6 Best Road Bikes Under 300 | Ready for Cycling |
Are you looking for the best road bikes under 300 dollars to enjoy the beauty of nature? Or do you need help finding the perfect road bike for everyday commuting? We searched the online cycling market and sourced different bike shops to buy 15 of the best road bikes under 300 for testing to help beginners make the most suitable choice for their next upcoming bike at an affordable price.
Our team members used their industry resources to find and purchase the lightest and most solid road bikes for this test review. After purchasing, our test team members took several test rides on each road bike model on the same rough gravel roads and flat racing tracks of Maryland. They spent more than six months evaluating and checking the performance of each bike for this in-depth comparison review.
They also wrote a detailed test report on how each road bike performed under different riding situations and discussed the quality of specifications, speed, brake performance, number of speeds, shifter smoothness, tire rolling, durability, and portability. According to our test results, Hiland Daring and Kent Gzr700 are the best road bikes under $300.
Here is our list of top 6 picks of best budget road bikes, which will provide you with super-quality fast rides at an affordable price of 300 dollars. If you have a low budget, you can look at Best Road Bikes Under 200. Our team of professional bike testers regularly tests different bikes, cycling gears, and bike-repairing tools for our test reviews and bike-repairing guides. You can also check our best cycling gear for any type of upgrade.
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
1  | HILAND Daring Adult Road Bike | ||
2  | Kent Gzr700 Road Bike | ||
3  | Ecarpat 700C Road Bike | ||
4  | Takara Oni Single Speed Road Bike | ||
5  | Eurobike OBK XC550 Bicycle | ||
6  | Outroad Betterland Road Bike |
1. HILAND Daring Adult Road Bike
Features:
- Super-Light Aluminum Frame & Steel Fork
- Shimano 14-Speed Shifter & Rear Derailleur
- Front & Rear Alloy Caliper Hand Brakes
- Shifter Combined With Hand Brake Levers
- Curved Shape Handlebar & Adjustable Seat
- Double Wall Aluminum Rims & 700C Tires
- Two Sizes Available For 5’5” to 6’4” Riders
- Maximum Weight Limit: 330 Pounds
Due to its unmatched advanced specifications, this newly released Hiland Daring Road Bike Model takes the top spot in our review of the best road bikes under 300. It has a lightweight aluminum frame with a wind-breaking design and internal cable routing to provide a comfortable forward riding position for fast rides.
The Hiland road commuter bike has excellent speed control features, including a Shimano 14-speed shifter, rear derailleur, and dual caliper brakes. Unlike other bikes we have tested, the shifter position on this model is placed with hand brake levers, making it easy to operate without leaving hands on the handlebars.
We like its double-wall aluminum rims and 700c sports tires, which give it a smooth and fast-rolling speed over various road surfaces. During test rides, the left Shifter on the thumb side was slightly stiff, but it worked well after some adjustments. Overall, this road bike is available in two sizes for 5’5″ to 6’4″ tall riders and can easily hold up to 330 pounds of heavy rider weight.
2. Kent Gzr700 Road Bike
Features:
- Hi-Tensile Alloy Steel Frame And Fork
- Shimano 21-Speed Stem Shifters
- Single Pivot Alloy Caliper Brakes
- Large Padded Seat & Aero Handle
- 36-Spokes Double Wall Alloy Rims
- 29-Inch Wheels & Slim Sports Tires
- Recommended For 5’4” to 6’2” Riders
- Maximum Weight Limit: 250 Pounds
We were looking for the fastest and lightest road bikes during market research. Then we found this Kent Gzr700 Road Bike, whose price was $249 at the time of purchase. This slim, smart, nice-looking bicycle has only (15 kg) of weight and is made with a hi-tensile alloy steel frame and fork using tig welding technology.
We tested this Kent Gzr700 road bike on seven long rides of 10-15 miles and like its excellent combination of Shimano 21-speed stem shifter and Shimano rear derailleur, which provide smooth gear shifting. The large cushioned seat and aerodynamic drop handlebar provide stable geometry for a comfortable riding position. Its 700 x 32c grippy sports tires have low rolling resistance and can be inflated up to 85 psi.
Our two little complaints with this Kent Gzr700 are the Shifter’s position on the center of the handlebar and the tricky alignment of the caliper brakes, which may be difficult for beginners. As we had professional bike mechanics assemble it, we did not face any difficulty in adjusting the brakes. However, its maximum weight limit is 250 pounds, and Kent offers a limited lifetime warranty on the bicycle frame and a 90-days warranty on the parts & components.
3. Ecarpat 700C Road Bike
Features:
- Lightweight Aluminum Alloy Frame & Fork
- Shimano 14-Speed Thumb Trigger Shifter
- Front & Rear Double Caliper Alloy Brakes
- Adjustable Seat Post in Double Directions
- 700 x 32C Wide Knobby Multi-Terrain Tires
- Recommended For 5’4” To 6’2” Tall Riders
- Maximum Weight Limit: 250 Pounds
If you are looking for an easy-to-maintain and easy-to-ride starter road bike under 300 dollars, this Ecarpet Road Bike Model is our best recommendation. Its extremely lightweight aluminum frame and aluminum fork can withstand a harder impact of bumps, and it is designed with wind-breaking geometry to make it a super-fast road bike in a handsome price range.
This road bike features a Shimano 14-speed trigger shifter and double-caliper brakes for precise speed control. The quick-release seat is also adjustable in all directions, with a limit of 0-2 inches forward and 0-6 inches high, making it suitable for 5’4″ to 6’3″ tall riders. Its 700 x 32C tires have low rolling resistance and require less energy to keep the bike at a fast speed.
So what’s the catch? To be honest, after three continuous rides on this Ecarpat road bike, we noticed that its disc brakes had minor issues and created a weird noise when we suddenly pushed them for immediate stopping testing. This common misalignment issue can be solved by re-adjusting the brakes. Overall, the provided specifications proved it an excellent choice for daily commuters at an affordable price.
4. Takara Oni Single Speed Road Bike
Features:
- Tag Welded Hi-Tensile Steel Frame
- Single Speed Simple Drivetrain
- Quick-Release Adjustable Seat Post
- Single Pivot Alloy Caliper Hand Brakes
- 32 Hole Double Wall Alloy Rim
- 29-Inch Wheels & 700c x 28mm Tires
- Recommended For 5’6” to 6’0”l Riders
- Maximum Weight Limit: 200 pounds
If you want the simplest road bike for daily commuting and do not want to get confused by the complex gear-shifting process, this Takara Oni Single-Speed Road Bike would be an ideal choice for you at an affordable price of 300 dollars. This single-speed road bike is made with a high-tensile steel frame using the tag welding technique.
Our testers rode this Takara Oni road bike for over 80 miles during the six-month testing procedure. I like its flip-flop rear hub, which allows riders to ride with a fixed gear or freewheel pedaling. The quick-release height-adjustable seat makes it perfect for tall riders.
Our only complaints with this Takara Oni are that it is unsuitable for aggressive mountain riding and is not recommended for heavy riders weighing more than 200 pounds. This is not a big issue for senior and old-age riders because it covers all other basic features such as alloy caliper brakes, transparent chain guard, double-wall alloy rim, 29-inch wheels, and 700c x 28mm Tires to easily handle and control this bike without any issues. You can gift this bike to your dad.
5. EUROBIKE OBK XC550 Road Bike
Features:
- High Carbon Steel Rigid Frame & Fork
- Shimano 21-Speed Shifter & Drivetrain
- Front & Rear Mechanical Disc Brakes
- Double Wall Aluminum Alloy Solid Rims
- Soft & Comfortable Racing Sports Seat
- 28-inch Wheels & Fast Rolling Tires
- Two Sizes Fits For 5’5” to 6’2” Riders
- Maximum Weight Limit: 300 Pounds
This Eurobike OBK XC550 Road Bike is constructed around a high-tensile carbon steel frame and designed with fast racing geometry that allows the riders to get an excellent forward riding position to move fast. Its rear fork pipes are welded with a top pipe of the frame to give a solid performance. Its 10-inch-long saddle gives impressive and comfortable long rides for hours and hours.
This road bike has advanced speed control features, including a Shimano 21-speed shifting system that provides fast gear shifting for various roads and dual mechanical disc brakes that give all-weather stopping power. Its double-wall aluminum rims and 700c sports tire have less rolling resistance. They are perfect for participating in road trips and group riding.
We placed this Eurobike road bike at a down position due to its weight of 20kg compared to other road bike models in this review. However, if weight is not your priority, then this model will give you excellent value for the money. You will also get a 5-year warranty on frames and a one-year warranty on bike parts.
6. Outroad Betterland 14/21 Speed Road Bike
Features:
- Aluminum Alloy Frame & Steel Fork
- 21/14-Speed Gearbox & Grip Shifter
- Mechanical Disc or V-Brake Options
- Comfortable Seat & Soft Handle Grips
- Double Wall Alloy Rims & 1.2″ Slim Tires
- Recommended For 5’2” to 6’0” Riders
- Maximum Weight Limit: 330 Pounds
This Outroad Road Bike is designed to offer a comfortable riding position for long-distance rides and urban commuting. It is made with a lightweight aluminum frame and alloy steel fork using advanced invisible welding technology.
This bike is placed last due to its lower-mid-quality range. Simply put, it comes with a mixture of advanced and cheap specifications to give an affordable price of around 300 dollars. For example, its 21-speed grip shifter is not Shimano but will provide effortless gear changes. Its brakes are easy to maintain and give excellent stopping power in dry weather conditions but less effective in rain.
This road bike is perfect for 5’3″ to 6’0″ tall riders and can easily handle up to 330 pounds of heavy riders without any issue. Overall, it is very easy to assemble, maintain, and control this road bike. However, the wrong assembly may damage bike components. If you are a beginner, we suggest proper shop tuning for this bike to get maximum performance. You can choose from 14-speed and 21-speed options.
Note: Black and white Outroad road bike models have a 14-speed transmission, while blue and red Outroad road bike models have a 21-speed transmission.
How to Choose the Best Budget Road Bike
First of all, clear your mind about the wrong statement. We usually hear from our friends that low-price bikes give low-quality rides. It is not a complete truth. If you do proper research, it will be apparent that many of the best road bikes are available at an affordable price of under 300 dollars and come with advanced features of expensive bicycles. For example, As we mentioned above, after testing, the top-rated Ecarpat Road Bike comes with an Aluminium frame, aluminum fork, disc brakes, Shimano gear shifters, comfortable seats, double alloy strong rims, and durable tires at just 300 dollars. So go above and buy it for yourself.
Tips to Find the Best Budget Road Bike:
Here are some of the most important tips for researching, purchasing, and testing road bikes. You can also use these key points to find the best road bikes at an affordable price of around 300 dollars. These guidelines are authentic and prepared using years of experience from interviews with professional bike riders and industry experts. There is a lot to consider when looking for an affordable road.
Understand Your Riding Needs And Budget:
The first and most important factor before buying any road bike is what type of frame material is best, where you want to ride, and your maximum budget. It must be clear that you must find the right bicycle, and hence, you will lose your money and confidence.
For example, here, your budget is 300 dollars, and if you want to buy a bike for city commuting or long rides, then BMX bikes or beach cruiser bikes will not be perfect for you. In the same way, you can not ride city bikes on mountain trails because these two things are different and will not perfectly match each other. Therefore, it is crucial to clarify your demands, riding style, and budget because different types of bicycles have different riding styles.
Research the online Market and public reviews:
There are many online marketplaces, such as amazon.com and websites of bike brands, that sell affordable road bikes under 300. You can also read reviews of many other buyers who bought that bike before you. Make a habit of always reading customer reviews before buying anything online. This research will help you check any product’s advantages before purchasing.
Check the Type of Brakes:
Two brakes are used in road bicycles: linear-pull and Disc brakes. Both types of brakes provide reliable stopping power to control bike speed, but we would prefer you choose disc brakes. Disc brakes can work better on muddy roads or rainy weather, but rim brakes do not perform much better in bad weather conditions. Therefore, we always prefer buying a road bike with disc brakes, as mentioned above, the Ecarpat Road Bike model.
Check the Frame material and size:
Road bikes generally have aluminum or alloy steel frames. We recommend choosing an aluminum frame because it is lightweight, rustproof, and much better than a steel frame.
The frame size of the bicycle is another important factor to remember before buying any road bike. If you choose the wrong frame size, you will feel uncomfortable and sometimes may create pain in your shoulders, hands, arms, and legs. Therefore, always ensure your road bike’s frame size is perfect for height. Mostly, many manufacturing companies prepare three sizes of the frame for road bikes according to the height of the rider as follows;
- Small size for 5’3″ & 5’6 height
- Medium size for 5’6″ & 6′ Height
- Large size for six ′ & 6’4″ Height
Consider Extras And Additional Features:
Always prefer road bikes with more features at the same price. Suppose you are going to buy the best road bike under 300. Two bikes have the same specifications, but one comes with extra bike components such as a fender, kickstand, assembling tools, lock, etc. Then, you should take advantage of these extras.
Professional Tip for Beginners:
If you are a beginner and will start cycling, we recommend you start your riding journey with low-priced road bikes to check how these bicycles work with drop handlebars. After being popular with road bikes, if you think you can easily ride this bike, then you should move to expensive road bikes.
Why You Should Trust Us:
Here at Best Bikes Lab, we have a team of male and female pro-cyclists, and they have years of experience in bike riding. We have ridden hundreds of different bikes, from affordable road bike models to the most expensive triathlon road bikes, to give a review here at Best Bikes Lab. We research the online market and source different bike brands to purchase the latest road bikes for testing to identify the quality of their features, strengths, and weaknesses to write honest comparison reviews for easy assessment of our readers.
For this review, we used our resources to research high-quality, affordable road bikes and bought the 15 most famous road bike models of different brands, with price ranges of around $300. Our testers measure the weight of each bike and take them for testing on the different flat roads and gravel roads of Maryland. They spend more than 40 hours per week for about six months on testing procedures to deeply check the performance and quality of their provided specifications.
They use various riding styles, including long-distance rides, sudden stops, and slow speed tests, and they quickly move the bike from a flat road to a rough area to check the handling of bikes in aggressive situations. At the end of our in-depth bike testing process, we use our rating metrics to compare rating scores and select the most affordable road bikes for our review articles.
Our Ranking Criteria:
Our ranking criteria to calculate results for choosing the best road bike under 300 dollars is divided into the following rating metrics:
- Bike Weight & Handling ( Frame Material & Stable Geometry)
- Bike Speed Test (Shifter Quality + Tires Performance)
- Secure Features (Brakes Material + Quality)
- Riding Positions ( Seat And Handlebar)
- Price Point (Specifications + Additional Extras)
The most important factors to consider when choosing the best road bike are the frame geometry, total weight, brakes, and shifter quality, accounting for about 40% of the ranking metrics.
Our Testing Team Members:
We have experienced cycling racers and expert bike riders who have 10 to 15 years of experience in bike riding for testing reviews. Some work as cycling coaches or bike mechanics, while others have bike-repairing experience from popular bike shops. Some of them also wrote cycling books for beginners and professional bike riders.
Stephon Batz is our senior road bike review editor and has ridden a wide range of road bikes, mountain bikes, and gravel bikes since 2009. He has coached a cycling club of road bike teams since 2018. Stephon is a qualified bicycle mechanic with ten years of experience in bike repair and selling in Springfield, Illinois. He spent most of his time assembling road bike models and guiding our male and female team members during the complete bike testing process.
Bart Summers is our senior staff writer for road bike reviews. He also wrote a cycling book, ” “in which he shares his 17 years of cycling experience and provides tips for beginners. He also participated in different cycling competitions from 2005 to 2022. He joined us in 2023 as a freelancer to write test review articles and collect testing details from our road bike test team. He works on everything from content strategy to calculating rating metrics to making a final list of recommended road bikes for review.
How We Choose & Test Best Road Bikes Under 300:
Due to the high competition between brands and a wide range of road bicycles, it is very time-consuming and difficult for beginners to find a high-performance road bike under $300 for their routine cycling. There is nothing to worry about; we are here to help you find the best road bike according to your needs, riding style, and budget.
Our test team members researched the most popular road bike models with prices around 300 dollars and chose 15 of the best-performing road bikes to buy for testing. After assembling all the bikes, our bike testers took test rides on gravel roads and flat racing tracks in Maryland. They used different riding styles, such as slow speed, fast pedaling, sudden brakes, and quickly changing road surfaces, to check the performance of each feature and the handling of bikes.
During the testing procedure, they also prepared detailed notes on the performance of each specification using our racking metrics. After calculating the results, we chose the above six road bikes under $300, which we think are best for any rider according to their body shape and riding style.
Affiliate Disclosure:
As affiliates, it is important to inform you that our earning source is affiliate marketing, which runs this website. We re-invest a specific amount of affiliate money to buy new bikes for the next upcoming authentic and honest reviews to help our readers choose the best of the best bikes at an affordable price. We use affiliate links and may get a commission from suppliers or manufacturers after successful sales. This affiliate link will not affect the final product price when you buy through our website.
Conclusion:
Many people get confused about finding their first best-budget road bicycle among the many brands, and some feel discouraged due to the high rate of these bikes. They don’t know that many good quality road bikes have excellent performance and are available at low prices.
For your convenience, we researched and purchased some excellent road bikes and took multiple test rides on them to check their specifications. All these recommended road bikes have been tested by our professional bike riders and give great value for students and other people who are going to start cycling with good-quality road bikes at the lowest budget of $300.
FAQs About Best Budget Road Bikes:
What frame material Would be best for road bikes?
Road bikes are primarily made of steel and aluminum. Both materials are best for road bikes. However, as experts, we prefer aluminum bike frames because they are lightweight, rustproof, and durable.
What road bike frame size would be best for me?
Many beginners ask us how they can confirm that the frame size of the bike they will buy is right for them. Finding the correct frame size for your road bike is very simple. Each manufacturing company provides a frame size guide in the product description and user manual. So contact them before purchasing the best road bikes under 300.
Can road bikes go on gravel roads or trails?
There is nothing wrong with riding a road bike on dirt, gravel, or paved roads, but it depends on the tires’ quality and the rims’ material. Suppose your road bicycle has double-walled alloy rims and 700C tires. The above suggestions include the best road bikes for handling gravel and paved surfaces.
Are road bikes comfortable?
Of course, they are very comfortable, and the drop handlebar design allows you to change your riding position. Regular tuning of your road bikes is the most important tip for making them comfortable.
Are road bikes bad for your back?
Many think changing body posture on road bikes due to a drop handlebar can cause back pain. But this is not valid. Excessive use of any bicycle can cause increased pressure on your hip. As a result, this habit can damage your back badly.
