Best Road Bikes under 500 USD– Reviews & Buying Guide

Road bikes are designed for racing and riding on smooth pavements and have handlebars that are optimized for long and fast rides. Road bikes are ideal for those who like to hit the road often. The bikes are light and agile and thus, will get you places with the least effort. Also, these bikes are designed for the most demanding of riders and when you make a good choice, you will be enjoying riding. 

With a good search, you can find best road bikes under 500 USD. And, it is my hope that this review will help you in finding the right road bike that not only meets your needs but also, falls within your budget. From my experience, road bikes under 500 USD bring a lot of value to consumers at a good price. The bikes have all the basic features that you would expect from a road bike.

Actually, purchasing a road bike is a different experience from that of buying other types of bikes. When looking for the best road bikes under 500 USD, you do not need to master a lot of details about them. But you should need to understand features such as gears, accessories, design and the structure of the bike. However, it is important to look at some specific features when looking for best road bikes that fall under 500 USD. Also, road bikes under 500 USD are best suited for beginners who are starting their road biking hobbies, bikers are not so demanding, and in addition, who have limited budgets.

Best Road Bikes under 500 USD Reviews

1. Editor's Pick: Schwinn Phocus 1600 Men’s Road Bike - Comfortable and Sporty!

Schwinn Bike Company has been around for over a century. Over this long period of time, the company has come up with reliable models that cut across all market segments. In fact, their road bikes are one of the best in the market.

The design of the Schwinn Phocus 1600 bike has been improved to meet the demands of modern biking. The Schwinn Phocus 1600 bike has a frame that is made of lightweight fork and aluminum. The Schwinn Phocus 1600 bike is one of the agilest bicycles that you can find out there. With about 23 pounds in weight, the bike accelerates very fast. The good thing is that, the gears shifts smoothly. It is as if it is being controlled electronically. On the rear, you will find a Shimano-14 derailleur that provides the bike with the required power. Whether you want to climb up hill or race on a track, the system has the right gears for that.

For a good performance, the wheels come with high profile alloy rims that are reinforced with very durable spokes. In addition, the brakes are Promax and are fitted with high performance calipers.

Moreover, the saddle comes with a simple release that allows the rider to adjust height without many difficulties. The release knob can be reached easily by just anyone. Schwinn Phocus 1600 bike is one of the most stable bikes available owing to a rigid construction and good aerodynamic properties.  If you are an experienced rider, you will find that the Schwinn Phocus 1600 meets your expectations.

Because of above points, I consider Schwinn Phocus 1600 is the best choice among best road bikes under 500 USD. It can bring to you a good experience on riding a road bike with an affordable price.

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2. Also good from Schwinn: Men’s Phocus 1400- 700C Drop Bar Road Bicycle – Light and Fast!

My next product on the list is the Schwinn Phocus 700C drop bar bicycle. The bike comes with a perfect balance between light weight construction and a system engineered for speed. The good thing with the Schwinn Phocus 1400 men’s bike is that, it is affordable. The price it falls right into our scope of the best road bikes under 500 USD. With Shimano transmission system and high profile alloy rims, the Schwinn 1400 promises an impressive performance to the rider. And to stop this fast bike, there is an alloy caliper brake system that has a good braking power. Also, the use of an aluminum frame makes the bike firm and sturdy.

The 14 speed Shimano speed system makes it easy for riders to shift through gears. In addition, the bike has an alloy brake caliper that helps stop the bike in a short notice. In addition, there are high quality high profile alloy rims that take the bike more light and strong.

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3. Upgrade Pick: Giordano Libero 1.6 Men's Road Bike – Bold and Stylish!

Giordano has been in the business of making customized bikes for many decades. The Italy based bike maker follows in the country’s tradition of producing high quality and aesthetically appealing products. The Libero is one of the most outstanding bikes from the company. Also, many buyers like it because it is hand-made.

Giordano Libero 1.6 boosts of some of the best features in biking including a Shimano speed drive system, a handcrafted frame and the 32 spokes high profile tires. Also, the bike comes with a threadless stem that makes the bike easy to ride. And, this bike has a two water bottle mounts that are enough for the biker. In addition, the bike boosts of a lightweight construction that makes it easy to ride on long distance.

With the price is the almost higher than the rest other best road bikes under 500 USD in this article, but the riding feeling you experience from this bike is worth with the fee you pay for it.

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4. Budget Pick:  Merax Finiss Aluminum 21 Speed 700C – Fast and Effective!

Merax has been in the bike making business for decades and with the Finiss, they have stumped their position in the industry. The 21 speed bike comes as a racing bike that you can comfortably take to any track around the world. However, this bike is constructed using high quality and durable materials that last for a long time. The good thing is that, you can use it as a road bike as well.

With an aluminum kickstand frame, the bike is sturdy and strong enough to hold the bike together even when going around sharp corners. This is very important for it stabilizes the cyclist on the road.  Also, the material reduces the overall weight of the bike. The good thing is that, you can disassemble the front wheel with ease. This is because it comes with a quick release. Also, the Shimano drive system makes the bike easy to ride. This is especially when you are accelerating on a track.

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5. Budget Pick: Vilano Aluminum Road Bike 21 Speed – Strong and Durable!

As I continue to explore the best road bikes under 500 USD, I cannot ignore the Vilano 21 speed road bike. Vilano has been in the industry for a long time and it is no wonder that they have mastered the art of not only developing durable bikes but also, ones with a high performance. Although the 21 speed Vilano road bike comes as an entry level, it promises owners one of the best biking experiences available. The good thing is that, they make different types of bikes that suit varying client needs.

Vilano road bike comes with an alloy caliper brake system that is very effective in stopping the bike. In addition, biker’s seat in comfort as the bike comes with an urban comfort saddle. This saddle is built for riders who are doing long distance. Also, you can have a good time on the track thanks to the 21 speed transmission system. And to shift gears smoothly, there is a Shimano system that is very easy to operate. One good thing is that the bike comes with an alloy handlebar.

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6. Budget Pick: GMC Denali Road Bike – Innovative and Aerodynamic Design!

GMC Denali is one of the most notable road bikes in the market that falls below the 500 USD price tag. For a long time now, GMC has been very consistent in producing high quality bikes. Amongst other brands, the Denali road bike stands out for its compact design and lightweight construction. If you are looking for a flexible bike that can do races as well as run simple errands, you are good to go with this product.

GMC Denali comes with a 21 speed transmission system that is very smooth and agile. Riders are able to accelerate to the desired speeds at record time. The 700c tires are also ideal for handling different road conditions. This is because; you will find that the bike can do well on both paved and unpaved roads.

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Single Speed Road Bikes Reviews

The single speed road bikes are bikes without a gear changer. Normally, these bikes come with a standardized, one gear system. Usually, many cyclists like to use a single speed bike because it is simple, easy to use and to repair. The single speed road bike is look manly, it bring the challenge feeling for who want to enjoy to effort by their own strength while pedal onto the road or the slopes. By the single gear construction, the bike provided with more adaptable price and in this article "best road bikes under 500 USD, I also want to introduce some single speed road bikes with good price for who interested.

1. Good Choice: Takara Kabuto Single Speed Road Bike –Simple but Effective!

Takara Kabuto is one of the most affordable road bikes in the market today. I liked the bike not only because it was simple but also, comes with an interesting design. Although this bike has one gear, it has been optimized for the best performance and power overall. If you are looking for an affordable but effective bike then, the Takara Kabuto single speed is going to meet your criteria. The bike is made of high quality but lightweight materials in order to cut down on weight and at the same time, make it sturdy.

The Takara Kabuto bike comes with amazing features including a flip flop hub for the single gear, easy to reach handlebar and a sturdy frame. This is important as it keeps the bike stable even when moving around twists and corners.

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2.  Giordano Rapido Single Speed Road Bike - Simple and Good Looking!

One of the things that I like about Giordano Rapido is that it has simple design and parts. Giordano is one of the few bikes in the market that I found affordable yet useful in day to day riding. In addition, the frame and the handlebars have been properly customized to take the abuses of a busy city. And as if following into Giordano’s culture of producing good looking bikes, the Rapido comes in an inviting design that turns heads everywhere you go. In short, the bike is aesthetically appealing and functionally impressive.

Giordano Rapido has good features that set it apart from the rest of the bikes. To begin with, it has a strong aluminum frame that stabilizes the bike well. In addition, it comes with a flip flop hub, alloy brakes and wheels and lastly, durable Kenda tires. These can hold the bike well even when moving on rough terrain.

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Best Road Bikes Under 500 USD– Buying Guide

Although there are many people who still think that budget bikes are not as good as their expensive counterparts, this review has proven otherwise. While their assumption may seem true, there are many reasons to buy the Best road bikes under 500 USD.

If you have a limited budget, you may still get a quality road bike.

Usually, the manufacturers of these bikes cut down on assembly costs by choosing readily available materials and accessories. However, that does not mean that they cannot perform. The truth is that, the bikes are as good as other bikes on the market.

What you should look for on a road bike?

There are some factors that you should consider when shopping for a road bike.

To begin with, it is important to consider the intended use of the bike. If you are going to race with your bike, it is advisable to find a bike with 21-speed gears or even more. On the other hand, if you want a bike for a road trip, get one with both a sturdy construction and quality parts.

The next, price is also another factor to consider when looking for a road bike. It is important to go for bikes that you can afford. In this article, I only provide to you about the best road bikes under 500 USD. If you want to find better class bikes with higher price, you can find them others articles.

Also, choose a bike based on the design. You should go for bikes which have designs that match both your height and the structure of your body. If you miss on that, you’ll not be comfortable riding the bike.

Lastly, it is advisable to consider options in your market. Although you may admire some foreign bikes that you have seen on the internet or magazines, it makes sense to only consider bikes that are readily available in your local market. However, you have the one more option- shopping on the online bike stores in internet. You also can find many best road bikes at Amazon.com; the website will provide you hundred road bikes from many different brands, with product information and customer reviews.

Conclusion

I put the bike that stood out on this list is the Schwinn Phocus 1600. The reasons for picking this product is because it is of high quality, easy to ride and highly reliable. And the good thing is that it is not heavy in your pocket. In addition, the bike has a rigid structure that makes it easy to ride on sharp corners. In fact, many people do not believe that it falls under the 500 USD.

We hope that after read this article, you can decide which one is the suitable bike for you among the best road bikes under 500 USD we have mentioned above. They might not provide you an excellent riding feeling as top high end road bikes, but these bikes will provide you the expected experience with an affordable price.

In case you have other ideas on the topic, we would be happy to hear from you.