Summer is a great time to get out of the gym and hit the road, especially on a bike. Consumer Reports recently asked more than 3,300 of its online readers to rate their bikes.

Fitness bikes, with their lightweight frames, narrow tires and range of gears, have flat to low-rise handlebars allowing for a more upright riding position. The Fuji Absolute 3.0 ($480) topped the list of CR fitness bikes. It scored Excellent for handling and did Very Good in climbing and shifting tests.

For low-impact recreational riding, consider a comfort bike. According to the CR survey, those who ride hybrid or comfort bikes found seat comfort and handling to be very important. Most comfort bikes have suspension seat posts and wide, padded seats to absorb bumps. But the fully upright position and heavier weight on some models can make climbing hills more difficult. CR likes the sporty Cannondale Comfort 4 ($580) for its Very Good handling.

For riders who occasionally venture off the beaten path, a hybrid bike is an option. The CR Best Buy Schwinn Midmoor ($250) and the Novara Corsa ($450) offer a good compromise between comfort and performance.

Consumer Reports looked at some useful smart-phone apps for motorists that it tested for the major smart-phone platforms.

♦Car Finder. Price: 99 cents. Phone: iPhone. Car Finder uses your phone's compass and GPS capability to mark the position of your car when you park and then guide you back to it later.

♦DriveSafe.ly. Price: Free or $13.95. Phones: BlackBerry and Android; coming for iPhone, Palm webOS, Symbian and Windows Mobile. DriveSafe.ly reads e-mail and text messages aloud while you drive and can send a response message saying you're unavailable. The free version has a limit of 25 words per message.

♦GreenMeter. Price: $5.99. Phone: iPhone. Using the iPhone's built-in accelerometer, GreenMeter monitors your driving and displays your car's mpg, fuel cost and carbon emissions.

♦iWrecked. Price: Free. Phone: iPhone. This simple program takes you through a list of what to do after a car crash, including taking photos of the scene and getting contact and insurance information from other drivers.

♦aCar. Price: Free. Phone: Android. Once you set it up by entering maintenance-schedule information from the car owner's manual, aCar reminds you when your car is due in the shop.

♦RepairPal. Price: Free. Phones: iPhone, coming soon for Android. RepairPal helps you find a repair shop and get estimates. If you break down, it will locate a tow truck.

♦Magellan RoadMate, Navigon Mobile Navigator, TomTom. Price: $70-$80. Phones: Magellan and TomTom: iPhone; Navigon: iPhone and Windows Mobile. Of the navigation apps CR tested, these stand out. All are easy to use and have features found on better portable GPS navigators.