Biking is a great way to get some exercise and fresh air, and it’s also a fun way to get around. But how long does it take to bike a mile? Depending on your speed, bike a mile can take a few minutes to half an hour. So whether you’re out for a leisurely ride or trying to get somewhere in a hurry, make sure you give yourself enough time to complete your journey.
How Long Does It Take To Bike A Mile?
The typical cycling pace is between 16 and 22.5 km/h (10 to 14 mph). This indicates that a mile of biking will take the average rider between 4.25 and 6 minutes.
Remember that a variety of factors will influence how long it takes you to ride one mile. Below, we’ll look at a few key elements that affect speed and see what you can do to lessen their effect on your typical cycling times.
As you may have noticed, the aforementioned average cycling times also apply to typical cyclists.
Cycling enthusiasts who train or compete on a regular basis will be able to complete a mile far more quickly.
You can see in the chart below how long it takes various levels of cyclists to complete one mile.
Everyday Routine Ride
For a typical daily cycle, a mile would take about 6 minutes. 10 mph, which is also the average pace for a rank novice, can be readily managed by almost anyone who can mount a bicycle and pedal.
You shouldn’t put pressure on yourself because you are merely going for a leisurely ride. It shouldn’t matter how long the first mile is because you haven’t decided how far you’ll be traveling.
If everything were ideal, a leisurely daily ride at 10 mph would be great, allowing you to take in the view as you cycle.
Level Road
In a flat road race, a mile takes between three and four minutes. The ride is fairly smooth and devoid of substantial obstacles, hills, or difficult maneuvers on flat terrain.
This will make it simple for you to maintain an average pace of 17 to 18 mph, which translates to taking 30 to 40 minutes to cycle 10 miles.
Hills
On a steep course, you might require twice as long (6 to 8 minutes) to complete the same distance. For an amateur cyclist compared to a professional, the decrease in speed in mountainous terrain is substantially steeper.
For example, professionals with higher levels of ability, fitness, and endurance, like those taking part in the Tour de France, will move significantly faster.
Race Downhill
You will need one minute or slightly less to complete a downhill mile of a road race. One of the quickest categories of bike riding contests is downhill racing.
Keep in mind that the first person to the bottom of the fall wins, so competitors must go as swiftly as they can.
Given that gravity would accelerate your descent even further, the speeds attained in such situations are rather astounding. If you are descending while being pushed from behind by the wind, it will go much faster.
The majority of elite riders participate in the severe activity known as downhill riding. Your mind will be blown when you discover that downhill racing is capable of reaching speeds of 80–100 mph (not for the faint-hearted).
Riders Who Are Experts
A skilled rider can complete a mile in around 2.14 minutes. It’s remarkable how the spandex-clad professional cyclists will whip by you at neck-breaking speeds when you’re applauding on the sidelines at a cycling tour event!
It can be challenging to estimate the top-level road cyclists’ top speeds. These riders are physically fit and have the necessary skills to perform challenging stunts.
A professional biker’s flat-surface average speed, according to “Bicycling Magazine,” is 28 mph. This equates to a 5-mile journey taking about 10 minutes.
Professional climbers can ascend at a speed of roughly 25 mph, which makes the trek up hills appear simple. They travel 5 miles in roughly 12 minutes.
What Determines Your Average Biking Speed?
As I just mentioned, a variety of factors influence how long it takes you to ride a mile on a bike. Several of the most important elements affecting your riding speed are listed here.
Read my more thorough explanation of typical bike speeds here to find out how you can increase your own two-wheeled speed.
Rider Health
The obvious component that will have a significant impact on how quickly the average person can cycle a mile is fitness. Cycling a mile will take longer for non-cardiovascular exercisers than for regular exercisers.
Therefore, work on enhancing your fitness by increasing the amount of cardiovascular training you undertake if you want to enhance your average cycling speed.
Surfaces for Riding & Terrain
Cycling up a mile-long, steep hillside will typically take much longer than cycling down a mile-long hill.
Similarly to this, cycling a mile along a sandy beach will require more work and time than cycling the same distance through a level area of grass.
Conditions While Cycling
You must now be able to see where this is going. On average, riding into strong headwinds will take you longer to complete a mile of cycling. However, when riding into a tailwind, you’ll go faster on average and need less time.
How Fast Does a Bicycle Typically Go?
It only seems logical that we look at the average cycling speed since you’ve been asking how long it takes to bike a mile.
You can determine how long it takes you to bike a mile by being familiar with the various average bike speeds!
The social media cycling app Strava recorded information from more than 5.2 billion miles of bike rides in 2018, as you can read about in the guide to average cycling speeds.
The cyclists who were part of this data traveled at an average speed of 13.5 mph (21.72 km/h).
It was amazing to see the disparity in riding speeds between men and women. Here is a report on it.
Average Speed for Different Types of Bikes Over a Mile
How Long It Takes to Ride a Road Bike a Mile
On roads with a level elevation profile, a road bike travels at an average speed of 16 mph (25.7 km/h).
This means that a road bike rider will need 3 minutes and 45 seconds to complete a mile.
Different Bike Types
Bicycles come in several varieties with a range of features and functions. Of course, each has advantages and disadvantages. Your average speed on the road may change if you have the proper bike.
I’ll go into more detail on a few bike varieties and their distinctive characteristics in this section.
Road bicycle
Road bicycles have stylish frames and skinny tires. Typically, it has flat or drops handlebars and a short wheelbase. Additionally, this style of bike is accessible to cyclists of all sizes.
The top speed of a road bike is directly related to the rider’s comfort. Choose this bike only if you feel completely at ease riding it. It can go between 40 and 60 miles at an average speed of 17 to 18 miles per hour.
On straight, slightly downhill routes, heavier riders may be able to outrun lesser ones.
On steep ascents and sharply angled descents, though, they might struggle. But if they have decent handling skills and are at ease on the bike, even heavy riders can regulate the speed.
Cycling Touring
This two-wheeler is ideal for you if you enjoy taking lengthy journeys. Thanks to the bike’s large frame triangle, backed by a sturdy bike structure, it is perfect for carrying payloads.
Touring bicycles have a top speed of 13 to 14 mph and a range of 30 to 60 kilometers.
Mountain Bikes and BMX
BMX and MTBs are among the bikes that riders prefer because of their enduring comfort and low cost. Additionally, BMXs and MTBs have a variety of gear that is great for climbing.
In addition, you can use this for ramp riding, dirt racing, and street cycling. They can go between 15 and 20 miles at a speed of 10 mph on average.
However, a BMX bike is not the best choice for commuting due to its low seating posture, which may be uncomfortable across all terrain. Like road bikes, mountain bikes move more slowly.
Cruisers
One of the more traditional forms of bikes that are surprisingly convenient to ride. Most people utilize cruisers while they are at the beach or when they are out shopping. Its single-gear and broad bike seats and wheels make it perfect for flat terrains.
Additionally, they have upright handlebars, which are perfect for seeing the scenery while on a bike tour. Cruisers have a top speed of 12 to 15 miles per hour and a maximum range of 15 miles.
Folding bicycles
Are neat bikers known for riding space-saving bikes? This is your best choice if you’re concerned about where to store your bicycle. The handlebars, tires, and bike frame can all hinge together.
It can be transported on trains, in your car, or on municipal buses because it can fit within a standard box. With this bicycle, you may travel between 10 and 25 miles at a speed of 15 to 19 miles per hour.
Bike Gears
As important as your bike is, so is your gear. When you want to take your riding to a new level, I strongly advise investing in the right equipment because it has an impact on your average biking speed.
A helmet and protective gear must be worn at all times! If you don’t have a helmet, consider the Cycling Helmet from OutdoorMaster.
Safety Advice
- Dress appropriately to keep yourself safe.
- Always have a tool kit for repairs in your emergency pack.
- Anywhere you go, bring bottled water and your phone.
- Before you ride, inspect your bicycle.
FAQs
How many minutes are 20 miles on a bike?
If you want to bike 20 miles, you will need to take a break and rest for about 15 minutes before continuing. Many people know that a person can bike a certain number of miles in an hour. The formula is pretty simple: divide the time by the speed and multiply the result by the distance.
How long are 3 miles on a bike?
To bike 3 miles it will take roughly 9 to 10 minutes for you to complete.
How long is a 4-mile bike ride?
Biking 4 miles will take about 12 to 13 minutes. This amount of time could be cut down a little if speed is increased.
How long does it take to cycle 1 mile on an exercise bike?
On the other hand, average cyclists who bike leisurely usually take six minutes to bike 1 mile, provided that they go at 10 miles per hour. You can also cover one mile within five minutes if you have an average biking speed per mile of 12mph.
What is the fastest 1-mile time on a bike?
Those who like going as fast as they can while biking will want to use this calculation: 1 mile = 5,280 feet / 3 minutes and 20 seconds
Conclusion
It takes some time to bike a mile, but this is not always the case. So whether you’re biking a mile in a couple of minutes or with a bit of luck, it only takes half an hour, be sure to give yourself enough time to get to your destination.
Whether you’re biking a mile on the way to school or home, make sure you take at least 15 minutes so that you don’t get too worn out. It also wouldn’t hurt to stop once in a while to have a little rest. BSXInight hopes you enjoyed this blog.
