Times are tough. Tougher yet, you’re still waking up at the crack of dawn and getting ready for school or work knowing good and well that you’ll be riding the bus for the next half hour before you can even begin to get your shift done and over with. Or worse, you have to walk a mile to get there every day and when you’re done and ready to go home you have to turn around and walk all the way back. If only there was a way out… You would do anything to make the commute quicker and more enjoyable, but you’ve only got 200 bucks.
These blistering fast bikes on a budget can boost you through your morning and afternoon commutes whilst making you feel like you’re riding on a cloud. The only thing sweeter is that they won’t break the bank. Here are our seven favorite road bikes under $200!
Our Pick For The Best Road Bike Under $200:
Our pick for the overall best road bike under $200 is the Eurobike XC550! With higher quality parts, several style choices, and a huge range of acceptable heights, it dominated the competition at this price point.
Related articles … 10 Best Beginner Road Bike Under 500$ In 2022
Best Road Bikes Under $200 Overview
Image | Model | Features | Price |
 | Kent Gzr700 |
| |
 | Hiland Hi-Ten Steel 14-Speed Road Bike |
| |
 | Eurobike EURXC550 |
| |
 | PanAme 26 Inch Road Bike |
| |
 | Hurley Single Speed Road Bike |
| |
 | Takara Oni Single Speed Drop Bar |
| |
 | Takara Yuugen Single Speed Flat Bar |
|
Kent Gzr700
The first entry on our list from Kent International is the GZR 700 Road Bike. Built on a sturdy TIG welded steel frame, it advertises a weight capacity of 250 pounds. However, we were able to find people who weighed 250 pounds and even a little more who said the bike remained sturdy after dozens of rides on smooth and rough roads. There’s only one size of the bike and it’s the 54 cm frame, so it’s only a good fit for riders between about 5’6’’ and 6’2’’. It features a drop bar handlebar standard for road bikes and has 21 speeds.
Key Features:
- Sturdy 54 cm High Tensile Steel Frame
- Alloy Caliper Brakes
- 700 x 25C Tires
- 21 Speed Gearing
Why we liked it:
- Great for learning shifting and gear control
- Sturdy enough for the average rider
- Very fast for a steel frame bike
- It will give you a great leg workout
Pros
Cons
Hiland Steel 14-Speed Road Bike
This durable high tensile steel frame bike from Hiland is rated for riders up to 300 pounds. It has the familiar 700 x 25C tires and dual caliper brakes. It comes in four frame sizes from 50 cm to 58 cm supporting a massive range of rider heights from 5’1’’ to 6’2’’. The bike’s reliable Shimano drivetrain and 14 speeds make it a good value for the money.
Key Features:
- 700 x 25C tires
- Dual Caliper Brakes
- 14 Speeds
- Durable High Tensile Steel Frame
Why we liked it:
- Very sturdy design supports almost all riders
- This bike will be very fast for a steel frame bike
- This bike will give you a great leg workout
- Height options available for almost all men and most women
Other versions of Hiland … Top 7 Hiland Road Bikes Review
Pros
Cons
Eurobike EURXC550
The Eurobike XC550 has a high toughness carbon steel frame and comes with three different wheel designs! If you’re between 5’6’’ and 6’2’’ the 54 cm frame versions will work great and come in 3-spoke, thick-rimmed multi-spoke, and regular multi-spoke designs. You can also get it with a 49 cm frame in case you’re on the shorter side, which will suffice for a rider as short as 5’3’’. The 49 cm frame is rated for 290-pound riders and the 54 cm frame is rated for 300 pounds.
The wider 28 mm tires will make rocks and rough terrain somewhat more manageable, and the mechanical disc brakes are of higher quality than the caliper brakes that come on most bikes at this price point. At the time of writing this, the 49 cm version and the multi-spoke 54 cm version both come in at $169, which we find quite competitive for a bike of this quality.
Key Features:
- Tough Carbon Steel Frame
- Stylish 3-Spoke Design Option
- 700 x 28C Tires
- Mechanical Disc Brakes
- 21-speed drivetrain
Why we liked it:
- This bike will give your legs a great workout
- Beautiful 3-Spoke and Wide Rim design options
- It has higher quality parts than most bikes at this price
- It’s easy to assemble and unlikely to arrive damaged
Pros
Cons
PanAme 26 Inch Road Bike
Key Features:
- Wider 700 x 30C tires for support and smooth riding
- Lightweight aluminum frame
- 21 speeds
- Stylish 3-Spoke Design option
- The left handle is the rear brake and the right handle is the front brake
Why we liked it:
- A lightweight aluminum frame means your legs won’t tire out as much
- Wide tires absorb bumps in the road better for a smoother ride
- Also offers an awesome 3-Spoke design option
- A very forgiving frame supports most rider heights and weights
Hurley Single Speed Road Bike
Sometimes less is more, and that’s exactly what these next three entries to the list bring to the table. All of them are single-speed bikes, which means there’s no need to shift gears because there’s only one gear ratio available! You may have ridden a bike like this as a kid, and they’re notoriously simple to ride.
The Hurley Single Speed is a steel-frame road bike with 700 x 28C tires. Some purchasers would say it’s somewhat flimsy, so perhaps riders over 250 pounds should choose something else. It’s got the standard dual caliper brakes and drop bars and is 85% pre-assembled for convenience. At the time of writing, it comes in at only $179.99, so it’s definitely a bargain bicycle.
Key Features:
- Single speed drivetrain
- Steel frame
- 700 x 28C tires
- Dual Caliper Brakes
- Drop Bar
Why we liked it:
- The simplicity of a single-speed or a ‘fixie’ makes it very easy to ride
- The brakes are in the flat portion of the simplified drop bar, so people used to riding with a flat bar won’t feel as uncomfortable when braking
Pros
Cons
Takara Oni Single Speed Drop Bar
If the Hurley Single Speed is the definition of simplicity, this is one step above it. Still featuring single-speed gearing and a simple design, the Takara Oni also has caliper brakes and 28 mm wide tires. However, the overall quality of this bike is a step above the Hurley. It has a full drop bar, a more comfortable seat, and comes in two sizes. Based on the reviews of this bike, the medium size is best suited for riders between 5’5’’ and 5’10’’ and the large is suitable for those between 5’11’ and 6’4’’.
Key Features:
- High Tensile Steel Frame
- Single Gear “Fixie” Style
- 700 x 28C Tires
- Full Drop Bar
Why we liked it:
- With a relatively small increase in price, this bike feels like an upgraded Hurley Single-speed
- It is suitable for a wide range of rider heights
- The simple ‘fixie’ style is easy to ride for anybody who’s never shifted gears on a bike
Pros
Cons
Takara Yuugen Single Speed Flat Bar
The Takara Yuugen is like the Takara Oni, but with a flat bar. Normally, a bike with a flat bar would be considered a hybrid bike, but the flat bar is the only thing about this bike that doesn’t scream “road bike!” It has the same sized 28mm tires many of these road bikes do, and it’s a single-speed like the Oni. It’s simple, yet very effective. It also supports riders between 5’5’’ and 6’4’’ in two different sizes.
Key Features:
- Flat bar
- High Tensile Steel Frame
- 700 x 28C Tires
- Single Gear “Fixie” Style
Why we liked it:
- The flat bar feels like a choice consistent with the simplicity of the single-speed drivetrain
- It also supports the large range of rider heights the Oni does
Pros
Cons
Buyers Guide: How To Select the Best Road Bike Under 200
Selecting the best road bike for $200 will come down to a variety of factors. Sometimes your height or weight is the most important factor, but usually, it comes down to the specifications of the bike. Here are some aspects of bikes you’ll be looking at and what to look for:
Frame Materials
Most road bikes at this price point will unfortunately have a steel frame. It will be very sturdy but weighs much more than its aluminum counterpart. Aluminum is a lighter metal, but it’s more expensive to produce. It can also be nearly as strong when alloyed with other metals, and that’s typically how it’s used. Aluminum frame bikes will tend to be lighter, but both will be strong enough.
Related articles … 10 Best Beginner Road Bike Under 500$ In 2022
7 Best Road Bikes Under $200 | Review and Buying Guide
Tires
The size of your tires will matter a lot in determining how smooth your ride will be and how fast you can ride. Narrower tires will allow you to go faster, but you’ll feel more bumps on the road. Wider tires will often absorb the bumps better, but they aren’t as aerodynamic. For budget bikes, wider tires will probably be a better choice because speed isn’t usually the top priority of commuters or first-time buyers.
All the bikes in this list are 700 mm in diameter, but they vary in width. The tires will be described as 700 x 25C for example, meaning 700mm diameter, 25mm width. Anything wider than 25 mm will be a smoother ride than 25 mm tires.
Handlebars (Flat Bar vs. Drop Bar)
It’s uncommon for a road bike that isn’t a hybrid bike to come with a flat handlebar, but one such bike is on this list, the Takara Yuugen. It’s mostly down to personal preference which handlebar style is better, but the drop bar is more versatile and allows you to ride in a more aggressive position. You can grip it at the center like it’s a flat bar and sit more upright, or you can lean over and access the brakes from a second position to ride faster.
Overall the drop bar should be considered the preferred road bike handlebar style unless you have a strong preference against them.
Shifters and Gears
For someone with very little experience riding a bike, having a multi-speed gearing system may be intimidating. The simplicity of a single-speed or ‘fixie’ bike may be very attractive to you as a first-time cyclist. However, it’s highly recommended you eventually get a bike with multi-speed gearing because it’s a much more versatile system.
You can control how much of your leg power is put toward speed vs. how much is put toward torque. This will allow you to go faster when going downhill or on flat ground, while also making it easier to pedal while going uphill or on a rough patch. It may be hard to get used to, but in general, the more speeds your bike has the more control you have over your power output.
Road bike size chart
Use the table below for a rough guide to the desired frame size. Once again, we would like to emphasize that this is a guide and should be used as a starting point. If you’re not sure, ask your local bike shop for advice.
| Rider height | Frame size | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Feet and inches | Centimetres | Effective top tube (cm) | Bike size |
| 4’10” – 5′ | 148 – 152 | 47 – 48 | XXS |
| 5′ – 5’3″ | 152 – 160 | 49 – 50 | XS |
| 5’3″ – 5’6″ | 160 – 168 | 51 – 53 | S |
| 5’6″ – 5’9″ | 168 – 175 | 54 – 55 | M |
| 5’9″ – 6′ | 175 – 183 | 56 – 58 | L |
| 6′-6’3″ | 183 – 191 | 58 – 60 | XL |
| 6’3″ – 6’6″ | 191 – 198 | 61 – 63 | XXL |
FAQs About Best Road Bikes Under $200
Explore the best-reviewed bikes for every price point from $200 to $20,000 … Best Road Bikes In 2022
Conclusion
Many of the bikes we looked at have great specifications and are a good value for the money at $200 or cheaper. The Kent GZR700 allows you to sacrifice height versatility for a solid, fast road bike. The PanAme 26 Inch has wide tires for a road bike and an aluminum frame. The Hiland Hi-Ten Steel 14-Speed comes in a whopping 4 sizes and covers over a foot of rider heights.
The bike that will work best for you may depend on several factors such as your height, weight, experience level, and uses for the bike. However, when it comes to bikes under $200 there is one bike in particular that keeps coming up in our minds. Our pick for the overall best road bike under $200 is the Eurobike XC550! With higher quality parts, several style choices, and a huge range of acceptable heights, it dominated the competition at this price point. It looks and rides like a $400-$500 bike and is rated over 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon.
