The only "good" quality bikes in the $300 range are mountain bikes. Mountain bikes are built in such huge numbers that a reliable bike can be sold for $300.

In that price range, a good neighborhood shop that services their bikes before and after the sale is far more important than the name on the bike.

Buy from the best bike shop in your neighborhood. Never buy from a discount store or a mail order/E-Bay operation. A good shop will make sure you buy the correct size bike, will assemble and tune your bike before delivery, and true the wheels. A good shop will also re-tune your bike and re-true the wheels free of charge after a few weeks of riding stretches the brake cables and shifting cables, and stresses the wheel spokes.

A $300 bike mountain bike that is skillfully assembled and tuned can provide a very high quality riding experience. By replacing the mountain bike tires with lightweight "slick" tires, you will have a bike that is well suited for use for commuting to work or school, and for trips to the grocery store.

But remember, a $300 bike purchased on E-Bay, by mail order, or from a discount sporting goods store is usually a big box of headaches. After you take such a bike to a REAL bike shop to be re-assembled correctly, and re-tuned correctly, you have spent another $75 or $100...buy from a real bike shop and avoid those headaches.