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The Best Ride Cymbals

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Selecting the ideal ride cymbal is crucial for any drummer seeking to refine their sound. The right ride cymbal can provide a rich, sustained wash, a clear ping, or a complex blend of both, significantly impacting your overall musical expression. Understanding the key characteristics will help you find the perfect match for your drumming style and musical genre.

Looking for the best Ride Cymbals?

Discover now our comparison of the best Ride Cymbals. It is never easy to choose from the wide range of offers. On the market, you will find an incalculable number of models, all at different prices. And as you will discover, the best Ride Cymbals are not always the ones at the highest prices! Many criteria are used, and they make the richness and relevance of this comparison.
To help you make the best choice among the hundreds of products available, we have decided to offer you a comparison of the Ride Cymbals in order to find the best quality/price ratio. In this ranking, you will find products listed according to their price, but also their characteristics and the opinions of other customers. Also discover our comparisons by categories. You won’t have to choose your products at random anymore.

No. 1
Meinl 20" Ride Cymbal - HCS Traditional Finish Brass for Drum Set, Made in Germany, 2-YEAR WARRANTY (HCS20R)
  • MAJOR UPGRADE FROM "STOCK" STARTER CYMBALS: these are not those distractingly cheap, flimsy prop cymbals that come with most drum sets; Meinl HCS cymbals have impressive sound and sturdy feel geared toward beginner/intermediate players
  • WHY IT MATTERS: playing HCS cymbals will sound more like what you hear in actual songs, making the drums even more fun to play; plus, they aren't going to fall apart, dent, or bend after a few uses like stock cymbals
  • WHAT'S IN THE BOX: includes one 20" ride cymbal; this ride has a strong "ping" sound and an articulate bell for rhythmic clarity; the underlying sustain (also called wash) has depth and doesn't overpower the rest of the cymbal
  • DRIVING THE SOUND: made in Germany with MS63 brass alloy for a clean, bright, and crisp tone; substantial thickness with well-formed surface grooves and hammer marks give you a defined sound without clangy or ear-piercing overtones
  • CATCH UP QUICK: HCS exceeds expectations because Meinl brings experience crafting cymbals since 1951; we make HCS and other lines in our German factory, and our top-of-the-line professional Byzance cymbals are hand hammered in Turkey from cast B20 bronze
  • ZOOM IN: the surface shimmers and shines under light, which is a bonus if you like your kit to look beautiful; HCS cymbals also feature the same logo treatment as our professional lines, including a small laser engraved logo and serial number
  • OF NOTE: you can find any sound in the seemingly never-ending selection of cymbal types in the HCS line; all essentials in multiple sizes are covered along with effects cymbals that let you expand your sound with variety
  • THE BOTTOM LINE: this is a German made, top-quality entry level cymbal that resembles more high-end models with its crisp, bright tone and musical feel; it has a long lifespan, even for hard hitters, and fits any musical style
No. 2
Avedis Zildjian Company Planet Z Ride Cymbal (ZP20R)
  • Redesigned for 2020 the NEW Planet Z range of cymbals are a great introduction for beginners and intermediate players to the Zildjian world of cymbals
  • Proudly made in the USA crafted from Brass the NEW Planet Z cymabls offer bright cutting tones with more control and a focussed sound
  • The Planet Z range offers a superior sound qualiy at an entry level price
  • The ZP20R 20 Inch Ride cymbal is a bright cutting ride cymbal capable of really cutting through the mix
  • The cymbal's heavy weight delivers great stick definition and a focused sound
No. 3
SABIAN 20" SBR Ride Cymbal
  • A versatile model for beginners
  • Smartly priced, SBr Brass is in a class of its own
  • SBr makes your first step into cymbals an easy one
  • Protected by SABIAN One-Year Warranty
No. 4
ULUOBO Ride Cymbal, 20 inches Ride Cymbal (Gold)
  • 🎶Designed for Beginners — New type 20 inch practice cymbal is designed for beginner and student, unique to this price range, you are definitely worth to try!
  • 🎶Great Quality — Cymbal is well built, musicians using a durable stainless steel alloy that maintains its tone while holding up to the brunt of drum sticks.
  • 🎶Thicken Durability — The stainless steel material is thickened to ensure durability, making it less likely to break.
  • 🎶Can Be Used for — East cymbals are made for new players who are learning their way around the drum set, you can find these to be an outstanding affordable solution to outfit their lesson sets with in a classroom.
  • 🎶Pack Includes — This cymbal pack includes a 20" ride cymbal.
No. 5
Ride Cymbal, 20 inches Ride Cymbal (Gold)
  • 🎶Designed for Beginners — New type 20 inch practice cymbal is designed for beginner and student, unique to this price range, you are definitely worth to try!
  • 🎶Great Quality — Cymbal is well built, musicians using a durable stainless steel alloy that maintains its tone while holding up to the brunt of drum sticks.
  • 🎶Thicken Durability — The stainless steel material is thickened to ensure durability, making it less likely to break.
  • 🎶Can Be Used for — East cymbals are made for new players who are learning their way around the drum set, you can find these to be an outstanding affordable solution to outfit their lesson sets with in a classroom.
  • 🎶Pack Includes — This cymbal pack includes a 20" ride cymbal.
SaleNo. 6
Avedis Zildjian Company 20 inch I Series Ride Cymbal
  • Taking its name from Ilham – the Turkish word for inspiration
  • Crafted from B8 alloy
  • thinner weights that deliver washier and more emotive sounds
  • Country of origin is United States
No. 7
Meinl 18" Crash/Ride Cymbal - HCS Traditional Finish Brass for Drum Set, Made in Germany, 2-YEAR WARRANTY...
  • MAJOR UPGRADE FROM "STOCK" STARTER CYMBALS: these are not those distractingly cheap, flimsy prop cymbals that come with most drum sets; Meinl HCS cymbals have impressive sound and sturdy feel geared toward beginner/intermediate players
  • WHY IT MATTERS: playing HCS cymbals will sound more like what you hear in actual songs, making the drums even more fun to play; plus, they aren't going to fall apart, dent, or bend after a few uses like stock cymbals
  • WHAT'S IN THE BOX: includes one 18"crash/ride cymbal; this cymbal fills the gap between a ride and crash, where it's not too thin or too thick for either purpose; go from a bright "ping" sound on the top to a wide-open wash (or sustain) when crashing
  • DRIVING THE SOUND: made in Germany with MS63 brass alloy for a clean, bright, and crisp tone; substantial thickness with well-formed surface grooves and hammer marks give you a defined sound without clangy or ear-piercing overtones
  • CATCH UP QUICK: HCS exceeds expectations because Meinl brings experience crafting cymbals since 1951; we make HCS and other lines in our German factory, and our top-of-the-line professional Byzance cymbals are hand hammered in Turkey from cast B20 bronze
  • ZOOM IN: the surface shimmers and shines under light, which is a bonus if you like your kit to look beautiful; HCS cymbals also feature the same logo treatment as our professional lines, including a small laser engraved logo and serial number
  • OF NOTE: you can find any sound in the seemingly never-ending selection of cymbal types in the HCS line; all essentials in multiple sizes are covered along with effects cymbals that let you expand your sound with variety
  • THE BOTTOM LINE: this is a German made, top-quality entry level cymbal that resembles more high-end models with its crisp, bright tone and musical feel; it has a long lifespan, even for hard hitters, and fits any musical style
No. 8
HCS 22” Ride Cymbal for Drum Set — MADE IN GERMANY — Traditional Medium Brass, 2-YEAR WARRANTY
  • MAJOR UPGRADE FROM "STOCK" STARTER CYMBALS: these are not those distractingly cheap, flimsy prop cymbals that come with most drum sets; Meinl HCS cymbals have impressive sound and sturdy feel geared toward beginner/intermediate players
  • WHY IT MATTERS: playing HCS cymbals will sound more like what you hear in actual songs, making the drums even more fun to play; plus, they aren't going to fall apart, dent, or bend after a few uses like stock cymbals
  • WHAT'S IN THE BOX: includes one 22" ride cymbal; this ride has a strong "ping" sound and an articulate bell for rhythmic clarity; the underlying sustain (also called wash) has depth and doesn't overpower the rest of the cymbal
  • DRIVING THE SOUND: made in Germany with MS63 brass alloy for a clean, bright, and crisp tone; substantial thickness with well-formed surface grooves and hammer marks give you a defined sound without clangy or ear-piercing overtones
  • CATCH UP QUICK: HCS exceeds expectations because Meinl brings experience crafting cymbals since 1951; we make HCS and other lines in our German factory, and our top-of-the-line professional Byzance cymbals are hand hammered in Turkey from cast B20 bronze
  • ZOOM IN: the surface shimmers and shines under light, which is a bonus if you like your kit to look beautiful; HCS cymbals also feature the same logo treatment as our professional lines, including a small laser engraved logo and serial number
  • OF NOTE: you can find any sound in the seemingly never-ending selection of cymbal types in the HCS line; all essentials in multiple sizes are covered along with effects cymbals that let you expand your sound with variety
  • THE BOTTOM LINE: this is a German made, top-quality entry level cymbal that resembles more high-end models with its crisp, bright tone and musical feel; it has a long lifespan, even for hard hitters, and fits any musical style
No. 9
keerpusi Cymbal Stand with Drum Sticks Holder, Adjust high Boom and Straight Combo,Double Braced Legs with...
  • ✅ Stable Stand -The cymbal stand is made of high-quality stainless steel, with double legs and enlarged rubber feet,which can provide constant support for years to come.
  • ✅Easy to Adjust - Can adjust the height between 30" to 58". 360-degree adjustable tilter allows you to set desired playing angle of the drum.Easily complete adjustments in a few seconds.Perfect for 14",16",18",20" cymbal.
  • ✅Available Straight & Boom - According to your needs,you can set them up to straight stand or boom stand.This is a nice feature,compared to other cymbals on Amazon.
  • ✅High Density Felt -Larger and thicker felts can better protect the cymbals from scratches.
  • ✅Easy to install and remove.Suitable for 8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22 inch cymbals
No. 10
HCS 20” Crash/Ride Cymbal for Drum Set — MADE IN GERMANY — Traditional Finish Brass, 2-YEAR WARRANTY
  • MAJOR UPGRADE FROM "STOCK" STARTER CYMBALS: these are not those distractingly cheap, flimsy prop cymbals that come with most drum sets; Meinl HCS cymbals have impressive sound and sturdy feel geared toward beginner/intermediate players
  • WHY IT MATTERS: playing HCS cymbals will sound more like what you hear in actual songs, making the drums even more fun to play; plus, they aren't going to fall apart, dent, or bend after a few uses like stock cymbals
  • WHAT'S IN THE BOX: includes one 20"crash/ride cymbal; this cymbal fills the gap between a ride and crash, where it's not too thin or too thick for either purpose; go from a bright "ping" sound on the top to a wide-open wash (or sustain) when crashing
  • DRIVING THE SOUND: made in Germany with MS63 brass alloy for a clean, bright, and crisp tone; substantial thickness with well-formed surface grooves and hammer marks give you a defined sound without clangy or ear-piercing overtones
  • CATCH UP QUICK: HCS exceeds expectations because Meinl brings experience crafting cymbals since 1951; we make HCS and other lines in our German factory, and our top-of-the-line professional Byzance cymbals are hand hammered in Turkey from cast B20 bronze
  • ZOOM IN: the surface shimmers and shines under light, which is a bonus if you like your kit to look beautiful; HCS cymbals also feature the same logo treatment as our professional lines, including a small laser engraved logo and serial number
  • OF NOTE: you can find any sound in the seemingly never-ending selection of cymbal types in the HCS line; all essentials in multiple sizes are covered along with effects cymbals that let you expand your sound with variety
  • THE BOTTOM LINE: this is a German made, top-quality entry level cymbal that resembles more high-end models with its crisp, bright tone and musical feel; it has a long lifespan, even for hard hitters, and fits any musical style

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Last update on 2026-03-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Choose the Best Ride Cymbals

Playing Technique and Sound

Your playing style will influence the sound you get from a ride cymbal. Playing on the shoulder of the cymbal produces a louder, more cutting sound (the ping), while playing on the bow creates a broader, sustained wash. Some rides also feature a bell, which provides a distinct, loud, and dry accent. If you primarily use the bell for accents, look for a ride with a well-defined and prominent bell. For drummers who favor a shimmering wash, a thinner cymbal with a larger bow might be ideal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a jazz ride and a rock ride?
A jazz ride is typically thinner and darker, providing a complex, shimmering wash with subtle stick definition. A rock ride is heavier and louder, designed to cut through a band's mix with a clear, pronounced ping.
How does cymbal size affect its sound?
Larger ride cymbals (20-24 inches) generally produce a fuller, more sustained wash with a deeper tone. Smaller ride cymbals (18-20 inches) tend to have a more focused sound with a quicker decay.
What is the significance of the bell on a ride cymbal?
The bell is the raised dome in the center of the cymbal. It produces a loud, clear, and often dry accent sound that is useful for rhythmic patterns and cutting through loud music.
Is B20 bronze better than B8 bronze?
Neither alloy is inherently 'better'; they offer different tonal characteristics. B20 is known for its complex warmth and is often found in professional cymbals, while B8 provides a brighter, more focused sound and is typically more affordable.
How does cymbal weight impact performance?
Thin cymbals are more responsive and wash-heavy, ideal for intricate playing and lighter genres. Medium cymbals offer a balance of ping and wash, suitable for versatility. Heavy cymbals provide a loud, cutting ping with minimal wash, perfect for louder musical styles.