The best budget road bikes benefit from trickle-down tech from much more expensive models. Although many of the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best road bikes are increasingly unaffordable for the average rider, bike manufacturers typically offer low-cost road bikes that have many of the same modern features as their top-tier models. These bikes, although being at the m൲ore budget end of the spectrum, will provide a great ride experience and feel, as well as serviceable componentry.
They might have a heavier frame that's usually aluminium alloy rather than carbon fibre, but their geometry and handling may not be that different from more expensive models. They will have lower-spec 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:road bike groupsets and may have fewer gears, but you can expe😼🌸ct good shifting performance nevertheless.
Likewise, the wheels will be lower priced than the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best road bike wheels, but you can expect them to be robust and serviceable and you'll usually get quality tyres.&nbs👍p;A wheel ⛄upgrade can often bring a big improvement to your ride.
Buying y𒁏our first bike can be daunting from a technical standpoint, so if you're not sure what you're looking for then we've included a handy guide at the bottom to take you through all you need to know about the best low-cost bikes before jumping in.
But first, here is our pick o🐎f the best budget road bikes.
Quick List
Best for all round riding
Giant Contend
The Giant Contend is a really solid all-rounder. Comprising an overall package made up of a quality aluminium frame, carbon fo𝔉rk and Shimano Claris groupset. It's serviceable and would suit future upgrades well💎.
The Liv Avail AR 4 is a female-specific road bike that has been designed by women for women usi🔯ng specific geometry and contact points. It's a good-looking bike th♛at has mechanical disc brakes and a Shimano drivetrain.
The Allez is a popular aluminium༒ framed bike with an excellent ride feel. It's popular amongst racers as an affordable, stiff bike th🉐at's well-suited to racing.
Th🅰e Triban RC520 comes loaded up with a great spec. A quality Shimano 105 R7000 groupset is complemented by TRP disc brakes and a range of mudguard and rack mount points.
Trek's Domane is designed to provide a comfortable rid꧅e and comes with some nice features. There's a carbon fibre fork, tubeless-ready wheels and plush 32mm tyres.
The Cube Attain Pro is well specced for its price and its slender fork and 🉐maroon paintwork make it an attractive looking bike. It🥂 has a semi-aero design too, with an aerofoil shaped down tube.
✅ You're looking for a quality bike that's affordable: Giant gives you a lot of bike for the money, with the brand's size allowing it to offer a good frame and spec.
✅ You want a good range of gears: With ratios that go down to 1:1,𒉰 climbs should be easier൩, although you'll get large jumps between the ratios with only eight speeds.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want modern disc brakes: Even mechanical disc brakes are likely to give you better stopping power than the rim brakes fitted.
❌ You're looking for a flashier machine: We🥀 reckoꦯn that there are nicer-looking options here.
Pretty much everything on the Giant Contend 2, other than the groupset and brakes, comes from Giant. That’s no bad thing though, as it’s all good quality stuff. You get a decent set of wheels and 28mm tyres from Giant, along with a D-Fuse alloy seatpost, which Giant says increases comfort b✤y allowing greater flex in desired directions, without sacrificing stiffness in others.
The frame is made from ALUXX-Grade aluminium, with Giant’s iconic compact fಌrame design and a full carbon OverDrive fork. The groupset is Shimano’s 8-speed Claris and you get an almost complete package of components – the only non-Shimano substꦆitutes are the FSA crankset and the Tektro TK-B177 rim brakes but these are both good performers nevertheless, so it’s not a huge loss.
It also has mounts for mudguards and a rack, extending its usefulness into the winter months or for commuting/touring. Our only criticism is that it’🦋s arguably a little bit dull, compared to some other bikes listed here.
The best budget road bike for women
(Image credit: Liv Avail AR 2022)
2. Liv Avail AR 4
The best budget road bike for women
Reasons to buy
+
Designed using women's body dimension data
+
Tubeless-ready wheels
+
Good range of sizes
Reasons to avoid
-
Would benefit from a groupset upgrade
BUY IT IF
✅ You need a smaller size: Since Liv designs its bikes for women riders, it offers more smaller sizes than you get from many brands.
✅ You want all-road capability: With its 32mm tyres, the Avail AR can handle lighter off-road duties as well as road ♛riding.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want to really hit the gravel: The Avail AR is designed for mixed on/off-road riding; you'll probably want a gravel bike with wider tyres for tougher off-road.
❌ You want closer gear ratios: With eight speeds, the🍨 jumps between gears can be quite large.
While some people are still asking the question, '澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:can women ride men's bikes?', Liv Cycling just goes ahead and crea෴tes high-performing bikes for women's specific needs. Designed by women, engineered by women, and tested by women, using women-only body data, it's fair to say that many women will find the Liv Avail AR 4 an incredibly comfortable road bike on a budget.
Liv's own ALUXX-Grade aluminium frame is a lot more compliant and comfortable than🗹 most would expect, while the Advanced-Grade carbon composite fork reduces the overall weight and keeps the fron📖t end of the bike light and snappy.
In terms of spec, the Avail AR 4 matches what many of the other bikes in this list have to✅ offer, with Shimano Claris gearing, mechanical Tektro disc brakes, and tubeless-ready wheels.
More upright geometry is less aero than older model
BUY IT IF
✅ You want a versatile bike: Specialized has designed the Allez so that it can be put to a multitude of uses.
✅ You value the extra tyre clearance: While the 30mm tyres fitted are fai꧂rly conservative, the option to go out to 35mm means you can have a plusher ride.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want a racy ride position: The Allez is more upright than it was - good for comfort, less so for faster riding.
❌ You want to avoid upgrades: The weakest link in the Allez's spec is the wheels and an upgrade ဣwould help bring out the bike's best.
The Allez is Specialized's longest-serving road mo𓂃del, one of the brand's original three bikes, and the latest model has been updated completely. It now includes disc brakes, adding greater control to what is a firm favourite for riders' first 'proper' road bike.
The geometry has been tweaked to be slightly more upright than the outgoing model, as we detailed in our 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Specializ😼ed Allez Sport 2024 review, as well as adding more tyr♚e clearance (up to 35mm), and mounts for permanent mudguards and a pannier rack. The aim seems to have been to make what was a racy bike much more of an all-round package, and the Allez should suit anything from Sunday club runs, through commuting and winter duties, to light touring and everything in between.
Tubeless-ready wheels and clearance for up to 36mm tyres
+
Cable-operated hydraulic disc brakes
Reasons to avoid
-
Workhorse looks
-
Non-tubeless-ready tyres
BUY IT IF
✅ You want a high spec for the price: Shimano 105 offers 11-speed shifting, while most bikes at this price offer just eight speeds.
✅ You are looking for good wet weather braking: The TRP Spyre hybrid brakes are a ste♛p up from mech🐬anical disc or rim brakes.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want to go tubeless: Although the wheels are tubeless-ready, the tyres are not, so you'd need to replace them to set up tubeless.
❌ You want more weatherproof shifting: External cables need more care to keep them shifting well than🐓 do fully e🥃nclosed cable runs.
It’s pretty rare to se𒆙e Shimano 105 R7000 on a budget bike, but that’s exactly what the Triban RC 520 Disc offers. And it’s not just a pricey groupset at the expense of everything else either – you get a modern styled frame with dropped seat stays for extra comfort and heaps of tyre clearance (slick tyres up to 36mm will fit).
It’s also got mounts for a rack and mudguards, the wheels can be converted to tubeless, an💝d Decathlon offers a lifetime warranty on the frame, stem and handlebars.
Another interesting spec choice is the TRP HY/RD mechanical actuated hydraulic disc brakes. While most bikes at this price point get rim or mechanical disc brakes, the HY/RD offer a significant improvement in power and control. They do require a little more maintenance and certainly add on some weight but the performance benefit is worth it if you are frequently riding in poor weather condition🔴s.
So what’s the catch? Well, the looks are a little workhorse-like – not bad per se, but just nothing to set your heart fluttering. The externally routed cables also mean you need to be careful with keeping the exposed sections clean and in good condition, to keep everything working smoothly, though th🗹is does make for simple maintenance when the time comes.
The best for mile-munching
(Image credit: Future)
5. Trek Domane AL 2 Gen 4
The best budget road bike for mile munching
Specifications
Weight: 10.55kg
Groupset: Shimano Claris
Wheels: Bontrager Paradigm SL rims on Formula Hubs
Frame Sizes: 44-61cm
Reasons to buy
+
Great-looking frame with a choice of colours and a large range of sizes
+
32mm tyres and tubeless-ready wheels
+
Plentiful mounting points
Reasons to avoid
-
Gearing doesn't go down to 1:1
BUY IT IF
✅ You want plenty of mounting points: With rack and mudguard mounts, as well as top tube bag bolts, you can load up the Domane.
✅ You want a good range of sizes: With seven frame sizes from 4𝕴4 up to 61, almost all riders will find a goꦫod fit.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want gearing down to 1:1: A 1:1 ratio is great for climbing, but the Domane's lowest gear is slightly higher than this.
❌ You want a faster ride: Wit𝄹h its all-road pretentions and middling weight, the Domane is mor𓄧e for going long than fast.
Trek is usually considered to make bikes that are on the pricier end of the spectrum, so you might be surprised to see a Trek on this list, especially at this price. The Trek Domane AL 2 packs in plenty of🐼 value though, wi🍌th a nicely finished 100 Series Alpha Aluminium frame and carbon fork.
The groupset is Shimano 𒀰Claris with Tektro C550 dual-piston mechanical flat mount disc brakes. You get comfortable 32mm tyres and tubeless-ready Bontrager wheels, which is seriously impressive at this price point. There are also eight different size choices, so you can really narrow down the꧅ frame size to find the perfect fit.
Trek produces some other options if you suddenly want to expand your budget; head to our guide to 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Trek road bikes to find out more.
Best all-road
(Image credit: Marin)
6. Marin Gestalt 2
The best budget road bike for a little off-road action
Specifications
Weight: Not specified
Groupset: Shimano GRX
Wheels: Marin alloy
Frame sizes: 50-60cm
Reasons to buy
+
Wide tyre clearance
+
Carbon fork
+
10-speed shifting
+
Rack and mudguard mounts
Reasons to avoid
-
Gestalt 2 spec is a little over-budget
-
Low gearing for road use
BUY IT IF
✅ You plan to head off-road: The Shimano GRX groupset gives lots of low speed grunt for off-road riding.
✅ You are looking for hydraulic disc braking: Most budget road bikes are equipped with rim or൩ mechanical disc brakes, so hydraulic discs are a bonus.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want higher gears for road riding: A 46x11t highest gear may slow you down on tarmac.
❌ You want to keep the budget low: The 💫Gestalt 2's posh spec means it's a bit pricier than most bikes here.
Marin Bikes makes some adaptable budget bikes, with the Gestalt 2 offering 35mm tyres, giving the flexibility to head off road for some light gravel riding. Although the fitted tyres may not hav🎶e adequate tread for more extreme conditions, they'll let 🎀you get the feel for gravel.
It's equipped with 10-speed Shimano GRX gravel gearing, with a lowest gear that's well below 1:1 to help you get up the steepest roads and trails, while stopping power comes from in-series Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. There are mudguard and rack mounts, making the Gestalt 2 a versatile all-season/🎐all-surface option. If the Gestalt 2 blows the budget, the Gestalt 1 or the base model Gestalt lower the spec but come in less expensive.
Best for off-road
(Image credit: Diamondback)
7. Diamondback Haanjo 2
The best budget road bike for gravel riding
Specifications
Weight: 11.34kg (claimed)
Groupset: Shimano Claris
Wheels: Diamondback Equation rims on unbranded hubs
Frame sizes: XS/47 - XL/59
Reasons to buy
+
Super versatile for one bike to do it all
+
Gravel-capable
+
Lots of mounting options, including the fork
Reasons to avoid
-
Heavy
-
Steel fork rather than carbon
BUY IT IF
✅ You want versatility: The Haanjo can be set up for a range of riding from touring to gravel to commutes.
✅ You want a plush ride: The 4♛0mm tyres can be run at ꩵlow pressure for plenty of comfort and grip.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want a low weight: The Haanjo is on the heavy side.
❌ You want a carbon fork: The steel fork is li💯kely to 🌃be less compliant than a fork with carbon blades.
The Diamondback Haanjo 2 may appear to be a better fit for our guide to the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best budget gravel bikes, and it certainly comes with gravel capabilities, but first and foremost it's designed to be a do-it-all bike that♉ can perform all the main functions needed without the need to own a quiver of machines. If you're short on storage space and need something affordable that can be used for road riding, commuting, touring and recreational off-road stints, the Haanjo is the one.
The aluminium frame is paired with a steel fork, which admittedly does put it at the heavier end of the spectrum. However, with plenty of mounting options including on the fork, you can set it up however you wish to, and switch things up whenever you need to take the Haanjo for a d🌳ifferent kind of ride.
Driven by a Shimano Claris 2x8-speed drivetrain and controlled with Tඣektro Lyra mechanical disc brakes, the Haanjo 2 comes stock witꩵh plush 40mm Vee Rubber Speedster tyres for a super comfortable ride and reduced rolling resistance when fully inflated.
Best for upgrades
(Image credit: cannondale)
8. Cannondale Synapse 3
The best budget road bike for future upgrades
Reasons to buy
+
High-quality frame and full carbon fork
+
Front and rear thru-axle
Reasons to avoid
-
Expensive when compared to other equally specced budget road bikes
BUY IT IF
✅ You want to upgrade later: Cannondale's alloy frame has the quality to justify upgrades.
✅ You want frame comfort: The SAVE 𒉰tech adds extra compliance to the fr𝔍ame and fork.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want to keep to budget: T𒐪h♓e Synapse is another bike that's a little more expensive.
❌ You are looking for more off-road capability: The Synapse is geared towards endurance rides on tarmac and there's not the clearance for w𒁏iꦏder gravel tyres.
At face value, the Cannondale Synapse 3 might seem♚ a little expensive in this company, but Cannondale is providing a high-quality platform that is capable of growing with you as a rider. The bike is built around a tidy SmartForm C2 alloy frame and full carbon fork, both 🍌of which have Cannondale’s SAVE (Synapse Active Vibration Elimination) technology built in to increase comfort and modern thru-axles.
The disc brakes are cable-actuated, but the frame has internal cable routing, through both the frame and fork. The Shimano Sora groupset borrows technology from Shimano's previous top-end drivetrain generations, making for a high-performing workhorse-like groupset. Likewise, the Vittoria Zaffiro tyres aren’t the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best road bike tyres on t🔥he market, but they are from a recognisable, well-regarded bꦿrand, and handily come in a 28mm size for extra grip and comfort.
The best budget road bike for those who want to stand out
Reasons to buy
+
Full carbon fork
+
Colour matched finishing kit
+
Thru-axle front and rear
Reasons to avoid
-
No mudguard mounting points
BUY IT IF
✅ You want aero features: Cube describes its frame as semi-aero, with a profiled downtube for aero gains.
✅ You want a full Shimano drivetrain: Although only 8-speed Claris, Cube inclu🍷des the crankset, which is often a swap-out in budget road bikes.
DON'T BUY IT IF
❌ You want wider tyre clearance: The frame can ♉fit 32mm rubber only, so you're limited in how wide you can go.
❌ You want to fit mudguards: The Attain doesn't come with mounting points for full bolt-on ඣmudguar𝔉ds.
German brand Cube isn’t the most well-known maker of road bikes but the company is known for its progressive designs – often bucking the trend for &l♈squo;boring black bikes’. Weighing in a touch above 10kg is impressive for a budget bike that has disc brakes, as is the fact that the Cube Attain comes with a full carbon fork, internal cable routing and nicely colour-matched finishing kit, meaning it looks more expensive than it is.
The full Shimano's Claris groupset makes for good value at🍰 this price; it all functions perfectly well, offering a slick shifting experience💖. Cube does a cheaper Attain model, however this Pro version offers some significant upgrades that make the extra cash easily justifiable.
How to choose the best budget road bike for you
If you're looking for a lower-priced road bike, that doesn't need to limit your options. Most brands will strive to offer an entry-level road bike that has a quality spec for those jus⛄t getting started with road cycling or who want a budget road bike for commuting duties and who maybe have a more expensive machine already.
Here's the lowdown on every♊thing you need to think about when looking for the best budget road bike.
Can beginners use road bikes?
We understand that drop bars, skinny tyres and 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:clip-in pedals can be daunting for some riders, but if you can ride a bike then you can definitely ride a road bike. Getting used to the differences happens pretty swiftly, and if you're worried about clip in pedals then start off with some of the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best flat pedals until you're confident enough to﷽ make the switch.
Tyres on road bikes have got a lot wider too over the last few years, and many bikes will have tyres that are 28mm wide or more. That offers more grip and a more comfortable ride, as the extra width lets you lower your 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:tyre pressure.
How much should I spend on a road bike?
If you pick a number it's pretty likely you can find a bike for that price, be it £20,000 or £20. The £1,000/$1,000 price point is, in our o🍰pinion, where you can start to find really high quality machines that will be reliable as well as able to give you a real performance boost.
There's been signi🍌ficant bike price inflation over the last few years though, so if you can afford it, it's worth looking a bit over this price threshold. The good news though is that the best low priced bikes now increasingly come with features like disc brakes, internal cable ro🐭uting and quality finishing kit.
What frame material do I need?
Carbon fibre reigns supreme at the top end of the performance pyramid, whereas aluminium framesets tend to occupy the lower end. There's nothing intrinsically worse about aluminium as a material, however, so don't be put off in this regard - we even have a guide to the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best aluminium road bikes that clearly shows the꧑y can mix it wit🌌h the best.
Aluminium bikes will generally be heavier than carbon, but lighter than steel. For an entry level bike they make perfect sense as they're less fragile than their carbon siblings, but won't rusℱt like those made of steel, so you can get a decent level of performance whilst still being able to leave it locked up outside if you need to.
We wouldn't recommend cheap carbon bikes that don't come from trusted manufacturers; good aluminium is better tha🌸n cheap carbon.
How many gears do I need on my bike?
This will be a function of the groupset that comes with the bike you buy (all the drivetrain components). Budget road bikes will almost invariably come with Shimano components, which is no bad thing as they're reliable, robust and easy ൲to use and service.
ꦜMore expensive offerings may reach 11 speeds, while more wallet friendly models may only have 8 or 9 speeds. More speeds means narrower jumps between ratios over the same gear spread.
More isnඣ't necessarily better though, provided the bike has ample range for the terrain you're riding on - the more gears you have the finer the tolerances are for smooth shifting, and so the more maintenance they require.
In short, fewer gears will be more forgiving if you're not the🌃 sort of person who takes the utm✨ost care of their bike, and they're a little easier to learn basic bike maintenance on too.
Do I need disc brakes?
While discs have taken over at almost all price points, they haven't yet begun to totally dominate road bikes at the entry level. Discs are on the whole better, especially in the wet, but riders have bಞeen using rim brakes without issue for decades so they aren't the be-all and end-all.
Our top tip would be to invest in some 🅷quality brake pads, which can make lacklustre rim brakes a noticeable amount better.
What components should I get on my bike?
If you're buying with a set budget there will always be a compromise. A better frame will likely come with🥃 worse components, but🍒 this leaves it ripe for future upgrades. Conversely a less expensive frame may be built with higher quality componentry.
If quality build kits are what you're after then you can usually 🉐get a little more bang for your buck with direct to consumer brand♌s like Ribble or Canyon, who cut costs by cutting out the middleman. Be sure of your sizing before you commit though!
What else should I look for?
If this is your first road bike you'll probably be looking to use it year round, so mudguard mounts will be particularly useful. Also, if you plan on using it for 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:commuting then the ability to add a pannier rack to take your belongings to and from th🥃e office will also be of benefit to you. This will also mean you can use it for some light touring too, if the mood takes you.
If this is your first bike then we have one tip for you that's likely more important than any other: keep it clean! A clean bike is a happy bike - it'll save you money, it'll run better, and it'll stop you getting filthy. We've got a guide on 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:how to clean your bike if you've never done it before, as well as a guide to the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best bike chain lube to keep your♚ freshly washed chain r𝄹unning smoothly afterwards.
What are the differences between a cheap and expensive bicycle?
There are going to be a good few differences between a cheap and expensive bike. B💫ut remember, regardless of price you still need to pedal a bike and put 🎐the effort in.
Cheaper bikes will usually have heavier frames made of metal like aluminium and steel. You may get a carbon fibre fork included though,ꦗ like more expensive models. Components will be heavier and may not share the same serviceability or quality. You will usually see less technology and an absence of features such as built-in frame suspension, storage aids or electronics.
The key point we would make is, if you can, to avoid buying the very cheapest road bikes on the market that often offer a false economy in terms of serviceability and lifespan. They also won'🦋t provide a verꦐy enjoyable ride experience.
Will joined the Cyclingnews team as a reviews writer in 2022, having previously written for Cyclist, BikeRadar and Advntr. He’s tried his hand at most cycling disciplines, from the standard mix of road, gravel, and mountain bike, to the more unusual like bike polo and tracklocross. He’s made his own bike frames, covered tech news from the biggest races on the planet, a😼nd published countless premium galleries thanks to his excellent photographic eye. Also, given he doesn’t ever ride indoors he’s become a real expert on foul-weather riding gear. His collection of bikes is a real smorgasbord, with everything from vintage-style steel tourers through to superlight flat bar hill climb machines.
