If you are into riding bikes, you have a lot of choices. You’ve got mountain bikes, cruisers, trick bikes and road bikes to name a few. If you are putting in the miles and are looking for any edge to speed up your times and make you a little faster, a road bike is what you need.
Touring and road bikes are meant so you can take long rides on roads. On the other hand, mountain bikes are made to go off road and hybrid bikes are usually designed for causal riders. If you are putting in the miles, you need a road bike that is going to get the job done for you but if you are here, you are probably not sure where to start and you probably don’t want to break the bank.
We wanted to put a list together of some of the highest rated road bikes on the market for the year. Everyone of the bikes below have their strengths so we wanted to list a few and talk about them so you can have a starting point in your race to be a better biker.
Check out our list of top rated road bikes for under $300!
Kent GZR700 Road Bike
The Kent GZR700 is a great bike to start with if you need something for recreation or the commute. This road bike comes in at under $200 but you wouldn’t know it with the quality you will experience with this great road bike. It was built around a tig welded, high tensile steel fork and frame. It also has rear derailleurs and Shimano stem shifters for reliable and smooth shifting across all 21 gears. This bikes stops fast because of the brake levers and alloy calipers. Not only does the bike perform well, the GZR700 looks great too. The high profile alloy Vitesse 36 hole rims look great as well.
If you are looking for a starter bike and you are on a budget, you can’t go wrong here. This will be your gateway bike into many other ones in your life.
Features
– Steel frame
– 21-speed shifters
– Alloy caliper brakes
Vilano R2 Commuter Aluminum Road Bike Shimano 21 Speed 700c
This great starter bike from Vilano will cost you just over $200 and in return you will have invested in a bike that will get you around town, to work or to class. If you are looking to become a serious cyclist, this is the bike for you as well.
This frame is double butted aluminum and lightweight. The Vilano R2 Commuter has upgraded quick release wheels. It is of the Vilano family and they have been making quality bikes since 2008. You can’t go wrong starting with this bike.
Features
– 6061 Double Butted Aluminum Frame – Lightweight
– Shimano A050 Thumb Shifters
– Shimano 21 Speed Drivetrain to Handle Any Situation
– Free Pedals Included, Bike is Factory Direct, Assembly & Tuning are required
– Frame: 6061 aluminum frame
– Front Derailleur: Shimano
– Rear Derailleur: Shimano Tourney
– Shifters: Shimano A050 thumb rear indexed 7-speed, front friction 3-speed
– Brakes: Alloy caliper
– Wheelset: 700c Doubled Walled CNC Alloy Machined Sides, Quick Release Skewer
– Tires: 700c x 25c
Merax Finiss Aluminum 21 Speed 700C Road Bike Racing Bicycle
The Merax Finiss Aluminum 21 Speed road bike is a great beginner road bike for under $300. The Finiss offers easy saddle adjustment which is nice for your commute or road riding. There is some tuning and assembly required on this model. The comes 85% put together but you will need to install the front wheel, pedals, air up the tires and add the handlebar. However, for what you are getting, this is a small price to pay.
This bike has an expensive look with an inexpensive price tag. It might be a little on the heavy side, but for the novice rider, this bike is a perfect way to start your cycling journey. In our experience, this bike handles really well and is a great choice if you don’t want to drop a lot of money.
Features
– Lightweight and strong aluminum frame
– 700C steel threadless fork
– Shimano TZ-31 front derailleur
– Shimano RD-TZ50 rear derailleur
– Shimano SA050 shifters
– Aluminum caliper brakes
– Aluminum A5 700C x 14G x 36H*H30 rims
– Kenda 700*28C tires
– W:420mm D:22.2mm handlebar
– Aluminum PR-P1-0 27.2*300*2.2 mm seat post
– Weight: 28 LBS
Schwinn Volare 1400 Road Bike
Schwinn has once again come out with a great bike for the novice road bike rider and the Volare 1400 fits the bill for being a solid bike and being affordable. The Schwinn Volare is surprisingly agile, nimble and meant to fly. This bike is relatively light which makes it a quick ride. This is especially true for the cost. The shifting is smooth and the braking is crisp because of the Shimano 14 speed integrated shifter/brake lever combo, along with Shimano Derailleurs. The tires are more forgiving as they are 700×28 and not 23. There are also quick release tires. Schwinn is so confident in their product that they will give you a limited lifetime warranty as well.
Features
– Road bike with a rigid fork and aluminum rigid fitness frame. Sport riding seat and flat styled handlebar.
– 14 speeds, Shimano rear derailleur and shifter brake lever combo will give you accurate shifting. For smooth and reliable shifting, you can trust Shimano.
– The alloy linear pull brakes on the front and rear mean that you will great stopping power and the alloy wheels with high profile rims will look great going down the road.
– Aluminum frame, alloy crank, Shimano components, alloy wheels and alloy brakes. A great deal that will get you out there riding and feeling more fit.
– Limited lifetime warranty
We hope this list of some of the top rated starter bikes was helpful to you and gets you on the right track to your cycling dreams.