high performance. The handlebars are almost always curved back, and higher than the saddle so that the rider can ride in an upright riding position. Some people add a child seat or a trailer.

These parts and features mean a good utility bike is functional, durable, comfortable and versatile. These virtues come at the expense of high weight.

The utility bicycle is the most widely used form of bicycle in many parts of the world, but in many industrialized nations motor vehicles have replaced bicycles for personal transport in the 20th century and the reduced availability of utility bicycles in some countries has led people to adopt sport bicycles for tasks for which utility bicycles are better suited. A few countries, notably the Netherlands and Denmark, are exceptions to this rule. In addition, the Deutsche Post uses utility bikes in most German cities for delivering mail.

v t e Cycling
Glossary Outlines Bicycles Cycling
General and technical	Bicycle Bicycle culture Bicycle dynamics Bicycle geometry Bicycle performance Electric bicycle History of the bicycle History of cycling infrastructure Balance bike Tandem bicycle Tricycle Unicycle
Utility and slow recreation	Bicycle commuting Bicycle messenger Bicycle rental/hire Bicycle-sharing system Bicycle touring Cargo bike Challenge riding Cold-weather biking Indoor cycling Rail trail Randonneuring Road cycling Utility bicycle Utility cycling Vehicular cycling
Sports-related cycling and fast-paced recreation	Artistic cycling BMX Cross-country cycling Cycle speedway Cycle sport Cyclo-cross Cyclosportive Fatbiking Freeride Goldsprint Gravel cycling Mountain biking Downhill Trials Pump track Road bicycle racing Track cycling Triathlon Unicycle hockey Unicycle trials
Health, safety and infrastructure	Active mobility Bicycle-friendly Bicycle law Bicycle parking Bicycle poverty reduction Bicycle rodeo Bicycle safety Bicycle transportation planning and engineering Bike rage Bike registry Bike-to-Work Day Bike Week (Bicycle Week) Cyclability Cycling advocacy Cycling infrastructure Hand signals Idaho stop Lane splitting Protected intersection Tegelijk groen Vehicular cycling
Other	Bicycle collecting Cycling kit Pentacycle Quadracycle Sustainable transport
Lists	List of bicycle types List of bicycle brands and manufacturing companies List of BMX bicycle manufacturers List of bicycle-sharing systems List of cyclists List of films about bicycles and cycling List of doping cases in cycling
Category

See also