Best budget bikes for under £300

If you’re thinking of taking up cycling, buying your first road bike can be something of a minefield. And considering that road bikes at the top end of the market can set you back £1,000’s, you might be wondering whether a few hundred quid will be able to get you much. Well do not fear! For £300 (or less) there are plenty of options available to you as a beginner looking for that entry level bike.

One of the first places you might think of looking is your local bike shop. All things considered, a perfectly logical step. However the chances are, the majority of bikes you’ll find will be featherweight carbon creations with four figure price tags to match. The best value and quality for your budget can often be found at larger retailers such as Decathlon, Halfords and GoOutdoors along with other online retailers. Below we’ve compiled a selection of some of the best options available.

Halfords is a great place to check out when looking for your first road bike. And there are plenty of options around the £300 mark. The pick of these, and currently a great deal reduced from £449, is the Carrera Zelos. It features a lightweight aluminium frame, 14-speed Shimano gears (with combined shift/brake levers for multiple hand positions) and Tektro dual pivot brakes.

Decathlon is another good place to look if you’re on a budget, but also want a bit of a selection. Our pick of the bunch is the B’Twin Triban 500. For your money you get a good quality, lightweight aluminium frame and 24 gears. These provide you with a wide range due to the triple chainset and eight rear sprockets. Lots of overlap between the 3 chain rings and the small ring, gives you lower gears for easier hill-climbing.

The Raleigh Airlite 100, available at Go Outdoors, is another great value bike ideal for both training and a daily commute. The bike features a surprisingly good frame for the price, along with an alloy fork, rare for bikes in this price range. This bike also boasts Shimano Tourney 7 speed chainset and gear/brake lever combo.

Another option from Go Outdoors but at an even lower price is the DBR Pursuit. The bike features a lightwight aluminium frame and Shimano 14-speed transmission.

Our final bike featured is the Giro 200 (available at Evans Cycles) from Dawes, one of the most famous names in British cycling manufacturing. The 200 features an impressive lightweight aluminium frame, the same frame which is featured throughout the Giro range upto the £800 Giro 700. The downside of getting a top-quality frame for this price is the components are somewhat down-specced. The 200 does still feature Shimano 14 speed transmission gears and you even get a ping bell thrown in!

If you decide that a brand new bike isn’t what you’re after, don’t forgot there are plenty of good deals to be found in the secondhand market on websites such as eBay and Gumtree.