Cheap Road Bikes Under £650
The price for a good entry level road bike starts at £450. Many, but not all of the major bike manufacturers will have a bike within this range to suit amateur riders. However this does not mean that the decision to buy a bike will be easy. This is especially so if it been a while since you rode a road bike. The wide choice of makes and models plus the similarly wide range of prices for these bikes might prove to be too overwhelming.
The situation is further complicated if you decide to try out the feel of the bikes. You have to go to a number of bike shops to try them out and riding them outside a shop is not the same as a club ride or a sunday meander. To make things worse shops often discount previous year’s models in an attempt to sell old stock and might offer you the chance of getting a excellent bike at a reduced price just like the car market. A reduction of up to 25-50% in the price of last year’s models is indeed worth looking at. If you are sensitive to trends, then buying last year’s model might not be that appealing to you. The bottom line is you should buy a bike that meets all your needs.
It is worth noting that a bike need not be expensive for it to meet your criteria of the ideal bike. It is possible to get a quality bike within the £300-£650 price range. The frames of bikes in this price range will usually be either steel, aluminium or a light alloy. The components for the bikes such as gears, pedals, seat, and brakes will also in the lower end of the price range. Despite being relatively cheap, the bikes will be fine for a beginner and function quite adequately. Bicycles within this range also offer considerable improvements such as a carbon fibre front fork. The carbon fibre front fork improves the bikes handling and offers an increased lightness as well as a smoother ride.
Our Best Buy 2012 Cheap Road Bike Picks
(All these bikes are under £650 at time of writing)
If you are prepared to spend a little more, then bikes in the £650-£1100 will offer better aluminium/carbon frames and better components. The bikes offered in this price range will include models from manufacturers such as Trek, Giant, Felt and Bianchi. The main advantage of buying branded bicycles is the availability of replacement components.
It is also worth noting that buying a cheaper bike from a manufacturer who also makes expensive bikes is quite advantageous. This is because the technology used in the more expensive bikes tends to trickle down to the cheaper models. This can be seen in models from Trek, GT, Giant, Specialised and Bianchi. These established manufacturers will spend a lot of money on research and development.
Remember – Do your research (online, ask in forums and go speak to bike shop staff)