From Bicycling
Only a few years ago, most low-cost bikes were often too shoddy to recommend for road rides, mountain biking, or even heavy commuting use. Today, however, it’s not unusual to find affordable bikes with good brakes, intuitive shifting, and reliable parts—and that offer real performance and a quality ride experience.
Check out quick reviews below of five cheap bikes that top our list, then scroll deeper for more in-depth reviews of these and other options, plus buying advice.
Pay Only for What You Need
One easy way to save money is to avoid paying for things you don’t need. Just as you don’t need to spend $200 a month on a gazillion cable channels you don’t watch, likewise you don’t need to overpay for bike features and components you won’t use. Think about exactly how you want to use your bike. If racing or going for long, hilly rides isn’t in your future, you can get by with fewer gears and heavier, more-reliable parts. If you don’t plan to ride your mountain bike on technical trails, skip the rear suspension. Not a wet-weather commuter? Go with rim brakes instead of discs. All of these trade-offs result in cost savings.
Put Your Money Where the Parts Are
To get the best experience, you want a bike with quality components. Look for models with SRAM or Shimano shifters and derailleurs, stainless steel or aluminum parts that won’t rust, and brand-name brakes and tires.
Aluminum frames will typically ride nicer than lower-cost steel options. And unless weight is super important to you, wheels with a higher spoke count, like 28 or 32, will last longer and require less maintenance.
Also, make sure the bike fits. Typically, the lower a bike’s price, the fewer available sizes there are from the manufacturer. While a top-end model might have seven or more size options, lower-cost versions might have only two or three. If you can swing it, test ride the model you like or research the geometry and hop onto something similar to get a sense of it.
Get the Right Number of Gears
For kids’ bikes, commuter bikes, and some mountain bikes, look for a model with a single front chainring, which simplifies shifting and ditches the front derailleur so there’s one less part to maintain. On road and fitness or hybrid bikes, models with two chainrings are ideal because they offer the best balance between easy shifting and still providing an efficient range of gears. Many cheap models skimp on the number of gears on the rear wheel. If you want to go far, look for models with at least 8 or 9 rear cogs.
Where to Get the Best Deal
Big-box retailers often tempt shoppers with insanely low prices, but those bikes are generally poorly (and sometimes very unsafely) assembled and have parts that rust and break quickly.
You’ll typically find good service at your local bike shops, but they tend to carry bikes that are higher in price. Internet retailers like Bikes Direct and Amazon, as well as consumer-direct brands like Diamondback, offer quality products at lower prices, but you’ll need to do some assembly yourself or pay extra to have someone do it for you.
Why It May Be Harder to Find a Bike Right Now
Ever since terms like “shelter in place,” “stay at home,” and “social distancing” took root in our daily lexicon, we’ve had to find alternative forms of entertainment that don’t involve large crowds, indoor activities, or risky situations (such as travel). More people have caught on to the idea that outdoor escapes like hiking, running, and bike riding are safe, sanity-saving ways to get out and do something—away from others. This has led to a surge in bike sales and, thus, a depletion of stock. That’s a good thing, because it means more people have discovered bikes. But it’s also frustrating if your goal today is to place an online order for a shiny new bike only to find out that you may have to wait weeks or even months to get it. If you see something on this list that catches your eye, and you hit the out-of-stock roadblock, patience (waiting until inventory is fulfilled again), perseverance (it may be available somewhere else online or even somewhere locally), or just being proactive (pre-order is available for many out-of-stock models) might be the way to go. We’ll keep our eye on inventory and update links as often as we can.
How We Tested
Every bike on this list has been thoroughly evaluated and vetted by our team of test editors, who have spent countless hours riding, commuting, enjoying leisurely jaunts, and even racing on some of these bikes. We research the market, survey user reviews, speak with product managers and engineers, and use our own experience riding these products to determine the best options. On bikes we haven’t tested, we rely on our experience riding similar models and using the individual components to make our decisions. You can find cheaper bikes than the options below, but these are the ones we’ve found that offer the best mix of low price, good parts, durability, and an excellent ride.
―BEST CHEAP ROAD BIKE―
Giant Contend 3
By combining an aluminum frame and fork with name- and house-brand components, Giant has built a dependable bike suitable for most types of road riding. An 8-speed cassette includes a 34t cog that’s smaller than what you’ll usually find on comparable bikes and great for new or seasoned riders who like an extra gear when climbing. The 28mm tires help make the bike feel more stable and the ride smooth. Shimano Claris dual-action brake levers double as gear shifters, a design that’s also found on more expensive groupsets. The bike shifts smoothly, too, and the shape of the hoods provides a comfortable position for your hands.
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―BEST CHEAP HARDTAIL MOUNTAIN BIKE―
Trek Marlin 7
The Marlin 7, which also comes in a women’s version, is ideal for aspiring racers, everyday trail riders, and casual commuters alike. Riders who like to pedal fast will appreciate its steep, aggressive head and seat angles, and a high bottom bracket that offers decent pedal clearance on the trail. Its cables are internally routed, too, which isn’t common on bikes at this price. It has a 1×10-speed Shimano drivetrain, which provides plenty of gearing options as well as the simplicity of a single front chainring. And even though the RockShox XC30 100mm coil-spring fork is heavier than some comparable air-spring models, it does a surprisingly good job on super-rocky trails. Add to that the 2.2-inch-wide Bontrager tires on 29-inch Bontrager Connection rims, which never squirmed too much on sketchy terrain, and you have a bike that not only looks fast but offers the kind of sharp handling and precise steering you’d expect from higher-priced racing models.
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―BEST CHEAP FULL-SUSPENSION MOUNTAIN BIKE―
Marin Rift Zone 29 2
The Rift Zone 29 2 is the 29er version of the Bicycling Editors’ Choice award-winning Marin Hawk Hill—a 27.5-inch-wheel bike we love for its quality build, modern geometry, and excellent value. The Rift Zone 2 gets larger wheels, which roll over rocks and other features more easily and add some stability as speeds pick up. With 125mm of travel, it’s great for trail rides, especially on technical terrain, and can even work for some light-duty racing, or just going fast on any trail that doesn’t require a load of suspension.
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―BEST KID’S BALANCE BIKE―
Strider 12 Classic
This is the most popular model of Strider, designed for kids between 18 months and five years old. Everything is scaled to young kids, from the smaller grips to the light frame (just 6.7 pounds complete). The 12-inch wheels are made from EVA polymer, so they’ll never go flat, and the bike has an extra-long seatpost so you get the most out of it when your kid hits that growth spurt.
―BEST CHEAP COMMUTER BIKE―
Raleigh Redux 2
The Redux looks great, rolls fast, and has well-balanced steering. The smooth-shifting Shimano Acera 1×9-speed drivetrain is geared on the low side–a welcome change from urban bikes seemingly geared for land-speed record attempts. But when you do hit the gas, the Tektro hydraulic disc brakes modulate well so you can brake under control. The Vee Tire Co. Zilent tires are excellent multi-surface options: fast rolling with predictable grip. The reflective logos on green paint stand out, but the Redux’s true strengths are its excellent performance and value. Want to save even more? The Raleigh Redux 1 comes with mechanical disc brakes and has a 1×8-speed drivetrain for $100 less than the Redux 2.
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―BEST CHEAP E-BIKE―
Aventon Pace 350
Drop below the $1,000 price level and e-bikes start to get sketchy. Most use lithium-ion battery technology, which is still pricey, and including it could mean cutting corners elsewhere if the overall price is that low. At $1,099, the Aventon Pace 350 gets close, but our test revealed it’s not too cheap to be high quality. The Class 2 e-bike tops the assistance out at 20 mph, whether you get there by pedal-assist or a throttle. There’s a 7-speed Shimano Tourney drivetrain and five levels of e-assist, giving you various pedaling options. Of the e-bikes we put through our handling circuit, the Pace 350 is one of the most balanced and planted on pavement and dirt. You don’t get lights or fenders, but the Pace 350 feels totally viable for daily commuting.
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―BEST CHEAP GRAVEL BIKE―
Diamondback Haanjo 3
For a thousand bucks, you get an aluminum frame and fork, 700c wheels, and 37mm-wide WTB Riddler tires with a low-profile center tread and higher cornering knobs, meaning you can tackle gravel rides and cyclocross courses but still keep up on casual road rides. A Shimano Sora 2×9 drivetrain with an 11-32 cassette and 46/30 chainrings—a notch above the Shimano Claris 8-speed group often found on bikes at this price—provides a large range of gears on both the high and low ends. The 46×11 combo lets you pedal downhill and pick up the pace on flats, and the 30×32 is easy enough to help you get up and over just about any hill.
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―BEST CHEAP CITY BIKE―
Civia Lowry Step-Thru 7 Speed
The aluminum-frame Lowry is a simple city bike for someone with an entry-level paycheck and a third-floor studio. It does not have disc brakes or wide tires. Its drivetrain isn’t internal or belt-driven. It’s just a classic city bike with pretty paint and nice-looking features—like stitched grips and saddle; small-diameter, round alloy tubing; a swept-back city handlebar; and rubber-topped pedals. At 25.8 pounds (for a size medium, 7-speed), lugging it up and down apartment steps is no biggie—and there’s some wiggle room to add fenders and a rear rack, should you so desire. The Lowry is also available in a step-over frame and as a singlespeed for $399 and an 8-speed internal for $650.
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―BEST CHEAP BEACH CRUISER―
Tuesday June 7 Low Step
The aptly named June 7 lives for carefree summer days and sandy surfaces. Its huge, sweeping Big Bend Cruiser handlebar and textured rubber grips need nothing more than a light touch and relaxed arms to keep the front wheel on course. When your feet aren’t on the barefoot-friendly, rubber-coated pedals cranking forward, they can easily touch down for a quick stop to grab a shot of the sunset. Like any capable cruiser, the June 7 comes with 2.35-inch balloon tires, ideal for mixed surfaces. A seven-speed drivetrain with a 44t chainring and 14-34t cassette opens this bike up to more variety of exploring in areas that aren’t mostly flat. Want more hauling capability? Add a rear rack. This one from Tuesday costs $45 and has a spring clip to hold valuables in place.
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―BEST CHEAP CARBON ROAD BIKE―
Cannondale SuperSix EVO 105
This is one of the best, least-expensive, carbon-fiber road race bikes we’ve tried. The Cannondale SuperSix Evo 105 is a budget-priced offering that is good for serious racing or any long, fast ride. It’s built around a BallisTec carbon fiber frame and fork, and is hung with Shimano’s durable and affordable 105 components. Outfitted with wide gears (36/52 x 11-28) and 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Slick tires on Fulcrum Racing 900 wheels, the SuperSix Evo sports components that are light and durable enough to stand the test of time—and tons of miles. Bonus: It can be upgraded as you demand even more performance from your bike.
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