How do you decide what kind of bicycle to take on motorhome touring holidays with you? Life used to be so simple when there were fewer products to choose from, but cycling has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity recently. So if you go into any bike shop you’ll be dazzled by the choice available.

To make life easier, we’ve picked a popular group of bikes that seem tailor-made for most motorhome tours – hybrids. While these are great to ride on smooth tarmac, hybrid bikes have straight handlebars like mountain bikes, which enable you to sit in a relaxed upright position. They have larger tyres than most road racing bikes, too. So that means they’re pretty good on bike trails and tow paths as well. While they are not designed for really muddy and bumpy offroad use, hybrid bikes are strong enough to cope with a bit of a rough ride.

We have tested a group of hybrid bicycles to see which are the best for motorhome holidays, and you can read a selection of our bicycle reviews online. For instance, we’ve tested the Islabikes Beinn 29, costing £499.99 and weighing 12.1kg, the Dawes Discovery 201, costing £319.99 and weighing 12.6kg. Then we tried out the Pinnacle Neon Two, priced at £450 and weighing 10.4kg, the Verenti Division CB2.1 SORA, costing £449 and weighing 10.8kg. Then finally we tested the B’Twin Triban 500 Flat Bar, costing just £260 and weighing 10.9kg.

We have been looking for the best bikes for general use on holiday. They should be lightweight and easy to handle and manoeuvre. They must have good gears and brakes, handlebars with grips and an adjustable frame. The saddle needs to be padded in the right places to make this inherently uncomfortable item the best that it can be for a human rear. Above all, though, the bike must fit the rider and give an enjoyable and safe ride. We are on holiday, after all!

In this review we’ll focus on the Verenti Division CB2.1 SORA, which costs £449 and weighs 10.8kg.

Verenti is internet cycle retailer Wiggle’s own brand and the Verenti Division CB2.1 SORA model is a corker in terms of value for money. The Division’s Sora gearset and super-impressive wheels, with Hutchinson Nitro Tyres, are the highlights in what is by far the best set of components on test. Add to that an interesting frame that can be upgraded with provision for disc brakes, and a basic shape that looks as if it will provide a nice, high riding position, and we should be onto a winner.

However, from the saddle the frame seems huge and, while the bike accelerates and cruises at speed quite nicely, it doesn’t feel particularly engaging. Equally, while it’s not uncomfortable, it’s not super-plush either. So you get a great package at a great price, but the frame is somewhat uninspiring.