If you have a tight budget and still want to buy a good quality bicycle that will last, you will need to do a lot of research to get the best cheap road bikes that will last. Or if you want to ride a bike or bicycle to lose weight and just want an entry-level bike.
It is good to get a cheap one since you will not use it for racing or anything. Thankfully you have come to the right place because we have done hours of research to find you the cheapest bike with the best quality on the market. We have reviewed the best road bikes under $500 and under $1000 to give you a bit of flexibility if you have over $500 to spend.
Also, we found a great FREE book on cycling tips to help riders at all levels it’s only free for a short time so thought we should mention it, download yours HERE!
Table of Contents
The Best Cheap Road Bikes Reviewed 2020 for the money
Quick Overview
| Tommaso Monza | Tommaso Forcella | Diamondback Century 2 | Raleigh Merit 1 | Vilano Shadow |
 |  |  |  |  |
| Best Features: - Very Rare bike - Very cheap due to selling online ONLY - Up to date Shifters - Perfect commuters | Best Features: - Great For Beginners - Shimano Claris STI shifters - Designed with comfort in mind to enable long rides | Best Features: - Sponsored by Optum Racing - Pedals have lifetime warranty - State of the art Tektro lyra disc brakes | Best Features: - Comfortable for heavy riders - Very easy to assemble yourself | Best Features: - QUALITY Shimano Components - Under $500! - Great entry Level Bike |
Tommaso Monza Endurance Aluminum Road Bike Review
This lesser-known brand delivers insane value. The number 1 pick for the Best cheap road bike. You won’t find this in Walmart and it will be very rare to find these at your local bike shops. This all works in your favor though.
Because Tommaso Monza only sells online, there are much lower overheads, and no need to spend large sums of money on advertising, Tommaso can reinvest that money into getting you a more efficient and top-quality bike.
Another plus point, they don’t do the common “yearly” models like a lot of other bike brands do. Because they don’t do the yearly update they only update the bike after enough research has been done and once they have fully advanced enough features to bring out a new model.
Whether there is a new shifter or new wheels once Tommaso knows and is ready they can issue their new design in as short as 8 weeks.
This means you can get the best bike on the market, no matter when you buy it.
(We try where possible to review and update these reviews every quarter to ensure we don’t miss any important changes. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you see something big that we missed!)
What we liked
Low cost due to just selling online and skipping expensive overhead costs
Shimano Tiagra 4700 Shifters gives smooth premium gear shifting
HCT Carbon Fork for vibration dampening performance providing a further smooth riding experience
What we didn’t like
You will need to get the bike fit for your size (if mailed for assembly) as if you leave the fitting for a later date the size might not fit your frame perfectly and could cause back pain.
Professional assemble is required to validate the warranty on the bike
Tommaso Forcella Endurance Aluminum Road Bike Review
The sibling to the Monza is the Forcella and is a bit cheaper as well, It is quite common in the biking community that you hear advice for new riders, saying you need to get a bike with 10-speeds.
While this makes sense a 10-speed cassette shifts much more smoothly than the 8 and 9 speeds. Plus, you can upgrade them to higher quality parts with little cost since the highest-end parts are easily changed with 10-speeds, that is the sole reason why the Monza is more expensive.
Tommaso only uses Shimano gears, which in turn give you the best integration and performance in the industry. Most other brands don’t use these components and for the price, you really do get a good quality bike for your money. The Forcella is a great entry-level/beginner bike,
It’s the type of bike that you can get as a college or work commuter and spend the next 10 years riding it every weekend. Because It’s designed for the athlete who wants a machine they can cross-train with.
The frame is Aluminum the particular aluminum mixture is known for being more comfortable than a lot of other different mixtures but still remaining lightweight. The frame is well-designed, with sleek-looking lines that will have the rest of your cycling peers asking you what kind of bike you have and where do you get it.
The Carbon fiber fork is vital, Carbon fiber helps negate vibrations, which makes those long journeys that much more comfortable. The size is very important to get right make sure to check on the size chart for your fit.
What we liked
FREE shipping and assembly of the bike only on AMAZON
Low cost due to just selling online and skipping expensive overhead costs
Shimano Claris STI shifters give smooth and consistent shifting in all riding conditions.
What we didn’t like
If you are quite tall 6’5+ or heavy we would recommend upgrading the wheels as you may end up damage them, this would cost extra for you
Diamondback Bicycle Century 2 Review
Diamondback is a well-known brand in the biking community. They sponsored Optum road racing since those times it’s not been easy getting a cheap deal on this bike but we have found one for under $1000. These bikes have some of the best money to quality value in the market.
This road bike has a solid Aluminum 7005 frame — an industry favorite due to how stiff and responsive it is. It feels like you driving a racing car on one of these bikes.
The Shimano gear shifting system is a proven system that always delivers consistent reliable shifting. The compact crank lets you have perfect gearing for climbing up steep hills.
The double-walled wheels are a valuable addition as the steel fork helps absorb the road vibrations, giving you a comfortable ride. for sizing and specifications click here
What we liked
Tektro Lyra disc brakes for quick stopping and expert control
Free pedals and LIFETIME Warranty on the Frame
Wide-range Shimano Sora
What we didn’t like
Professional assembly costs $75
Raleigh Merit 1 Endurance Road Bike Review
This bike still has the ram horn handlebar which is best for cycling fast as your position is lower down removing the aerodynamic drag and make you go faster. For under $600 it is an expensive part which is fitted onto a low price bike.
The Raleigh Merit 1 is a lightweight bike that moves so quickly and you can really go fast with this bike. This endurance road bike is also designed to go long distances so for fitness or for commuting this Cheap Road bike under $600 is really a steal.
The Raleigh is a name I’ve known for decades and road this brand of a bike when I was a kid, with them being around so long they have had time to refine and make their bikes with exceptional quality.
What we liked
Seating is comfortable for heavier riders
This road bike is very Lightweight
Very sleek and professional looking design
What we didn’t like
The bike comes 85% complete and you will need to build the rest yourself or take to your local bike shop to build
Vilano Shadow Road Bike Review
Vilano is a company that has very smartly designed all of their frames identical so that they can mass-produce an affordable frame, and then just add different components and pieces to match whatever your price point may be.
This two-bike does have the ram horn handlebar which is best for cycling fast as your position is lower down removing the aerodynamic drag. But for the extremely low price, it would be surprising if it did have it.
This road bike has the much-needed STI Shifters. STI Shifters are basically shifters that are fully integrated into the brake levers. This means that your brakes can also shift!
In other words, it means that your hands never have to leave your brakes. From a safety point of view, this is perfect so if you want a cheap road bike for a beginner this one is the safest entry-level road bike under $400
You can upgrade the STI Shifters for an even more safe experience and you can pick on up for around $100 so not to much for investing in your safety.
What we liked
Excellent entry-level bikes under $400 with STI shifters
Top-class customer service, there are many reports of customers receiving brand new parts after reporting that their bike had defective parts
Very light and solid frame
What we didn’t like
Brakes could be slightly better but the price are okay
Can be quite difficult to build together yourself if you are not used to building bikes
Summary
| Tommaso Monza | Tommaso Forcella | Diamondback Century 2 | Raleigh Merit 1 | Vilano Shadow |
| | | | |
| Best Features: - Very Rare bike - Very cheap due to selling online ONLY - Up to date Shifters - Perfect commuters | Best Features: - Great For Beginners - Shimano Claris STI shifters - Designed with comfort in mind to enable long rides | Best Features: - Sponsored by Optum Racing - Pedals have lifetime warranty - State of the art Tektro lyra disc brakes | Best Features: - Comfortable for heavy riders - Very easy to assemble yourself | Best Features: - QUALITY Shimano Components - Under $500! - Great entry Level Bike |