Road Bikes Under $1,000

The best road bikes for cyclists on a budget

Road bikes under $1,000 are a good choice for beginning riders who want a bike for training or general rides. Aspiring racers who are new to cycling may also want to start here to get a feel for the sport. These bikes typically sport an aluminum frame and lower-quality components than bikes designed for racers and serious cyclists. Still, there are several great deals under $1,000, and none more so than the Trek 1.2 (MSRP *Est. $880). Numerous reviewers say the Trek 1.2 road bike is a great value and a good choice for beginning riders.

Among true road bikes, the Trek 1.2 (MSRP *Est. $880) is designed for comfortable and stable riding, thanks to a relatively upright riding position. The road bike sports an aluminum frame, Shimano Sora shifters and derailleurs, and a nine-speed Sram PG950 11-26 cassette. It has a nice range of eight sizes, starting at 43 centimeters and topping out at 62 centimeters, so you're likely to find a size that fits you. Bicycling magazine says the Trek 1.2 offers stable performance for beginners, but it can feel sluggish to race-oriented riders, and testers say the brakes are weak. User reviews at Trek.com acknowledge that this bike isn't going to fly up hills, but Bicycling points out that will be an issue for any bike in this price range. Still, for this bike's intended audience -- beginners -- the magazine's editors think it performs well, and they pick it as one of the best road bikes under $1,000.

Cyclist Roy Wallack, writing for the Los Angeles Times, likes the comfortable upright seating position and finds the Trek 1.2 a good choice for beginners, thanks to a triple chainring that provides lower gearing options for tough climbs. However, owners say the shifting can skip or hesitate on uphills, and unlike lighter (and much more expensive) carbon road bikes, you will feel more road vibration on the aluminum-framed Trek 1.2. For women, the Trek 1.2 also comes in a WSD model (MSRP: $880), which Fitness magazine picks as the best choice for racking up high mileage. The Trek 1.2 WSD comes in six sizes.

The Trek 1.5 (MSRP: $1,100) and Trek 1.5 WSD (MSRP: $1,100) are slightly more expensive, but you get some upgraded components and a smooth ride that reviewers say matches bikes in higher price ranges. The Trek 1.5 comes with Trek's black aluminum frame, a Bontrager Race carbon fork and an upgraded Shimano Tiagra GS rear derailleur. You can also choose between a double or triple chainring. Bicycling magazine gives the Trek 1.5 an Editors' Choice award for 2009, praising it for being beginner-friendly while still giving you room to grow as your skills improve. BikeRadar.com also gives the Trek 1.5 bike an above-average rating. They say the Trek 1.5 offers a surprisingly stiff ride and precise shifting, even if the frame is not the sleekest.

Like the Trek 1.2, the Giant Defy 3 (MSRP: $810) is built for comfort, thanks to an upright position that is more relaxed than what you'll find on serious race bikes. A new bike for 2009, the Giant Defy 3 has an aluminum frame, carbon fork and Shimano Sora rear derailleur. It is a top pick at Bicycling magazine as one of the best road bikes under $1,000, and it gets a Great Value designation in the 2009 Buyer's Guide.

Like the Trek 1.2, the Giant Defy 3 has a triple chainring, which can be a good choice for beginning riders, but experts say it performs almost as well as higher-end bikes in Giant's lineup. Testers for Bicycling magazine praise it as a comfortable ride, and owners agree in reviews compiled by Buzzillions.com. Overall, owners say this bike is a great entry-level value and they love the smooth ride, although the saddle gets a few hits for being uncomfortable. Men's Fitness also calls the Giant Defy 3 one of the "hottest" bikes of 2009, recommending it as a perfect pick for beginners who don't want to sacrifice performance for value. The Giant Defy 3 comes in six sizes. The women's version, the Giant Avail 3 (MSRP: $810), comes in four sizes and sports short-reach brake levers and shifters and a female-specific saddle. Shape magazine picks the Giant Avail 3 as one of its favorite road bikes, saying it "packs tons of performance features" at a great price.

If you prefer a racier road bike, the Felt F95 Team Issue (MSRP: *Est. $850) is another well-reviewed choice in the budget category. Unlike the Trek 1.2 or Giant Defy 3, the Felt F95 Team Issue has sportier body positioning that is better suited for short, fast riding than long hauls, and it sports a compact crankset instead of a triple. The Felt F95 Team Issue also has an aluminum frame with a carbon fork and a mixture of Shimano components, including Shimano 2200 STI shifters and a Shimano Tiagra rear derailleur. Bicycling and Outside pick this road bike as one of the best starter bikes available, and it was a nominee for the Bicycling Editors' Choice award for 2009. The Felt F95 Team Issue has fewer gearing options than some other bikes in the budget category, so Outside says it's best suited for flat rides. However, testers for Bicycling find it has good sprinting power. In addition, although Outside says the frame is not supple enough for high mileage, it still says the F95 is a "ton of bike for the money." The Felt F95 Team Issue is also a great choice for shorter riders, thanks to a wide size range that starts at 47cm with 650c wheels and includes seven additional sizes with 700c wheels. Reviewers also like the Garmin team paint scheme -- a sporty blue and orange -- that will get you into a racing mindset. Testers for Bicycling say the colors are a "nice touch."

Like the Felt F95 Team Issue, the Raleigh Grand Sport (MSRP: $750) also features a compact crankset rather than the triple option found on the Trek 1.2 or Giant Defy 3. It comes in six sizes, with an aluminum frame, carbon fork, Vittoria Zaffiro tires and mainly Shimano 2200 components. The Raleigh Grand Sport scores a mention on Bicycling's list of the best budget road bikes, where they're impressed with the "racy feel," along with the quality components on the 2009 model. Overall, Bicycling editors think the Raleigh Grand Sport is a good pick for new riders, especially those who want a faster road bike.

At the very low-end, you have road bikes like the Kent GMC Denali (MSRP: $140). Sold at Wal-Mart, this road bike isn't covered in any professional reviews, but owners give it relatively high marks. As you would expect for a bike at this price point, it uses a full-aluminum frame, triple chainring and grip shifters. Nearly 200 owners give the Kent GMC Denali road bike an overall rating of four stars (out of five), with the majority saying it's a good bike for beginners who are just getting started and can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars. However, durability is a concern; multiple owners say components break or just pop off the frame, and the shifting is not as smooth or fluid as it is on more expensive road bikes. Still, owners say the Kent GMC Denali is easy to assemble and they like the value. Cycling experts, however, will tell you that you get what you pay for when it comes to inexpensive road bikes.