If you are new to the sport of biking, then you might not want to invest a great deal of money into the activity if you don’t know if you will enjoy cycling. However, when picking the best road bike for beginners, you also want something that is going to last while providing a great ride. I’m an avid biking enthusiast, but I remember what it was like choosing my first bike. At the time, I was operating on a budget, so I wanted to pick the best women’s road bike for beginners that was affordable, durable, and easy-to-ride.
One of the best women’s entry-level road bikes is the Giordano Libero Acciao Road Bike. A great deal of thought and design went into this bike to ensure that it creates the perfect ride for a woman’s physique.
Top Pick: Giordano Libero Acciao Road Bike
Italy has a rich cycling history. Virtually everyone in the country, young and old, owns bikes and regularly rides. Giordano Bicycles is an Italian brand that provides safe, affordable road bikes. Their Giordano Libero Acciao Road Bike by Venus is designed with precise geometry to fit the female body and enhance the riding experience. Even the saddle is styled to create a comfortable ride for a woman. The bike comes in sizes small and medium. The small size has a 28-inch standover clearance which makes it ideal for women who stand 5’ to 5’5” in height. The medium size features a 30-inch standover clearance and is suitable for women who stand up to 5’8” in height.
The Giordano Libero Acciao Road Bike by Venus comes with a 14-speed Shimano STI drivetrain. The shifting on the bike is smooth and easy, so your attention is never drawn away from the road. The frame and fork feature high steel tensile construction that is made to last. The bike comes equipped with 32 hole high v-profile alloy double-wall rims. There is a Pro wheel Compact Road 170mm aluminum cranks so you can climb hills with ease. The handlebar measure 40mm wide for easy handling.
As with many road bikes, you will want to transport them using auto from cycling location to cycling location, so the lightweight design is essential. The Giordano Libero Acciao Road Bike by Venus weighs only 27.8 pounds, making it at the top of our list for the best women’s road bike for beginners.
Runner-Up: Schwinn Women’s Phocus 1600 700C Drop Bar Road Bicycle
Undoubtedly, Schwinn bikes have stood the test of time. The Schwinn company, which has been in business since 1895, is well-respected in the biking world. Their Schwinn Women’s Phocus 1600 700C Drop Bar Road Bicycle is a superb all-around road bike that lets you easily cover miles of roadway.
The Schwinn Women’s Phocus 1600 700C Drop Bar Road Bicycle features a lightweight aluminum road frame with a sturdy carbon fiber fork. The lightweight design gives it agility on the road that heavier road bikes often lack. Unloading and loading this bike is a breeze. When fully assembled, it only weighs an impressive 27 pounds.
The bike has a Shimano drivetrain with Microshift shifters and brake levers that allow you to stop quickly. The wide 14 gear range lets you tackle flat land and hills with ease. The rear derailleur enables you to shift with ease using a trigger shifter. The toe cages are excellent and a step above other bikes for pedaling comfort.
The Schwinn Women’s Phocus 1600 700C Drop Bar Road Bicycle comes in a 16-inch size which is suitable for a woman who stands 5’ to 5’6” in height. The saddle and seat post are adjustable so you can gain the perfect fit for your body. However, the adjustments require no tools so you can pull over to the side of the road and effortlessly tailor the required seat height or seat post changes.
Overall, this is a great entry-level bike for recreation and fitness purposes. The bike even has water bottle mounts. The wheels and tires are not a big name, but they are more than acceptable for a beginner road bike. The bike absorbs shock and vibration even when going at top speed.
A Great Road Bike Choice: Vilano Shadow Road Bike – Shimano STI Integrated Shifters
The Vilano Shadow Road Bike – Shimano STI Integrated Shifters is an excellent all-around road bike for any beginner. It comes in small, medium, and large so is a great choice for any height. The 14 gears let you create a smooth ride even across hilly terrain. It also has Shimano STI brake lever integrated shifters which put the shifters and the brake lever in one convenient location by your fingers for complete control.
The frame of the Vilano Shadow Road Bike – Shimano STI Integrated Shifters has a lightweight aluminum frame with an integrated headset. The front and rear derailleur are Shimano. It comes with platform pedals to make pedaling control a breeze.
The Vilano Shadow Road Bike – Shimano STI Integrated Shifters is easy to assemble and light enough to easily lift onto the racks on any auto. It weighs in at only 23 pounds. It has a front and rear wheel quick release so you can disassemble the bike easily to transport it since many bike racks require wheel removal.
An Additional Bike Choice: Diamondback Bicycles Airen Women’s Road Bike
Undoubtedly, the Diamondback Bicycles Airen Women’s Road Bike is a top choice for anyone looking for a top-notch bike created by a leading manufacturer. This bike’s design focuses on the female body. It won’t wear out your posture so you can put many miles on this bike without dismounting sore. The handlebars, stem, and saddle are all tailored for a woman’s frame. The bike is available in sizes small, medium, and large. Depending on the scale, it can accommodate a female who stands 5’ to 6’4”.
The frame of the Diamondback Bicycles Airen Women’s Road Bike is constructed from aluminum tubes for the best in lightweight durability. The structure is bored and butted to create superb strength. Also, can load and unload this road bike with ease because it weighs only 19.5 pounds.
The Diamondback Bicycles Airen Women’s Road Bike boasts top construction components. It has powerful disc brakes for enhanced stopping ability. The Shimano 2×9 speed drivetrain is wide-ranging. Overall, this bike is everything you would expect from the leading brand Diamondback.
It is a great beginner bike, but even if you fall in love with biking and your skillset improves you will still be in love with this model, and it will serve you well for many years and miles. The enhanced performance and top-of-the-line construction make this bike stand out as a definite option for anyone seeking a road bike so if you want a bike manufactured by a cycling giant then you might want to consider this model.
Also for Consideration: Raleigh Bikes Women’s Adventure Road Bike
Our list of the best women’s road bike for beginners couldn’t be complete without a Raleigh bike. The Raleigh Bikes Women’s Adventure Road Bike is designed with a woman’s body in mind. It has a narrow handlebar, and a particular stem and cranks. The seat has been built for a woman’s specific contours to afford a comfortable ride.
The Clement X’PLOR 700x35C wider tires of the Raleigh Bikes Women’s Adventure Road Bike incorporates all road conditions such as smooth or less-than-ideal pavement or gravel. The 35c tires also perform well on wet surfaces. The Tektro Lyra mechanical disc brakes give you fast stopping power no matter what the weather conditions. It features a Shimano Claris 8 speed shifter that has 16 gears so you can effortlessly climb hills or pedal flatlands.
There are rack and fender mounts on the Raleigh Bikes Women’s Adventure Road Bike so you can quickly load your bike up on a rack and head out for a cycling adventure.
Features of The Best Women’s Road Bike for Beginners
In the old days, road bikes used to be basic 10-speeds, so they were nothing fancy with their two chainrings up front and the five cogs in the rear. In recent years, road bikes have advanced in design. Nowadays, virtually all have two chainrings that provide 9,10, or 11 cogs in the back. Climbing hills, sailing downhill, and coasting across flatlands have never been more natural.
A road bike differs in numerous aspects from bikes for other purposes such as mountain bikes. The road bike lets you ride predominantly on the pavement and rarely venture onto gravel surfaces. Its lack of front and rear suspension makes it unsuitable for offroad adventures so it is designed mostly for smooth surfaces. However, it is designed to sail with ease down roadways. A road bike is ideal for fitness, commuting, or pure joy.
Another added perk of most beginner road bikes is that they come virtually complete. Within 20 to 30 minutes of brief assembly, you can be riding. Other bikes often feature complex construction and require a bike professional to build.
Wrap Up
As a beginner, you will want to familiarize yourself with the road rules and the general riding etiquette for the area you live within. Therefore, when road riding, you can ride alone or with a group of friends. Many people use their road bikes for fitness, commuting, or pure cycling enjoyment. Many regions even have organized clubs or group rides for road bike enthusiasts.
Initially, you will want to start out slow and let your body get used to the feel of the bike, and allow your muscles time to acclimatize to the exercise. You can start out riding for 30 minutes and gradually increase the time. Many road biking enthusiasts head out for six-hour biking adventures. Ultimately, your physical level, fitness goals, and level of enjoyable fun will dictate how long you ride.
As a diehard biking enthusiast, I cycle on and off-road, which means I own road bikes and mountain bikes. The above bikes are all great choices for a beginner. The bikes will also serve you well even after you gain cycling experience. Any of the listed bikes easily fall into the category of best women’s road bike for beginners. Whichever one you choose will become a prized possession as it affords you the freedom of the open road.
