Best Road Bike Reviews 2023

Bikes can be expensive if you are looking for one that is going to withstand the use you are going to put it through. There are many different features that can affect the cost you incur. This will include the quality of material used and the quality of the shifter, brake and more. While we were doing our research, we found that you can get a budget-friendly road bike for less than $199. For a higher but still moderate quality, you can expect to spend between $200 and $300, while for a high-end road bike you will spend over $300.

Note that there are some high-end road bikes that will cost way more than this. It all depends on the features and quality you are looking for. In the same vein, there are cheap road bikes which we would advise against because they usually do not offer good value. You need something that will serve you for some time. It’s better to spend a bit more to get something that will offer you good value.

There are a number of things to pay close attention to when shopping for a road bike. Here are those we consider most important…

• Size
• Riding level
• Material
• Groupset – Brakes, drivetrain
• Wheelset
• Speed
• Handle bar
• Assembly and tuning

Let’s now take a closer look at these.

When choosing a road bike, there are two very important things to first consider, as every other thing will be determined by these two factors. The first is size. Road bikes come in different sizes, so you need to know the exact size that will suit you. If you get the wrong size, it may be too high or too low for you, and this adversely affects your usage of it.

Here's a simple guide that may help you.

• Rider Size: 4’10”-5’0” – Suggested Frame Size: 47-48 cm (XXS)
• Rider Size: 5’0″-5`3″– Suggested Frame Size: 49-50 cm (XS)
• Rider Size: 5’3″-5’6″ – Suggested Frame Size: 51-52-53 cm (S)
• Rider Size: 5’6″-5’9″– Suggested Frame Size: 54-55 cm (M)
• Rider Size: 5’9″-6’0″ – Suggested Frame Size: 56-57-58 cm (L)
• Rider Size: 6’0″-6’3″ – Suggested Frame Size: 58-59-60 cm (XL)
• Rider Size: 6’3″-6’6″ – Suggested Frame Size: 61-62-63 cm (XXL)

The second thing to consider is the proficiency level of the rider. A lot of the choices you will make will be determined by the level of the rider. There are three basic rider levels we will look at – Beginner, intermediate and expert.

The first thing that this will affect is the material you will choose. A road bike’s frame is usually made of any of four materials: aluminum, steel, carbon fiber or titanium. Beginner bikes are usually made of aluminum. Aluminum is lightweight and pretty affordable. Intermediate road bikes can be made of aluminum or carbon fiber, but expert-level bikes are made of carbon fiber. These materials will affect the cost. It’s not that a beginner cannot buy a road bike with a carbon fiber frame. It’s just that it will be too expensive.

Steel and titanium are not as common. Road bike frames used to be made of steel, which, though affordable, can weigh a lot, defeating the purpose of a road bike, which is why the switch to aluminum was made. Titanium, on the other hand, is pretty expensive. These two are usually found now in custom-made road bikes.

Another thing that you will look at is the group set, which we will call the engine of the bike. This consists of the brakes and drivetrain. In the drivetrain, we have the shifter, derailleurs, cassette, cranks, chain, and chain rings. This is what drives the bike. For a beginner road bike, these parts will likely be made of aluminum and steel of low grade. As you move into intermediate bikes, these parts will be made with higher-quality materials like high-grade alloys. Finally, for the expert road bikes, these parts will be made of much higher-grade alloys, titanium and carbon fiber. As you would expect, these upgrades increase their prices significantly.

When you see a road bike feature that includes something like 14 speed, 16 speed etc., it is referring to the accuracy that the gear offers. The higher the speed, the easier getting into perfect gear will be. For high-end road bikes, the transmission system may be electronic to offer the best of gear shift. Again, this will seriously impact the cost.

Finally, the wheel is something you will need to look at. A beginner needs all the help they can get to be balanced and ride confidently. On road bikes suitable for beginners, you will usually find wheels with high spoke counts. This provides balance but also adds some weight. This will not be the case with intermediate and advanced road bikes. The materials used for the advanced road bikes will also be lighter to allow for more speed, which is something that a beginner may not be able to control.

There are two types of handle bars you will find on road bikes. These are flat bar and drop bar. Many bike enthusiasts advise that riders go for drop bars, as it is supposed to offer more riding positions. If you’ve never used drop bars, you will need some time to get used to them. They are, however, great for long-distance rides, so if you intend to do long rides, you may just want to begin to get used to them. It’s still your choice though.

Finally, different bikes require different levels of assembly. If you are not sure what to do, the best thing is to take it to your LBS (Local Bike Shop) for assembly and tuning. Even if you manage to properly assemble it, you may still need to take it in for tuning so you can get the best out of it.

Enjoy your ride.