The 10 Best Road Bikes for Beginners – Complete Buying Guide

Road bikes are used by those who want to improve their fitness and to have an easy way to travel by bicycle in urban environments. The best road bikes are designed to be used on paved surfaces, like streets and bike paths.

Road bikes differ from mountain bikes in that road bikes do not work as well on unpaved trails or rough surfaces, since they usually lack shock absorbers. Regular road bikes are a good choice for commuting in cities. If you plan to race using a road bike, go for the more expensive models designed specifically for racing and plan to customize the bike to fine-tune it for speed.

10 Best Road Bikes for Beginners

1. Vilano Aluminum Road Bike 21 Speed Shimano

The Vilano Shimano aluminum road bike is modestly priced, and it’s excellent for beginners. This is a good entry-level bike. It is made for those that need a simple bike for commuting to work or school. This Vilano model is one of the best road bikes for beginners.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Alloy calipers
• Chain: KMC
• Crankset: Alloy Triple 50/40/30
• Derailleurs: Shimano
• Fork: 700c threadless
• Frame Style: 6061 double-butted aluminum
• Freewheel: Seven speeds
• Gear Cassette: 21 Speeds
• Gear Shifters: Shimano brand A050
• Handlebars: Alloy
• Pedals: Included
• Seat: Urban Comfort
• Seat Post: Alloy 27.2
• Tires: 700c x 25c
• Wheelset: 700c doubled-walled CNC alloy with machined sides

Options

This bike is easy to upgrade. Many owners change parts as they like to improve their performance. This bike comes in four color choices of black, blue, silver, and white.

Special Features

Assembly is easy, intuitive, and does not require professional assistance. Most can complete the assembly within a half hour. The frame weighs only 24 lbs. This makes it one of the lightest road bikes in its class.

Considerations

For those that prefer adjustable brakes, they will have to upgrade the brake assembly.

Pros

• Very lightweight.
• Durable.
• Easy assembly.

Cons

• Uses a mixture of parts from different brands (not a single groupset).
• Low-quality tires.
• Brake pads cannot be adjusted.

Summary

This Vilano model is a good bike for a modest price that is useful for everyday commutes. It is fun, comfortable, and easy to ride.

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2. Tommaso Imola Endurance Aluminum Road Bike

Tommaso sells directly to consumers. Its products are not sold in stores. The company manufactured bikes since the mid-1980s. The Tomasso Imola model is a performance bike at a reasonable price.

This bike’s drivetrain components come from the Shimano Claris groupset. The shifters and brake levers are integrated to work well with the crankset and derailleurs for optimal performance. The frame design creates a relaxed position, which is comfortable for the rider and a short handlebar drop that is easy to reach.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Shimano brand Claris brake calipers
• Crankset: Shimano brand Claris 30/39/50T
• Derailleurs: Shimano brand Claris 3-speed (front), Claris 8-speed (rear)
• Fork: Tommaso brand SST steel
• Frame Style: Tommaso brand 6061 SLA Aluminum compact road frame
• Gear Cassette: Shimano brand Claris 12-25T
• Gear Shifters: Shimano brand Claris
• Pedals: Composite flat style
• Seat: Tommaso brand WTB Volt
• Tires: Kenda brand K152 700x25c
• Wheelset: Tommaso brand TC-20

Options

Riders may want to customize this bike with fenders, a rack, and accessories. Tommaso frames are pre-drilled to accommodate many accessories, like a water-bottle holder, and for the placement offenders or racks.

Special Features

The Imola model is available in six sizes and three different colors of black, burnt orange, and white. Tommaso offers a lifetime warranty on the frame and a two-year warranty on the Shimano groupset components.

Pros

• Nice style.
• Easy handling.
• Fast.

Cons

• Steel fork adds some weight.
• A consumer cannot try this bike before buying it.
• Professional assembly is required.

Summary

The Tommaso Imola model is an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced riders. It offers excellent value when compared to the best road bikes in this class.

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3. Giordano Libero 1.6 Men’s Road Bike

The Giordano Libero 1.6 men’s road bike-700c was a popular model before when it was one of the original road bikes. It was discontinued for a while and then it was brought back due to the continued demand. This bike is very solid and stable. The handlebars have nice padding, which makes them very comfortable to use.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Alloy side[pull front and rear
• Crankset: Prowheel alloy arms 170mm 50-34
• Derailleurs: Shimano FDAO50 (front), Shimano Claris 8-speed RD2400 (rear)
• Frame Style: Hand-crafted 6061 aluminum frame
• Fork: Steel
• Gear Cassette: Shimano CS HG31 8-speed 11-30
• Gear Shifters: Shimano Claris 16-speed STI shifters with integrated brake levers
• Pedals: VP plastic body with alloy cages
• Seat: Velo Road Steel Rails
• Tires: Kenda 700×25 black Road Clincher
• Wheelset: Vitesse alloy 700c 32 hole High V-Profile Black

Options

This model is available in small, medium, and large sizes. It comes in one color combination of black and red.

Special Features

This Giordano model has a hand-crafted, lightweight aluminum frame. It comes with dual water bottle mounts. The bike weighs 26 lbs., which is the lighter weight when compared to some other road bikes in this class.

Considerations

This bike comes unassembled from the manufacturer. Professional assembly and tuning are recommended to get the best performance.

Pros

• Lightweight.
• Dependable.
• Good design.

Cons

• The seat is not very comfortable.
• Braking at high speeds is not very responsive.
• Low-quality components.

Summary

The Giordano Libero offers good value for the money. Some of the cheaper components, like the tires, should be upgraded to improve this bike’s performance.

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4. Merax Finiss Road Bike Aluminum 21 Speed Bike

The Merax Finiss aluminum 21-speed 700C road bike is a cheap priced road bike. It is good for novice riders and for occasional users who like to ride on weekends.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Aluminum caliper
• Derailleurs: Shimano TZ-31 (front), Shimano RD-TZ50 (rear)
• Fork: 700C Steel threadless
• Frame Style: Strong and lightweight aluminum frame
• Gear Shifters: Shimano SA050
• Handlebars: Width 420mm and depth 22.2mm
• Pedals: Included
• Seat Post: Aluminum PR-P1-0 27.2*300*2.2 mm
• Tires: Kenda 700*28C
• Wheelset: Aluminum A5 700Cx14Gx36H*H30

Options

This bike comes in three color combinations of green-black, white-red, and yellow-grey. It has a unisex design that is suitable for both men and women.

Special Features

This bike comes as 85% assembled. It has a water bottle holder. A free pannier bag is included. The pedals that come with the bike need to be installed. The rest of the simple assembly requires installing the front wheel, handlebars, and putting air in the tires.

Considerations

This model weighs 28 lbs. This is a bit heavier when compared to other bikes in this class.

Pros

• Easy assembly.
• Low price.
• Comfortable.

Cons

• The steel fork adds unnecessary weight.
• Components are basic and cheap.
• The plastic parts used and the chain is low-quality.

Summary

The Merax Finiss is a decent starter bike for a low price; however, the construction quality is inferior compared to other bikes that cost just slightly more. This bike requires more maintenance and frequent parts replacement in order to keep it working well.

5. Takara Kabuto Single Speed Road Bike

The Takara Kabuto single-speed road bike is a no-frills, cheap bike. There is no gear shifting, just the single gear available. That means this bike is not suitable for going up any hills. It is fine to ride on flat streets in the city or on level bike trails.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Alloy side-pull
• Crankset: Steel 3-piece 170mm 44-tooth steel chainring
• Fork: Tig-welded threaded steel
• Frame: Tig-welded steel frame with a horizontal drop out
• Handlebars: Steel Road 42.5cm wide
• Hubs: Joytech alloy high-flange, bolt-on (front), Joytech alloy 16-tooth freewheel, fixed gear, flip flop, bolt-on (rear)
• Pedals: Alloy cage with toe clips
• Seat Post: Steel 25.4
• Tires: Yellow Kenda 700 X 32
• Wheelset: Alloy single-wall 32-hole with stainless steel spokes

Options

This bike comes in one color combination of black and green. It is available in small and medium sizes.

Considerations

This simple bike is heavier than other bikes in this class because the frame is made from steel, not aluminum. It weighs 29.5 lbs. This heavy weight makes this bike less responsive than a lighter one.

Pros

• Fairly easy to assemble.
• Strong steel frame.
• Cheap price.

Cons

• The seat is uncomfortable.
• Poor brake quality.
• Sizes available are not large enough for big people.

Summary

The Takara Kabuto single-speed road bike is super cheap. You get what you pay for, which is not very much to be excited about. However, for those who are regular-sized people and on an ultra-low budget, this is the one very affordable road bike.

6. Schwinn Phocus 1600

The Schwinn Phocus 1600 men’s road bike is made to be durable and comfortable. It has dual suspension to help it smoothly traverse rough roads. Its design allows a rider to be more upright for comfort. The seat is adjustable. It is made for taller men and supports a rider who weighs up to 250 lbs.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Promax alloy dual-pivot caliper
• Chain: KMC-Z8
• Crankset: Alloy 42/52T
• Derailleurs: Shimano Claris 2300 16-speed
• Fork: Carbon fiber
• Frame Style: Aluminum
• Gear Cassette: A11-28T cassette
• Gear Shifters: MicroShift integrated shift and brake levers
• Handlebars: 31.8 Road Drop bar
• Pedals: Resin and alloy with toe cages
• Seat: Schwinn Road Saddle
• Seat Post: 27.2 mm alloy
• Tires: Kenda K-196 700x23c
• Wheelset: 700c high-profile double-walled alloy rims with 14-G spokes, quick release front wheel

Options

It comes in black, silver, and white. The black color is the most popular and readily available.

Special Features

This model has a low weight for a road bike because it is made with an aluminum frame along with a carbon fiber fork. It has total weight of 23 lbs. which is very low for its class.

Considerations

This model is only available in the limited size of 18 inches (56 cm) that may not be a good fit for all riders. That size works better for taller people (around 5’8″ to 6’2″) with long legs. Women are less likely to fit comfortably on this bike than men.

Pros

• Good value.
• Rapid shifting.
• Excellent warranty.

Cons

• Shifting is noisy.
• No gear indicator on the gear switch.
• It only comes in one size.

Summary

For taller people, this is a great bike. Schwinn makes a very high-quality product backed up by a lifetime guarantee for the first buyer.

7. GMC Denali Road Bike

The GMC Denali road bike is another good bike that sells for under $200. It is made by a Kent International company that licensed the GMC brand name from the auto manufacturer. This is an entry-level bike that provides the basics for those just starting to ride.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Alloy calipers
• Derailleurs: Shimano brand
• Frame: Lightweight 6061 aluminum
• Gear Shifters: Shimano Revo shifters
• Handlebars: Drop bar style
• Pedals: Nylon pedals with steel cages
• Tires: High-performance 700c tires
• Wheelset: Alloy Vitesse racing rims with 36 spokes

Options

There are four sizes available of extra-small, small, medium, and large for this bike. The sizes accommodate people that are from 4’10” to 6’5″ tall.

Special Features

This bike includes a water bottle cage made from alloy.

Considerations

This bike is a great deal for the price. It costs less than a high-end derailleur or an expensive bike. That being said, many may want to upgrade components on this bike to improve it, such as getting a more comfortable seat. The medium size of this bike weighs 30 lbs., which is heavy.

Pros

• Assembly is very easy.
• Low price.
• Many sizes to choose from to fit almost everyone.

Cons

• The seat is uncomfortable.
• Braking is stiff.
• Kickstand is low-quality.

Summary

For a cheap bike, the GMC Denali is a reasonable choice; however, other brands in this price range get better reviews from their owners.

8. Goplus Shimano Commuter

The Goplus Shimano Commuter 700C aluminum road bike and the commuter bike is a 21-speed quick-release racing bicycle. Even though it is designed to feel like a racing bike when riding it, most people who buy this bike use it for heavy, daily commuting. It makes a good bike for daily use because it is very sturdy and can handle bumpy streets.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: Alloy calipers
• Derailleurs: Shimano TZ31 (front), Shimano TZ50 (rear)
• Fork: Aluminum alloy 700C
• Frame: Aluminum alloy 700C
• Gear Shifters: Shimano A050 Thumb
• Handlebars: Supported by a steel stem
• Pedals: 9/16″ alloy with ball
• Seat: PVC (fake leather)
• Tires: High-performance 700C tires
• Wheelset: 700C wheels with 1.5*14G*36H spokes

Options

This model comes in black, blue, and red colors.

Special Features

This model comes with pedals and with a kickstand included. The front wheel is quick release, which makes it more compact when carrying it and locking it up with more security is easier.

Considerations

There is no water bottle carrier. Assembly is somewhat complicated. This bike comes in one medium (52 cm) that is suitable for men 5’5″ to 6’0″. The bike weighs 32 lbs., which is heavy. It can carry the rider’s weight of up to 440 lbs.

Pros

• Easy gear shifting.
• Low price.
• Durable for rough roads.

Cons

• Setup is a bit challenging.
• The seat is not comfortable.
• Lack of water bottle holder is inconvenient.

Summary

The Goplus road bike offers substantial value at this low price point. It is built with sturdiness in mind and not about being lightweight. It has some racing style features that make it fun to ride and is an excellent choice for daily commuters.

9. EUROBIKE XC550 Road Bike

The EUROBIKE XC550 road bike is 21-speed with a 54-cm frame and 700C three-spoke wheels with dual disc brakes. It is a very good entry-level bike that combines durability with good handling.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brakes: 160mm steel disc brakes
• Brake Levers: Aluminum Road Bike
• Chain: KMC, 7 speed
• Crankset: 42T*34T*24T*170mm
• Derailleurs: Shimano TZ30 (front), Shimano TZ50 (rear)
• Fork: Steel
• Frame: Steel
• Freewheel: 7plus, 14-28T
• Gear Shifters: Shimano A050 21-speed
• Handlebars: Iron racing handlebar
• Handlebar Stem: Aluminum
• Pedals: Resin black
• Seat: Comfortable style
• Tires: 700C*28C full black tires

Options

This bike comes in the color combination of black and white. There are two sizes available of 49 cm and 54 cm.

Special Features

The thing that makes this bike stand out from others in this class is dual disc brakes. This brake style is superior to traditional V-shaped brakes that work by putting pressure on the wheel rims. Disc brakes can be very helpful when going down steep hills.

Considerations

This bike is heavier than the others in this class. It weighs 31.5 lbs. due to having a steel frame instead of a frame made from aluminum. It is strong enough to support a rider that weighs up to 330 lbs. However, the manufacturer’s recommendation for best performance is that this bike is designed for riders that are 5’3″ to 6’0″, who weigh no more than 220 lbs.

Pros

• Assembly is easy.
• Good braking.
• Style with low prices.

Cons

• Heavy.
• Low performance.
• Mediocre quality.

Summary

This is a decent low-cost bike. Even though the brand name is Eurobike, this bike is made in China. There is no customer service in the USA. It is built strongly; however, it does not go as fast as other bikes in this same class, not as heavy.

10. Raleigh Merit 2 Endurance Road Bike

The Raleigh Merit 2 Endurance road bike is a great choice for those who can afford a good price point. This bike is built well and also is lightweight. This gives it excellent durability and speed.

Here are the specifications of the key components for this bike:

• Brake Levers: Shimano Claris STI
• Chain: KMC Z82
• Crankset: Compact 34/50t
• Derailleurs: Shimano Claris (front and rear)
• Fork: Custom alloy SPF 1-1/8″ to 1.5 taper, thru-axle style with post disc mounts
• Frame: AL-6061 double-butted alloy disc frame with thru-axles
• Freewheel: Formula alloy disc 15mm thru-axle
• Gear Cassette: Shimano 8-speed (11-32t)
• Gear Shifters: Shimano Claris 8-speed STI, Shimano SP41 shift housing
• Handlebars: Raleigh 200 Series Road, 31.8 short drop, 40/42/44cm
• Handlebar Stem: Raleigh 7° 3D-forged, 31.8, 90/100/110mm
• Headset: Integrated cartridge bearings
• Pedals: Test-ride pedals included
• Seat: Raleigh 200 series saddle
• Seat Post: Alloy micro-adjust 27.2x300mm
• Rear Hub: Joytech alloy disc, 32H, 142x12mm thru-axle cassette
• Tires: Clement Strada LGG 60TPI, 700x28c
• Wheelset: Weinmann XC180 double-wall 23mm wide with 14g stainless steel spokes

Options

There are six sizes to choose from that start with small (52 cm) and go all the way up to XX-large (62 cm).

Special Features

The bike has rack and fender mounts to be able to add these accessories easily. This bike is lightweight and weighs only 23.5 lbs.

Considerations

There is a less expensive version of this model called the Merit 1 and a more expensive version called the Merit 3. Buyers of this brand should consider all three levels to make the best choice. Bike assembly takes 30 to 120 minutes, depending on a person’s skills. For this reason, buyers may prefer professional assembly.

Pros

• Sizes to fit almost anyone.
• Lightweight.
• High-quality components

Cons

• Professional assembly is recommended.
• Expensive for an entry-level bike.
• Made in China, which makes the manual hard to understand.

Summary

For the price, this is a decent bike that gets good reviews from its owners. It needs a little fine-tuning after assembly to get maximum performance.

Best Road Bikes for Beginners: Key Features to Consider

Besides the road bike price compared to other bikes, the main things to consider when buying a road bike include frame style, frame size, frame materials, and bike components.

Frame Style

Road bike frame design can either be made for recreational purposes (also called sports style) or for the best performance characteristics when racing.

Frame Size

There are up to six frame sizes for most models that include extra small, small, medium, large, extra-large, and double extra large. Frame sizes differ for men and women. Bikes for women have a shorter top tube because females usually have a shorter mid-section and less reach than males of the same height.

Frame Materials

Road bike frames are made with aluminum, steel, or carbon fiber. Aluminum-framed road bikes usually use carbon fiber for the front fork because it is stronger and better at handling any road bumps.

Bike Components

Bike components include the handlebars, drivetrain, wheels, tires, brakes, seat, and pedals. Handlebars on a road bike can either be curved downward or a flat-bar style. The drivetrain includes the brake levers, chain, crankset, derailleurs, gear levers, and rear cassette. The wheels include the axles, hubs, rims, and spokes. Components that are part of a groupset such as Shimano models have a distinctive matching style.

Here is a detailed explanation of the important bike components:

Crankset Styles: A crankset is the gearing system. Cranksets come in three versions, which are double, triple and compact. These different styles refer to the number and size of the chainrings that are the gears located near the pedals.

Here is an explanation of the different types of cranksets:

• Double: A double crankset has two chainrings by the pedals and a 10-gear cassette on the rear wheel. This allows for shifting between 20 gears.
• Triple: A triple crankset has three chainrings by the pedals and a 9-gear cassette on the rear wheel. This allows for shifting between 27 gears.
• Compact: A compact crankset has two chainrings by the pedals and a 10-gear cassette on the rear wheel. This allows for shifting between 20 gears. A compact crankset differs from a double style because even though it has the same number of chainrings and gears, the chainrings have fewer teeth. This makes a compact style have a lower range of gears than a double style crankset.

Wheels

Wheels affect the overall weight of a bike, how well it handles, the bike’s aerodynamics, its ability to accelerate, and how the bike continues with forwarding momentum. More expensive road bikes have better wheels. Most competitors will upgrade wheels to try to get an advantage in racing.

Pedals

Bikes may be sold without pedals or with very simple ones because pedals are considered by many to be an add-on accessory for a bike. This concept is similar to shoes and pants being sold separately. The choice of pedals is a very personal thing, like selecting a favorite pair of shoes. For more expensive bikes, the bike manufacturers recognize this consumer preference, so instead of selling bikes with pedals, which may not be the buyer’s preferred style, they often sell the expensive bikes without pedals or with simple test ride pedals.

Gear and Brake Levers

Some bikes offer gear and brake levers as an integrated system. For example, a Shimano system has a brake lever that also serves as a gear shifter. On other bikes, the gear shifter may be a smaller lever that is located behind the brake lever and operates independently.

Tips

Comfort and the Ability to See Traffic

Unless a road bike is used for racing, most people like the more upright style of a sports bike’s design. A handlebar that is flat style works better for those who want to ride in traffic because it is easier to see what is around the bike when the rider sits up higher.

Selecting the Proper Frame Size

With the seat height adjusted, push a pedal down to the bottom and check to see if the leg is almost extended but not completely extended. The most comfortable down push by a leg stops just short of fully extending the leg. The knee remains slightly bent. If possible, work with a professional bike salesperson to find a frame size that is a good fit. If it is not possible to try how a bike feels before buying one, use a measurement of the slightly bent leg to the belt level or the inseam and a measurement of an arm’s reach from the shoulder.

Riding on Hills versus Flat Areas

Those who plan to use a road bike in hilly areas will do better with a bike that has a compact or a triple crankset, which is easier to use going up hills. Those using a bike in flat areas may prefer to have a double crankset to avoid having to change the gears so often.

Improved Heel Clearance

A compact crankset weighs less that a triple crankset. Both the compact style and the double style have more heel clearance from the crank arm than the triple style of cranksets. With more heel clearance, there is less chance of the shoes rubbing when pedaling.

Wheel Upgrades For Better Performance

Upgrading wheels to lighter ones improve a bike’s performance by making it faster and more responsive. Competitive cyclists obsess with the performance improvements that are possible by upgrading wheels from the standard wheels that come with a bike.

Advantage of Cycling Shoes that Work with Clip-in Pedals

Using cycling shoes that are able to clip-in on the pedals is the best way to ride. The efficiency of riding a bike is vastly improved by using this style of shoes along with clip-in pedals. Riding a bike in this way also allows contact with the pedals always to be maintained easily with no wobbling effect or wasted energy in the up and down pedal cycle.

Right-Sized Grip and Reach

It is important that the grip fits a cyclist’s hand or adjust to fit the hand so that it is easy to change the gears and apply them. If the handlebars are curved, shifting and braking should be easy to do. It is important to have a good feel in both the upper position from the top of the handlebars and when riding down in the dropped position.

Final Verdict

It is usually a better idea to buy a higher quality bike than to purchase a lower-priced one and then try to upgrade it later. This is because adding new components is more expensive than buying them as a full package. Be sure to budget extra over the cost of a bike if you want to buy a special set of pedals and a pair of high-quality cycling shoes.

The best road bikes’ choices include considerations of the style, price, components, and the value comparison against other bikes in the same class.

For those that can afford a higher budget of $400 to $500, the Schwinn Phocus and the Giordano Libero are excellent choices for taller men. Of the more expensive road bikes in the $800 to $1,500 range, the Raleigh Merit Endurance line (models 1, 2, and 3) makes an exceptional choice.