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How Long Does It Take To Bike a Mile

Distance-wise, a mile may seem an insignificant distance. However, many cyclists often ask, “how long does it take to bike a mile”.

So, if you’ve been wondering how fast the average person can bike a mile, you’re not alone. 

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. So keep reading, and I’ll teach you everything there is to know about average cycling speeds, the factors that affect your average time to cycle a mile and much more.

How long does it take to bike a mile
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    How Long Does It Take to Bike a Mile?

    The average cycling speed ranges from 10 – 14 mph (16 – 22.5 km/h). This means it will take your average cyclist between 4.25 and 6 minutes to bike a mile.

    Bear in mind that many factors will affect your time taken to cycle a mile. We’ll explore several vital speed-affecting factors below and determine what you can do to decrease their impact on your average cycling times.

    Additionally, as you may have realised, the average cycling times above apply to your average cyclists.

    Those who cycle frequently and train or cycle competitively will be able to cycle a mile much faster.

    Just below, you’ll find a table displaying how long it takes cyclists of different abilities to cycle a mile.

    Average Time Taken To Bike 1 Mile
    Beginner Cyclists 6 minutes
    Intermediate Cyclists 3 minutes 45 seconds
    Advanced Cyclists 3 minutes
    Professional Cyclists 2 minutes 30 seconds

    Factors That Affect Your Average Biking Speed

    As I’ve briefly touched on, many factors affect how long it takes you to bike a mile. 

    Below you’ll find several of the most significant factors impacting your cycling speed.

    I’ve also put together a more detailed guide on average bike speeds; read it here and learn what you can do to improve your speed on two wheels.  

    Fitness is an obvious factor that will heavily affect how fast the average person can bike a mile. 

    People who don’t do much cardiovascular exercise will take longer to cycle a mile than those who exercise regularly. 

    So, if you want to increase your average cycling speed, work on improving your fitness by increasing the amount of cardiovascular exercise you do. 

    The average time taken to cycle a mile up a steep mountainside will be far longer than if you were cycling down a mile-long hill. 

    Similarly, if you’re cycling along a sandy beach for a mile, it’ll take more effort and time than if you had to cycle a mile through a flat grassy field. 

    I’m sure you can see where this is going by now!

    Cycling into extreme headwinds will increase your average time to bike a mile, whereas riding a tailwind will increase your average cycling speed, decreasing how long it takes you to cycle a mile. 

    This is quite an interesting one. Different types of bikes offer varying characteristics, making them suitable for various cycling disciplines.

    Choosing the correct type of bike for your preferred route will decrease the time taken to cycle a mile. 

    Below we will explore the average speed of different bike types when used on the road. 

    What Is the Average Bike Speed?

    As you’ve been wondering about how long it takes to bike a mile, it only makes sense that we look at the average cycling speed.

    By understanding the different average bike speeds, you’ll develop a better understanding of how long it takes you to bike a mile!

    As you can read about in the guide to average cycling speeds, Strava (the social media cycling app) logged data from over 5.2B miles worth of bike rides in 2018.

    The average speed travelled by cyclists included in this data was 13.5 mph (21.72 km/h).

    The difference between men’s and women’s cycling speeds was fascinating. Read about it here.

    Average Speed Over a Mile For Different Bike Types

    How long does it take to cyce a mile on different bike types graph
    (Click to enlarge)

    The average speed for a road bike on roads with a flat elevation profile is 16 mph (25.7 km/h).

    This means, on average, it will take 3 minutes and 45 seconds for a cyclist to ride a mile on a road bike. 

    When riding a mountain bike on a road with a flat elevation profile, your average cyclist will travel at 12 mph (19.3 km/h).

    This means that when riding a mountain bike, it will take 5 minutes to bike a mile on average.

    When riding a hybrid bike on a flat road, your average cyclist will travel at 14 mph (22.5 km/h).

    This means that to cycle a mile on a hybrid bike will take 4 minutes and 17 seconds for the average cyclist.

    In the USA, the maximum assisted speed for an e-bike is 20 mph (32.1 km/h), which means it would take someone 3 minutes with maximum assistance to ride a mile in the USA. 

    In the UK, the legal maximum assisted speed of an e-bike is 15.5 mph. This means that it would take a cyclist on an e-bike 3 minutes and 52 seconds to ride a mile in the UK.

    Average Bike Speed FAQs

    Average time to bike 1 mile

    By cycling 3 miles a day, every day, you’ll reduce your risk of getting coronary heart disease by 50% compared to staying sedentary. 

    This statistic was released by the British Medical Association. 

    Considering that the average cycling speed is 13.5 mph (21.72 km/h), the average cyclist can expect to cycle 13.5 miles in an hour. 

    Calculating your average cycling speed is extremely easy. 

    The calculation you’ll want to use to determine our average cycling speed is:

    • Total distance cycled / Total time taken. 

    For example: 

    • A 20-mile bike ride in a mountainous region took two hours.
    • 20(miles) / 2(hours) = 10 mph

    to find your average cycling speed in km/h, convert your total trip distance to km (multiply by 1.6) and then use the same calculation. 

    Conclusion - How Long to Bike a Mile?

    What's the average cycling speed

    So there you have it!

    In case you missed it, the average time taken for an intermediate cyclist to ride 1 mile is 3 minutes 45 seconds.  

    After reading this guide, you should now understand a little more about how long it takes to ride a mile, along with several other tips that you can use to increase your cycling speed. 

    If you’re keen to learn more, check out my guide, covering the average cycling speed in depth. 

    Otherwise, when you’re out and about on your bike, don’t forget to use a good-quality bike lock to secure it in place. 

    If you worry about the security of your bike and are on a tight budget, check out my review of the best cheap bike locks

    Or, if your bike is invaluable to you, get yourself an uncuttable lock, and send thieves away empty-handed!

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    Author of This Post:
    Picture of James Grear (Lead Editor)
    James Grear (Lead Editor)

    Understanding how devastating it is to have a bike stolen, I've researched & immersed myself in the world of bicycle security since 2013.

    I then built BikeLockWiki in 2019 to share everything I'd learned with the worldwide cycling community so that cyclists can improve their bike security skills and make informed decisions when purchasing new products and services.

    Learn More about Me & BikeLockWiki here.

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