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Best Women's Beach Cruiser Bikes

Updated May 2022
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Schwinn Signature Women's Largo 7 26'' Cruiser Bike
Schwinn
Signature Women's Largo 7 26'' Cruiser Bike
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

It has everything you need for a smooth ride with quality, looks, and comfort.

Pros

Step-through frame and matching fenders. Spring cruiser saddle is comfortable. Twist shifter system with 7 speeds for uphill climbing. Swept-back handlebars for upright riding.

Cons

A few reports of damaged parts on arrival.

Best Bang for the Buck
sixthreezero Around the Block Women's Single-Speed Beach Cruiser Bike
sixthreezero
Around the Block Women's Single-Speed Beach Cruiser Bike
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Bike for Two
Bottom Line

It has a classic cruiser-style design and pretty color choices.

Pros

A basic cruiser bike with a traditional build that comes in 1,3, or 7 speeds. Good looks, as it comes in several "beachy" color combinations. Sharp whitewall tires.

Cons

Some loose or missing parts. Hard to assemble.

Schwinn Destiny Girls/Womens Classic Beach Cruiser Bike
Schwinn
Destiny Girls/Womens Classic Beach Cruiser Bike
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Vintage Look
Bottom Line

A stylish model that’s designed to provide maximum comfort as you ride.

Pros

26 inch size is comfortable, and smaller 17 inch size is available for smaller riders or young kids. Alloy rims for durability. Provides a smooth ride. Good for ages 8 and up.

Cons

Some users complain that it's cheaply made.

Huffy 26" Panama Jack Beach Women's Cruiser Bike
Huffy
26" Panama Jack Beach Women's Cruiser Bike
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Most Stylish
Bottom Line

This option is perfect for gliding down the boardwalk, a quiet street, or shady lane.

Pros

Attractive curvy styling. Available in 20-26 inch sizes. Lightweight aluminum frame. Choice of gear options, including easy-going single-speed model. Available in a few different colors.

Cons

No hand brakes. More expensive model.

Kulana Women's Makana 26'' Cruiser Bike
Kulana
Women's Makana 26'' Cruiser Bike
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

This classic choice looks great and comes at an affordable price.

Pros

Sports bright, attractive colors for the beach. 19 inch model perfect for teens and riders with small statures. Easy to assemble. Fenders on front and rear for puddles.

Cons

Some owners wish it had hand brakes instead.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

33
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Consumers
Consulted
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Buying guide for Best women’s beach cruiser bikes

Beach cruiser bikes can offer a great riding experience and an effective form of exercise. Compared to road and mountain bikes, beach cruisers are all about the casual ride. Colorful frames, slim fenders, rear racks, baskets, and whimsical bells are all classic staples of a beach cruiser bike.

Often using a smaller frame and a slightly different design, women’s beach cruisers can carry the same range of accessories as men’s models. For the right bike, you will need to find the right combination of a frame size that fits, colors that match your personal tastes, and accessories like fenders, baskets, and racks to enhance the capabilities of the bike.

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Beach cruisers usually either have a caster brake that you must pedal backward (like on a kid’s bike) or traditional brake levers.

Key considerations

Frame design

The main difference between men’s and women’s beach cruiser bikes is the overall frame design. A women’s bike has a top tube that slopes down toward the rear wheel. Although any frame will do, this design makes it easier to mount/dismount the bike and ride it with certain types of clothing, like a skirt.

Besides the shape of the frame, its weight will also affect how easy the bike is to ride. Frame materials largely influence the weight. Lighter materials like aluminum and titanium offer good strength at a higher cost. Steel frames are heavier but are more budget-friendly without sacrificing strength.

For a personal touch, pay attention to the style and color options of each bike model. Beach cruisers are known to come with unique, expressive paint jobs. Solid and multicolor paint schemes are common. Some bikes even come with matching fenders and racks to tie everything together.

Size and fit

Riding any kind of bike is a great form of exercise as long as you have the correct size and fit. Like clothes, bike frames come in small, medium, and large sizes. Women’s bike sizes can be smaller than men’s, but this depends on the manufacturer.

The best way to find the most comfortable fit is with a test ride, if possible. The bike needs to be small enough so you can stand up comfortably at rest and large enough to keep your body in a proper riding position on the go. The size of the tire will also affect how high the bike rides, since larger wheels increase the height.

The saddle and handlebars on a beach cruiser should be adjustable enough to fine-tune the fit. The saddle can be raised or lowered, increasing or decreasing the height off the ground and the distance from the pedals. The handlebar height and position should support the hands and arms for maximum comfort and control.

Tires

Despite the name, a beach cruiser bike isn’t limited to just the sand and surf. With the right tires, you can tackle several types of terrain, including asphalt and gravel. The important factors to consider are tire width and tread pattern.

Most stock tires used on beach cruisers are smooth with small treads that roll on sand without much effort. These tires make it easier to pedal on challenging terrain, but they can be dangerous on loose gravel and wet surfaces. If you don’t like the stock tires, the good news is you can change them with a little effort.

For city riding, smooth touring tires with some tread are best for rolling on streets. Since concrete and asphalt are usually smooth, less tread is needed to maintain good traction. On the opposite end, knobby mountain bike tires have larger treads that dig into mud and dirt. These can be challenging to ride on asphalt since there is greater resistance as the tire rolls along the ground.

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Did you know?
Beach cruiser bikes can struggle on wet surfaces after snow or rain without the right tires. The smooth tires on most stock cruisers don’t offer a lot of grip.
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Features

Baskets and racks

Time spent on a beach cruiser bike can be a great adventure with the right gear. To carry small items like bags or gear for a picnic, you will need a basket or rack.

Bike baskets are the perfect addition to a beach cruiser to carry small, loose items right from the handlebars. They also add a bit of visual flair if the style and color match the bike’s frame. Some women’s beach cruiser bikes come with a basket already attached.

Bike racks add a flat surface (usually to the rear of the bike) to strap down objects or attach bags. Compared to baskets, racks can typically carry more things with the right bag. Used in tandem with a basket, a bike rack is the best way to carry everything you might need for a day-long adventure outside.

Bells and lights

Safety is the most important thing on any bike. Even away from traffic and on a beach, you will need to have a few safety accessories besides a helmet to make your presence known to other bikers and pedestrians.

Bells are a simple way to let other people know you’re coming up from behind on crowded pathways and trails. A few beach cruiser bikes come with a built-in bell, but most require a separate purchase. These bells quickly snap onto the handlebars near the hands.

Lights are more common for nighttime rides but are useful any time of day. You should have at least a front light to illuminate the area in front of the bike, like a headlight. Even if you don’t intend to ride at night, a light is a smart accessory to have in case of an emergency. On the back of the bike, it’s a good idea to have either a tail light or rear reflectors for vehicles coming up from behind.

Accessories

Bike cargo rack: If you want to take along a picnic, beach blanket, or extra sunscreen, a cargo rack on your bike will allow you to bring along what you need without having to wear a backpack on a hot day.

Cycling odometer: Keep track of how far you travel and how fast you go.

Women’s beach cruiser bike prices

Women’s beach cruiser bikes are similar to other types of bikes in terms of price. The cost can increase with a higher-quality frame, larger wheels and tires, additional accessories, or a unique paint job.

Inexpensive

Bikes at $150 and under usually have a smaller frame meant for children and teenagers. A couple of budget models do exist in this range, but these are limited in terms of adjustability and included accessories.

Mid-range

$150 to $300 is the standard price range for beach cruisers. It’s easy to find a high-quality cruiser with a steel or aluminum frame, built-in fenders and/or rack, and a solid paint color. If you are looking for your first beach cruiser bike, this is the best range to check out first.

Expensive

On the high end at $300 and above, beach cruiser bikes tend to include more accessories and gearing options. If the look of the bike matters, you may appreciate the greater number of color and style choices in this range as well.

Tips

  • If you want the authentic experience before you buy a beach cruiser bike, try to get to the beach if it’s close. Cruiser rentals are common at beaches.

  • Buy a pair of pannier bags to attach to the sides of a rear rack for extra storage.

  • Look for an electric beach cruiser with a motor if you want to extend the range of the bike.

  • A good bike lock goes a long way toward protecting your beach cruiser when you have it parked outside.
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Learn a few basic maintenance skills — like how to change a tire or grease a chain — to keep the bike in good riding condition.

FAQ

Q. How much does a beach cruiser bike weigh?

A. Most bikes weigh 30 to 40 pounds, depending on the frame material and accessories. For a lighter bike, look for an aluminum frame.

Q. How many speeds do I need on a beach cruiser?

A. In most cases, you will want a three-speed or seven-speed bike. One-speed bikes — also known as fixies — are okay for flat ground but can struggle on hills or heavy sand.

Q. Do I need to assemble a beach cruiser?

A. Minimal assembly may be required for most cruisers that are delivered. At the very least, expect the wheels and seat to come disassembled.

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