9 Best Entry Level Road Bikes in 2022

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Entry Level Road Bike Buyers Guide

The world of road bikes is almost as confusing as that of mountain bikes, and finding the best entry level road bike in 2022 can be difficult and stressful. The market is choked with similar-looking models distinguished only by arcane-sounding special features, and it can be hard to tell what the practical difference between two similar looking road bikes actually is.

The advantage of this range of bikes available, however, is that there’s sure to be something out there to fit anyone’s needs, whether you’re looking to get started on road bike racing or simply to start cycling to work to avoid parking problems and reduce your environmental impact.

We’ve put together a list of 9 of the best entry-level road bikes on the market in 2022, narrowing down the field to some selected highlights to make it easier for you to choose the right bike for you. Below, we’ve broken down some of the most important features of each bike to help you understand what you’re looking at when considering which bike to buy.

Related review; road bikes under 500 dollars.

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1. EUROBIKE Road Bike EURXC550 21 Speed 49

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The EUROBIKE Road Bike EURXC550 is a great entry level road bike of the racing variety. It has lightweight aluminum racing wheels with 3 sturdy spokes, mounted to a strong steel frame for durability and power. The road bike wheels are equipped with disc brakes for the best control over your stopping power possible, granting a short stopping distance and precise control.

The chain wheel of this road bike is designed for beginners, as it is a relatively small 42T size, making it easier to drive but harder to obtain a high maximum speed with than the more typical 52T or 53T racing bike chain wheel sizes. The lower maximum power means this is not a good choice for more serious racing cyclists, but the easier pedaling keeps it easy to use and accessible for beginner cyclists.

Pros:
+ Lightweight aluminum wheel rims
+ Disc brakes
+ Easy to assemble
+ Sturdy steel frame
+ Beginner chain wheel

Why We Liked It – The EUROBIKE Road Bike EURXC550 is an excellent racing bike for beginners, offering most of the features of higher end racing bikes but at easier to use levels, preventing them from being overwhelming or intimidating to newer racing cyclists. See more cheap road bikes here.

2. EUROBIKE Road Bike EURXC7000 54CM

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The EUROBIKE Road Bike EURXC7000 54CM is a lightweight, simple road bike with a relatively conservative, traditional design unlike those of more advanced racing bikes. This is a bike that will fit in with pretty much any other bicycles, whether it’s used for commuting to and from work or for road racing. It offers a wide range of gears, allowing you to maintain a high level of control over your riding experience no matter how fast you are traveling.

Most components of this bike are made from aluminum, from the frame to the wheel rims to the brake calipers. This keeps the weight of the EUROBIKE Road Bike EURXC7000 down to a minimum at the cost of some durability; a worthwhile tradeoff if you’re looking to get into high-speed cycling.

Pros:
+ Lightweight aluminum frame
+ Lightweight aluminum wheel rims
+ 16-speed gears
+ Easy to adjust
+ Light aluminum brake calipers

Why We Liked It – The aluminum construction of nearly every component on the EUROBIKE Road Bike EURXC7000 54CM means that is an exceptionally lightweight model of a road bike, keeping it easy to both use and transport.

3. 6KU Aluminum Fixed Gear Single-Speed

The 6KU Aluminum Fixed Gear Single-Speed track bike is a lightweight, high-performance bike primarily designed for track cycling. As a single speed bike, it features no gear changing options whatsoever, relying instead purely on the raw pedaling power of your legs. This makes it stand out from most of the options on the list, as the riding experience will be very different from that of the vast majority of other bikes.

This is a good entry-level option for anyone interested in getting into track cycling, as a strong, lightweight aluminum alloy bike with a number of simple track cycling features as well as some more familiar design cues borrowed from normal road cycling bikes.

Pros:
+ Lightweight, durable alloy frame and fork
+ Single speed design
+ Flip-Flop wheel hubs
+ Easy to adjust
+ Range of sizes available

Why We Liked It – Not just for track cycling, the 6KU Aluminum Fixed Gear Single-Speed track bike is also entirely functional for your daily commute. Its riser handlebars keep it comfortable for commuter cycling, while the majority of its design is more focused on track cycling, giving it the best of both worlds.

We think you’ll also like; Beginner Road Bikes Under 500 Dollars.

4. KENT GZR700 Road Bike

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The KENT GZR700 Road Bike is heavier than many other models of a road bike, with a steel frame rather than the aluminum or alloy construction often used, but offers a stronger and more durable construction as a result. This model of road bike features strong aluminum alloy wheel rims, reducing the chance of warping from damage, as well as alloy calipers on the brake system for strength and a little weight reduction.

In addition to this, it has a wide range of gears available, with 21-speed Shimano shifters and a rear derailleur, offering a high level of control over your cycling experience and a comfortable level of resistance no matter what speed you are cycling at.

Pros:
+ Wide gear range
+ Sturdy steel frame
+ Lightweight alloy caliper brakes
+ Tough alloy wheel rims
+ Easy to assemble

Why We Liked It – Sturdy and flexible, the KENT GZR700 Road Bike is more than capable of surviving heavy use over long periods of time. This is an ideal bike for anyone looking to get started on either road racing or simply commuting to work, offering high performance in a strong frame with minimal complexity.

5. Schwinn Phocus 1500 Flat Bar Road Bike

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The Schwinn Phocus 1500 Flat Bar Road Bike offers a road biking frame made with lightweight aluminum construction, with some of the added comfort features of a mountain bike added on. Its Schwinn sport suspension fork reduces the impact of bumps, absorbing shock before it reaches your hands and arms and helping to prevent impact injuries from extended periods of riding over rough terrain or roadside curbs.

The wheels feature strong, lightweight alloy rims to help prevent warping from damage, keeping the bike easy to control through even heavy use, as well as disc brakes for the smoothest, fastest stop possible.

Pros:
+ Lightweight aluminum frame
+ Schwinn sport suspension fork
+ Wide gear range
+ Disc brakes
+ Tough alloy wheel rims

Why We Liked It – The Schwinn Phocus 1500 Flat Bar Road Bike is a good hybrid of road bike speed and efficiency and mountain bike suspension, keeping you comfortable as you cycle no matter what your bike riding habits may be.

6. Retrospec Harper Coaster Fixie Style Single-Speed

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The Retrospec Harper Coaster fixie bike takes a number of cues from track cycling designs and applies them to a simple commuter bike to make an exceptionally lightweight, stripped down bike with minimal extra features to add weight and complexity. Its single speed design removes the added weight and effort of gear levers and mechanisms, relying instead on the raw pedaling power of your legs.

This makes it less useful for uphill cycling but allows for high-speed cycling on flat roads. It also removes the brake systems expected from most bikes, choosing instead to use a coaster brake system more like those of children’s bikes; an easy to use, intuitive system, but one with less stopping power than a good set of brake discs.

This is not a problem by any means, but definitely, something that is worth considering as a feature; the stopping distance of the Retrospec Harper Coaster Fixie Style Single-Speed commuter bike is relatively long, and for your own safety it is important to be constantly aware of this when riding.

Pros:
+ Coaster brake
+ Lightweight frame
+ Simple, stripped down design
+ Single speed
+ Large wheels

Why We Liked It – The Retrospec Harper Coaster Fixie Style Single-Speed Commuter Bike is stripped down to almost nothing, all optional systems removed or replaced with more lightweight alternatives. This means that it takes very little effort to learn to use it properly, although the differences from most bike models may take a little while to get used to.

7. Giordano Rapido Single Speed Road Bike

The Giordano Rapido Single Speed Road Bike is a lightweight aluminum bike with a focus on racing design features. Eschewing a wide gear range in favor of a single speed design, this bike is driven by the raw power of your body instead of requiring you to think about gear settings at all.

It has a number of features catering more for road usage, however, such as tough aluminum alloy wheel rims, helping to mitigate the risk of wheel damage causing a wobble in the bike’s movement, and strong Kenda tires designed to survive rougher road surfaces. This is a great stripped down choice for anyone looking to cycle on roads in any capacity, whether commuting or starting to race.

Pros:
 Single speed
 Flip-Flop wheel hubs
 Tough alloy wheel rims
 Lightweight aluminum frame
 Strong tires

Why We Liked It – Despite its single speed design indicating a focus on track cycling, the Giordano Rapido Single Speed Road Bike is resilient enough for use on even relatively rough road surfaces, while still being lightweight and fast enough for racing.

8. Giordano Libero 1.6 Men’s Road Bike

The lightweight aluminum construction of the Giordano Libero 1.6 Men’s Road Bike makes it remarkably easy to transport for such a classic model of a road bike. The entirety of the frame is made from aluminum to reduce weight, while the wheel rims are made from a strong aluminum alloy for greater strength and resistance to warping without compromising the light weight of the bike.

This model features a wide range of gear options, with 21 speed Shimano gear shifters installed as standard, allowing you to maintain a high level of control over your bike on all surfaces. The handlebars follow a dipped design familiar from higher end racing bikes, allowing you to lie flat for greater aerodynamics when riding at speed, while the high seat encourages a flattering posture than many alternative road bikes.

Pros:
+ Lightweight aluminum frame
+ Tough aluminum alloy wheel rims
+ Wide gear range
+ Dual water bottle mounts
+ Multiple sizes available

Why We Liked It – Hybridization between racing and commuting road bike styles makes the Giordano Libero 1.6 Men’s Road Bike an appealingly versatile model of a road bike, offering something of value to any cyclist, no matter their cycling habits or level of experience.

9. Pure Cycles Classic 16-Speed Road Bike

The steel frame of the Pure Cycles Classic 16-Speed Road Bike may be heavy, but it allows the bike to survive a high level of use and punishment. This is a tough bike designed to last no matter how badly you treat it, and the wheel rims reflect this design philosophy. Made from a strong aluminum alloy, they are designed to survive damage, reducing the chance of the wheels warping through intense use and keeping the bike’s motion straight and easy to control.

The drop handlebars, designed for sports cycling, are easy to adjust to fit your personal preferences and feature a gel padded tape wrap to keep your hands comfortable even during extended periods of intense cycling.

Pros:
+ Sturdy steel frame
+ Wide gear range
+ Adjustable drop handlebar
+ Gel padded handlebar tape
+ Wide range of sizes available

Why We Liked It – The Pure Cycles Classic 16-Speed Road Bike is built with a classic, versatile design, making it a great choice for most cyclists. It’s a strong, sturdy bike ideal for everything from commuting to racing.

Entry Level Road Bike Buyers Guide

Disc brakes

Disc brakes feature a larger pad than other brake designs, giving a far greater contact area against the sides of the wheels. This gives a faster and smoother stop with a full squeeze of the brakes, reducing your stopping distance substantially, as well as granting the ability to stop slowly and gently with a gentle squeeze, giving more control and a more comfortable braking experience even when traveling at high speeds.

Plus, as a lesser but still valuable benefit, the pads of disc brakes are larger and stronger and therefore tend to last a little longer before requiring replacement, reducing the level of maintenance needed to keep your road bike in good working order.

Gears or single speed?

Most bikes feature gear shift levers, allowing you to change how much effort is required when pedaling to move at your preferred speed. A wider range of gear options allows more control, making cycling on varied terrain and gradient types far easier and more comfortable.

16 and 21-speed options are common, and both of these give a high level of flexibility and control. Some bikes, however, are a single speed. These feature no gear options whatsoever, relying instead on the direct pedaling power of your legs to drive the bike forwards. This allows for higher maximum speed on smooth, flat surfaces, ideal for racing, but can make cycling uphill or on the rougher ground much more difficult.

Single speed bikes are a great choice if you’re looking to get into racing, but if your daily commute involves any travel uphill, then a gear shift model of road bike is a better option.

Conclusion

When looking at any type of bike, one thing always holds true. The right bike for you and your personal needs exists out there somewhere. That’s just as true for road bikes as it is for mountain bikes; there are so many different options on the market, so no matter what your personal preferences are or what you happen to want from a road bike, there’s one out there to suit your needs. The difficult thing is finding that right bike, especially when what you’re looking for is something simple and entry level.

All of the bikes in our list above have been specifically chosen as excellent entry level road bikes for people who either don’t know all that much about the complicated technical side of cycling or simply don’t want to have to think about that. You don’t have to dive fully into the wild and confusing world of professional cycling technology in order to get a good, useful bike, as there are plenty of great entry level options available.

Hopefully, our breakdowns of the important features above have helped you to understand some of the most important features of road bikes, equipping you a bit better to easily understand which criteria you need to consider when buying a bike. Equipped with this knowledge and information, you can buy with confidence, secure in the knowledge that any of the bikes above are great choices for you