The Best Road Bikes of 2021

Road biking has been around for a long time and has gained quite a bit of popularity over the years. More and more people are ditching their gym memberships and grabbing a road bike, and for good reason! Cycling is easily one of the best ways to get and stay in shape.

The thing is, there are tons of road bikes on the market these days. If you’re new to road biking, it can get a bit overwhelming when deciding which bike is right for you. There are a ton of factors to consider, and you don’t want to end up spending more money than you need to on a bike, but you also want to avoid buying a bike that turns out to be a lemon.

Well, take a deep sigh of relief because we have developed a list of the best road bikes to buy for 2021. We kept in mind a variety of budgets without sacrificing on the components, so regardless of the price point you have in mind, you’ll be sure to find something to fit your needs.

Best Road Bike Overall: Bianchi Sprint Ultegra - $3300

Bianchi is a brand that you can trust because of how long they have been making road bikes. For the last 50 years, developers at Bianchi have carefully crafted and improved upon their designs to give you the Sprint Ultegra.

For those who are looking to start dabbling in racing, this is a great entry-level bike. At only 9 kg, you’ll feel like you’re levitating up steep climbs, especially in combination with the wide gear range provided by Shimano components in the group set.

Feel confident in your ability to stop with the hydraulic disc brakes, also supplied by Shimano. The Bianchi Sprint Ultegra truly is a great entry-level racing bike. At its price point, you’ll struggle to find a better road bike for competitive cycling.

Best Road Bike Under $2000: Giant Contend AR 1 - $1750

Giant is world-renowned for the quality of their bicycles. They are one of the main manufacturers of bike frames in the world, which means that they don’t need to mark up the price, making it easy for them to put high-quality components into each of their bikes.

The Content AR 1 is a fine example of the benefits of buying a Giant road bike. This bike comes standard with tubeless-ready tires, which allow you to ride with tubes for easy puncture repair or save weight without. The Shimano 105 hydraulic brakes give you ample braking power which allows you to stay in control no matter how fast you end up going.

Shift seamlessly through all 11 gears as you comfortably enjoy your ride through any terrain on top of Giant’s specially designed D-Fuse seat post.

Best Road Bikes Under $1100: Specialized Allez - $1000

The Specialized Allez is a great all-around bike for those who are on a budget. Its aluminum frame is paired with a full carbon fork, making it relatively lightweight. This helps with commuting and spending time riding over long distances.

The Shimano Claris drivetrain allows you to cycle through 8 different gears, which is critical in helping get you up and over a variety of gradients. If you cycle with friends who have been riding for a while, you’ll surprise them with how well you’re able to keep up.

The Allez also allows for you to install a rear rack and fender mounts, which means that you can easily use this bike as a daily commuter. You’ll be able to ride to work every day without the weight of your stuff on your back, making you more comfortable and happier as you ride.

Best Road Bike Under $600: State Bicycle 4130 Hunter Green - $579.99

For those who are transitioning from a fixed gear bike to an 8-speed bike, the Road Hunter Green by State Bicycle is a great option. While its steel frame does get a bit weighty, State Bicycle has done a good job of limiting it down to just above 10kg in a size 55.

This makes the Road Hunter a great bike for commuting around town. It’s fun to ride because of the retro downtube shifter, which makes this bike feel like you’re riding a fixie more than an 8-speed bike. The shifter helps you tackle any hill though, which makes it pretty versatile for the price point.

Great Road Bike Under $600: Golden Cycles Contender - $549

If you would like to get a great bike with drop handlebars and a wide range of gears, look no further than the Golden Cycles Contender. The budget-friendly bike has 14 different speeds that allow riders to find the exact level of resistance that they need to comfortably tackle any terrain.

Cycle through your gears easily with the Shimano Turney shifters. Confidently race around the city and feel secure that you’ll be able to easily stop with the dual pivot caliper brakes. They’re easy to maintain and fix to suit your comfortability.

The geometry of the frame combined with the drop handlebars makes the Contender an incredibly comfortable bike to ride over long distances, especially for the price.

Best Carbon Road Bike Under $2000: Cinelli Veltrix Disc Road Bike - $1449.99

One of the absolute best bikes that you can purchase for less than $2000 is the Cinelli Veltrix. The frame and fork are both made out of Columbus Carbon Monocoque, which helps provide a stiff and responsive riding experience. At a combined weight of 1.75kg, the frame and fork weigh next to nothing, making this an extremely lightweight bike.

The other thing that makes the Cinelli Velltrix special is the internal routing of the shifting and brake lines. Keeping the lines inside of the frame ensures that they don’t get tangled up, snagged, or torn while out riding.

Best Road Bike for Beginners: Fyxation Pixel 7 - $499

The straight bars and forgiving shifting make the Pixel 7 by Fyxation the ideal beginner road bike. The Shimano Revoshift shifters allow beginner riders to easily cycle through all 7 gears, making hills around town a non-factor.

Maintenance is easy, especially with the brakes. The Pixel 7 comes with dual pivot caliper brakes that are easy to replace as necessary, which means that you can have the confidence that you’ll safely be able to stop no matter what. Plus, you can save money by installing the brakes yourself.

Best Women’s Road Bike: Bianchi Via Nirone Dama - $1040

For a bike that is easy on the wallet and great on value, look no further than the Bianchi Via Nirone Dama. For ladies who are looking to get into road biking, this is an excellent entry-level bike that doesn’t skimp on components.

The frame is made out of aluminum while the fork is made from a composite of Bianchi aluminum mixed with carbon fiber and Kevlar, making it exceptionally strong while keeping the weight down.

You’ll easily be able to tackle any hill with the 2x9 drivetrain, which opens up 18 different gears to choose from. You’ll be able to pedal at the exact level of comfort you desire with the bonus of having the geometry of the frame encouraging a proper riding position. That way, you’ll avoid developing bad riding posture while you comfortably crush anything you come across.

Best Women’s Beginner Road Bike: Cannondale Quick 5 Disc Women’s - $725

If you’re a woman on a pressed budget and are looking to get into road cycling, the Cannondale Quick 5 is a great choice. It’s a versatile bike that is just as at home on the open road as it is in the center of the city. 

The frame is made from Cannondale’s SmartForm C3 Alloy with a Chromoly offset forks. Although not the lightest road bike on the market, the Quick 5 is a humble 28 lbs, making it light enough for long-distance rides without breaking the bank.

The Shimano Rapidfire shifters and Tourney front and rear derailleur make for quick and easy shifting through the 7-speed gearing. This allows for efficient pedaling through varied gradients without too much in the way of maintenance. 

Best Endurance Road Bike on a Budget: Bianchi Via Nirone 7 - $1100

The Bianchi Via Nirone is one of the most iconic bikes made by Bianchi. It’s the original design that was used when the first workshop in Milan was built! With that in mind, you’ll know that the designers at Bianchi have put years of research and development into the Via Nirone.

The aluminum frame is combined with a carbon fork, making it lightweight and very responsive for first-time endurance riders. You’ll be able to crush mile after mile in comfort as the fork is also made with Kevlar, which absorbs the vibrations from the road easily.

Best Affordable Road Bike with Disc Brakes: Giant Contend 3 - $680

Giant is an excellent brand as mentioned before. The Contend 3 helps people at all price points get a quality bike for a low price. The aluminum frame gives great all-round performance on a variety of terrains. It’s a great choice to help you grow as a rider, because of how progressive the shifting is.

The seat post is made with the same D-Fuse design as the Contend AR-1, which means that you’ll enjoy a comfortable ride no matter where you go.

Best Affordable Road Bike for Triathlon: Cannondale Topstone 1 - $2150

Triathlon bikes are some of the most specialized bikes that you can get. With a focus on making them as lightweight and easy to shift as possible, you’re likely going to need to save up quite a bit to afford a decent entry-level bike.

For that reason, the Cannondale Topstone 1 was made. At a relatively low price point for triathlon bikes, the Topstone 1 offers a well-designed alloy frame that allows for optimal riding position. You’ll be able to ride smoothly over any terrain with the built-in micro-suspension rear stays, keeping you efficient throughout the race.

Best Road Bike for a Heavy Rider: Diamondback Haanjo 3 - $1175

One of the burliest bikes on the market is the Haanjo 3. It’s great for racking up miles no matter what the terrain with a 2x9 drivetrain. You’ll be able to shift through each one of the gears easily with its Shimano Sora shifters and come to a controlled stop with its Tektro Lyra Disc Brakes.

What makes this bike special is that it is designed to balance a heavy load. Whether you’re a bigger rider or you’re looking to get into bikepacking, the Haanjo 3 can support up to 300lbs of weight with ease!

Best Road Bike with a Flat Bar: Bianchi C-Sport 4 - $1100

One of the best parts about this bike is the simple 1x10 drivetrain. You’ll be able to find the exact gear that you need without the hassle of dealing with a front derailleur.

The frame on the Bianchi C-Sport is made out of 700C aluminum, which helps keep the weight down while also keeping the price point low. The frame also allows for internal routing of all of the shifting and braking cables, which keeps them out of your way.

The Bianchi C-Sport is a great bike for those who are transitioning into road biking from a traditional flat bar or for those who just haven’t found drop bars to be comfortable.

Lightest Road Bike Under $1000: State 4130 Sonoran Tan - $799.99

The Sonoran Tan by State Bicycles is an excellent all-around bike. It is great for riding not only on the road but also on gravel. The frame and fork are made out of Chromoly Steel, which helps create a durable bike that can deal with just about any terrain you ride on, while also keeping the weight down.

What makes this bike special is that you can easily switch out the wheels to use the best tires for the terrain you plan on encountering. The 1x11 drivetrain gives you plenty of gears to shift through, making it easy to crush hills while also making maintenance a breeze.

Best Road Bike with Disc Brakes: Cinelli Vigorelli Road Disc - $2,299.99

Like the Veltrix Disc Road Bike, the Vigorelli comes with an ultra-light frame. Made with Monocoque Carbon, the frame and fork on the Vigorelli help cut the weight of this bike down so that you’re able to easily cruise up hills.

Shift through the drivetrain with ease and notice how smooth the SRAM Apex1 shifters allow you to choose the exact gear that you need. The hydraulic disc brakes cables are all fed internally so that you can rest assured that one of the most important components on your bike stays safe from damage when you ride.