You’ve got £500 to spend on a bike: what would you buy? Here are the choices of the road.cc Tech Team

Bikes are seemingly quite a bit more expensive than they were a decade ago in general, but with some prices falling and the second-hand market as active as ever, we still reckon that you can get a perfectly functional bike for under £500.

Should you go second hand, buy new, or build up a budget frame with components of your choice? With so many options available it can be difficult to know where to start, so we set ourselves the challenge of finding a quality bike on a budget. Here's what members of our Tech Team, editors and road.cc stalwarts would go for with 500 quid to spend... 

If you’re in the market for a bike with a £500 budget, you might be wondering how to get the most value for your money. Should you spend the full amount, go for a cheaper bike and upgrade parts later, or buy second-hand to get better quality, yet slightly used components? There are several ways to approach it, so we're here to provide some inspiration with our suggestions. 

> Your complete guide to buying a second-hand bike

When choosing the type of bike, road.cc team members were tasked with finding a bike that could serve as their one and only bike, rather than simply adding to an existing collection of N+1 bikes. You may have guessed, but as we're road.cc we're sticking mostly to bikes with drop bars, though gravel, cyclocross and hybrid bikes were permissible. 

So, what things do you need to consider?

New vs used bikes

Let's start with buying a new bike. For £500 or less, you may not get the lightest frame materials or top tier components, but you can still find solid entry-level road bikes. At this price, most new bikes will feature aluminium frames, paired with lower tier groupsets and either rim brakes or mechanical disc brakes.

However, many bike shops have plenty of stock right now, so that's a good place to start if you want something new. This is great for the customers, but arguably less so for the bike industry. 

If you're particularly small or tall, look for end-of-line bikes. These sizes tend to linger in stock longer, often allowing you to snag a higher-quality bike at a discounted price.

Buying a second-hand bike can be a great way to get a high quality bike at a fraction of the cost, especially with the flood of rim brake road bikes out there with big discounts, as many riders have moved to disc brake models. 

There are plenty of places you can get a cheap second-hand bike. For starters, have a look in your area for a local second-hand bike workshop. This won't always be the cheapest place to buy a bike, but it can take a lot of the guesswork out of the process. 

If you're a bit more confident technically, then two places to search online would be Facebook Marketplace and eBay, as they are full of bikes for sale and you can find some real bargains. However, buying second-hand does require a bit of caution. Worn out components, broken frames, con artists and misdescribed items are all too common in the used bike market. 

> Are modern bikes really so much better?

Wherever you find your bike, you always want to see it in person before you hand over any cash. If you don’t trust that you know enough to spot problems, see if you can get a more technically-minded friend to come along with you for a second opinion. 

road.cc contributor Jo Burt (VecchioJo) says: "You really need to know exactly what you’re looking for, and the wisdom to recognise what’s not worth a second glance for.

"People selling stuff often just want to get rid as soon as possible, which can be to the buyers benefit. The other side of that coin is more shadowy types looking for a quick buck on something quite possibly nicked. 

"Your level of paranoia and spidey senses will have to guide you on this in what kind of absolute steal you’re after."

Our choices 

Unfortunately, the road.cc team couldn't reach a consensus on the best way to spend £500 on a bike! Instead, here’s a selection of bikes that took our fancy, along with the reasoning behind those choices:

Specialized Allez rim brake road bike (Jamie)

• Frame: Specialized Allez Elite rim brake
• Groupset: Shimano 105 mechanical
• Wheels: Campagnolo Scirocco 35mm
• Price: £500
• Condition: Second-hand

Up first, our head of video Jamie mentioned that he wanted to find a performance bike with drop handlebars, which ruled out many new options under £500 for him.

"There were a few road bikes currently discounted, but looking at their spec I decided that they compromised in too many areas", he notes.

Found on eBay

At this price point, most disc brake bikes come with cable-pull disc brakes, which Jamie wasn't willing to consider, so he started his search on eBay: "I am far from a disc brake hater, but for me they have to be hydraulic.

"I've had too many issues with cable pull brakes, and in my opinion this system negates many of the benefits whilst adding significant weight over a rim brake system."

Rim brake bikes have plummeted in value recently due to the demand for disc brakes, so if you're happy with rim braking you can get a lot more for your money. 

Next up, Jamie considered the frame material. While there are carbon framed bikes out there for under £500, he noted that many looked "pretty battered" at this price point. This is when he came to the conclusion that he would buy a Specialized Allez which has an alloy frame and some serious pedigree, receiving impressive reviews in just about every spec, and has a frame ripe for upgrading. 

Found on eBay

> Best road bike upgrades under £50

Jamie says: "This particular model has all the upgrades that I'd want to make: Shimano 105 11-speed mechanical groupset, Continental GP4000 tyres and not one, but two sets of wheels!

"Perhaps most importantly, it looks as though it's been looked after. The chainring teeth don't look like they belong to a shark, it's got new brake pads and the frame looks in good condition. I'm pretty confident that the difference in performance between this bike and one that costs 10 times as much would be fairly minimal."

Ribble Evo Pro Carbon rim brake road bike (Dan)

Frame: Ribble Evo Pro Carbon rim brake
Groupset: Shimano 105 mechanical
Wheels: Mavic Aksium
Price: £400
Condition: Second-hand

Found on eBay

Like Jamie, our news editor Dan also went down the second-hand route.

"There is a load of value to be had buying second-hand via the usual online marketplaces, provided you do your due diligence and know what to look for when checking over a potential purchase, preferably in person", he says. 

Since there's a decent chance you'll need to replace some worn components when buying a second-hand bike, Dan was looking to save some of the £500 budget to "spruce up" his bike. He found a Ribble Evo Pro Carbon road bike with Shimano 105 groupset and Mavic Aksium wheels for £400 on eBay. 

With £100 to spare, he adds: "That'll be most likely new brake pads for my rim brake selection, chain, bar tape and tyres.

"You could spare some cost for a mechanic to give it all a once over too, but given this fairly tight budget I'll opt for being extra thorough with my own pick-up inspections, replace some of the more easily worn parts and keep a close eye on bearings and other components."

Ribble Blue Norcross SP cyclocross bike (Jo Burt) 

Frame: Ribble Blue Norcross SP CX 
Groupset: FSA crankset, Shimano 105 shifters and derailleurs
Wheels: Hope hoops
Price: £450
Condition: Second-hand

For Jo, the biggest cost in trying to find a decent bike "for half a bag of sand" is the value of your time.

"It’s generally not going to appear in a big box next-day delivery, and you’ll have to be patient and not plump for the first bike that pops up because something better than “That’ll do” will eventually come along. You just have to be prepared to hold your nerve."

 Found on Facebook Marketplace

> Best winter road bikes

With that in mind, he opted for a second-hand bike from Facebook Marketplace. This time, it’s a cyclocross bike instead of a road bike.

"I’m going to plump for a second hand cyclo-cross bike", says Jo.

"There are literal shed loads of them waiting for their forever homes as they’ve fallen out of favour since their chubbier and more amiable sister in the gravel bike has turned up. Only a fraction of them were ever raced anyway, and used instead as rufty-tufty commuters or tried off-road where their tyres are just too skinny for most people.

"I’m all about drop bars in the dirt so that would be my choice, or put some fat slicks on for a bike you don’t mind clattering across poorly maintained roads if you wanted to."

Found on eBay

Another quick search landed Jo on a Kermit green disc-braked Kona 'Jake the Snake' cyclocross bike, bang on budget. However, he ultimately chose a Ribble Blue Norcross SP cyclocross bike that comes with carbon handlebars and seatpost, along with Hope wheels, at £50 under budget.

"I'd ride that for fun and put the change towards a couple of race entries for a fraction of the price of a new bike", says Jo. 

Our long-time contributor also has this valuable advice: "If you’re sly, it makes financial sense to search for a brand that’s not well known on the high street.

"Focus used to be right up there on the CX course back in the day and aren’t a familiar name in the UK, like Cannondale might be. For an old school ‘cross bike they were under-appreciated and a lovely ride, and there’s a lot of them gathering dust on their lingering dirt for too little money."

Triban RC 120 road bike (Jack)

Frame: Triban RC 120 rim brake 
Groupset: Shimano Tourney crankset, Microsoft shifters and derailleurs
Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 5 
Price: £470
Condition: New and second-hand

Decathlon

While the choices mentioned so far are second-hand bikes, there are an increasing number of new road bikes available at the £500 price point.

road.cc editor Jack says: "If I wanted a new road bike for my £500 budget, it would be difficult to look past something like the Triban RC 120 from Decathlon, currently priced at £349.99."

That leaves him with £150, and he says his priority here would be to get the 11.5kg weight down, starting with the tyres and brakes. 

Found on eBay

> Best road bike wheels

Jack adds: "A quick scour of eBay led me to some Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels already fitted with Pirelli P Zero tyres that appear to have had little use, priced at £120, and that leaves me with £30 to upgrade the brakes. I’d most likely stretch a bit and get a pair of new Shimano 105 rim brake callipers (around £75 with discounts at some online shops) but I did find them second-hand for as little as £20."

Custom build (Jack)

Frame: Giant TCR 1 rim brake
Groupset: Shimano Sora (£170) or SRAM Rival (£120)
Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 5 
Price: £405 or £355
Condition: Second-hand

If you're really savvy, it is possible to build something up on a £500 budget with second-hand parts, though Jack appreciates that this takes time and effort, and won't appeal to people who want a bike now or don't have an arsenal of tools.

Found on eBay

He says: "I found a number of carbon road bike frames in good condition priced between £120-£200 on eBay, and a lovely blue and black Giant TCR 1 with the bottom bracket included (£115) really caught my eye". 

He would then add the £120 Fulcrum wheels with Pirelli tyres mentioned above, and a second-hand groupset. 

"I found a Shimano Sora groupset with little use priced at £170, and a SRAM Rival set for £120 without the chain and cassette. Going with the SRAM option would leave me with £145 to source a saddle, seatpost, chain, cassette, headset, handlebars and pedals, and I’d have £95 to get all those minus the chain and cassette with my lightly soiled Shimano Sora gruppo. Not easy but possible, and I’d have something unique", he explains. 

Found on eBay

> SRAM Red AXS vs Shimano Dura-Ace R9200

Jack offers one final suggestion: finding a second-hand frame, groupset and wheels, and then taking them to a willing bike shop to complete the build. Admittedly, he says this would push him well over the £500 budget once labour and parts costs are factored in, but notes that some shops might be willing to use spare parts to finish the job. 

"I absolutely won’t speak for all bike shops here", he explains, "but I agreed a similar arrangement with my LBS, who saved my mountain bike from the scrapheap after it had been pilfered by thieves by fitting it with used handlebars, seatpost and saddle that they had lying around."

Boardman HYB 8.6 Hybrid Bike (Tony)

Frame: Boardman HYB 
Groupset: Shimano Alivio
Wheels: Boardman tubeless-ready
Price: £480
Condition: New

road.cc co-founder Tony first went down an eBay rabbit hole, believing that there are plenty of great bikes available if you're happy with rim brakes; but ultimately, plumped for the dependable Boardman HYB 8.6 hybrid that is currently available for £480. 

On his experience of searching the depths of eBay for a bike in 2024, Tony says: "First to grab my attention was a Specialized Allez E5 2024 (new in box). It’s an auction listing and it’s one that isn’t moving, eBay tells me to hurry cos there’s one person watching… but that’s probably me in another browser. If it didn’t require shipping from Glasgow I’d be tempted to stick in a cheeky bid. 

"Next to catch my eye is a Trek Domane in Lithium grey, £625 or best offer. Clicking on the seller’s other items (always worth doing) I see it’s also on for £610 or best offer. I reckon it could defo be had for £500. However, despite the bike pics being taken inside the seller’s home (something I prefer to see) the description is so offhand that I’m out for this one.  Plus someone in Brighton has listed one starting at £350 also hardly ridden, and I'm not sure of the wisdom of taking bike pics on the beach in October (or any time). 

"Unleashing my inner vulture given the recent collapse of its parent company I-ride, I search for Orro road bikes new or used. I liked Orro bikes: well designed, well made, well priced, and always reviewed well... what could possibly go wrong?

The Orro Oxygen Carbon in question, that ultimately lost out to the trusty Boardman HYB in Tony's search for the best value £500 bike for his needs

"I was sort of hoping there might be an online shop knocking them out cheaply as happened with Vitus when Wiggle went bust, but maybe it’s a little early in the process for that. The Orro outlet does look like it still exists and there’s some bargains to be had, though not for £500. 

"Looking through the listings I was very taken with a barely used Orro Oxygen: "look at the front tyre", said the listing; although the stack of spacers, very large Garmin on the stem and the fact the seller shot the pics in his/her kitchen (nice units) hints at an owner serious about their bikes and their riding… which seems at odds with low mileage. Plus you can just change a front tyre.

"That said, it did look very clean and it was (still is, at the time of writing) priced at £500. It’s carbon and it’s a bike that was favourably reviewed by a number of outlets, but no disc brakes suggests it’s an early model, perhaps pushing 10 years old. Maybe not that big a bargain, and it turns out eBay has plenty of Orro Oxygens for less. 

"Maybe what I really wanted was the benefits of buying brand new from a shop: warranty, consumer rights, and general ‘newness’. Plus for £500, some classic budget bikes from the likes of Boardman, Carrera and Triban would be well within the budget. Decathlon have/had an RC120 reduced from £499.99 to £299.99 in a very fetching blue, leaving lots of budget for accessories; but I live a long way from my nearest Decathlon should anything go wrong. 

"There are plenty of Halfords nearby though, and I’ve always had a soft spot for the Carrera Subway. Halfords are currently knocking out the All Weather version, complete with mudguards, for £436.50. Tempting, but the end though I plumped for the Boardman HYB 8.6 hybrid. Essentially a flat bar road bike, this is a format I’ve always had a weakness for, because it’s such a versatile format.

"It’s currently reduced from £600 to £480, so well within budget, leaving some money left over for mudguards. 

"I’ll be honest though, if we were doing this with real money I’d be tempted to hang on and see what I could find in the Black Friday sales, which these days seem to start at the beginning of November. Flat demand over the last couple of years coupled with post-Covid oversupply suggests there will be bargains to snap up."

Triban Disc Brake road bike (Emily)

Frame: Triban mechanical disc brake
Groupset: Shimano Tourney crankset, Microsoft shifters and derailleurs
Wheels: Triban tubeless ready wheels
Price: £499.99
Condition: New

(Decathlon)

Last but not least, here's my choice for how I'd spend my £500. I chose to go for a new bike because I wanted to avoid the hassle that sometimes comes with buying second-hand. Tracking down multiple listings, arranging viewings, and finding someone to come with me can be time consuming. Plus, this brand new Triban Disc Brake road bike comes with a lifetime warranty on the frame, stem, handlebars, and fork. 

The bike features an aluminium frame and carbon forks, tubeless ready wheels fitted with 28mm tyres and mechanical disc brakes. It also comes with a front and rear light, as well as a bell. What appeals to me most is that it's ready to ride straight away. 

At 11.25kg, it is on the heavier side, but it's a great starting point to upgrade components in the future, starting with new wheels and a groupset. 

To summarise...

As you can see, there are plenty of options for how to spend £500 on a bike, whether you choose to go second-hand, buy new, or build up a bike from a frame with your preferred components. While we couldn’t settle on one option, we hope this has given you some inspiration to explore some of the options out there. 

How would you spend £500 on a bike purchase? Go second-hand, buy brand new or build up something custom? Let us know in the comments below...