All riders are different, and since riding conditions affect how fast you ride, there’s no single answer to the question.
In our complete guide, we would do some calculations to answer how long it takes to bike a mile. We would also cover the factors that affect your bike speed and more.
How Long It Take to Ride One Mile
A novice rider, who is anyone that can ride a bike comfortably, will spend 6 minutes to bike a mile at the average speed of 10mph.
If you’re biking on a flat road with no obstacles, you will spend a lesser time, about 4 minutes, since biking is easier on this type of platform.
When riding your bike up a hill, you would spend about 8 minutes riding a mile. It would be slower for a beginner biker compared to a professional. But, when riding downhill, it would take about a minute to cover a mile since gravity would push you forward.
As for a professional or experienced rider takes an average of 2.14 minutes to bike for one mile. In the case of pro-road bikers, it’s usually challenging to determine their speed since they are always making maneuvers and riding at high energy.
Get a much better idea on the time with this experiment:
Factors That Influence Bike Speed And Time
The Riders Condition
For one, how fit you are will determine how fast you can bike a mile. This is why professional riders can bike much faster than recreational riders since they train for it. If you’re a beginner and haven’t been physically active in a long time, it would take a pretty long time for you to cover one mile and longer distances.
It’s always best to avoid pushing yourself or putting yourself under pressure to meet the timeline mentioned above. Instead, take it slow and try to cover as much ground as possible. Your stamina would eventually increase.
Those who exercise constantly would easily bike a mile in a short time. They wouldn’t be fatigued as easily because of their high stamina, and they also have stronger muscles that can propel their bike quicker than someone unfit.
This doesn’t mean that biking isn’t a good exercise for those who want to become fit. It would only take some time to become good at it.
Related: Time It Takes To Ride 10 Miles
The Rider’s Skill
Apart from how fit you are, how good you are with biking depends on how fast you ride. Earlier, we broke down how long it takes to bike a mile based on your skill level. An experienced biker would cover a mile and even faster than someone new to riding bikes.
Experienced bikers would also be better at navigating different terrains and using all the features on their bike to their advantage. They have enough experience to apply to bike riding than novices who would only do well on flat surfaces with no obstacles.
The Type of Bike
The type of bike you’re riding will also affect how fast you can bike a mile. It would affect your speed, making you slower or faster. All bikes come with different types of tires and handlebars, affecting your speed.
For one, we have road bikes, in which the speed is dependent on how comfortable you are on them. With good handling skills, you can ride an average of 17 to 18 miles per hour. Light and heavy riders can use a mountain bike, and they come with different numbers of gears.
Another bike that is very popular among bikers is the mountain bike. They are very comfortable and used for all types of biking. When going at ten mph, you can cover up to 20 miles with a mountain bike. They also come equipped to handle different terrains.
You can also go for cruisers, which can go at an impressive speed of 12 to 15 miles per hour to cover 15 miles. The bikes are more comfortable and are great for flat terrains with no obstacles. They come with one gear and wide wheels and seats.
Those who like to go biking for a long time prefer touring bicycles. These usually have a wide frame and a structure that can support the cargo. They can travel up to 60 miles at 14 miles per hour, which is impressive.
Finally, we have folding bikes, which are great for limited storage space. They are also great for driving on the road and can go as fast as 19 miles per hour and as far as 25 miles. You can easily fit the entire bike in a box and take it with you.
Terrain You Are Riding On
The type of terrain you’re riding on contributes to the riding condition, which would determine how fast you can bike a mile. It would be much easier for you to bike on flat ground or tarmac than riding in the woods.
Rougher terrains usually include slippery leaves and grounds, sticky mud, and fallen branches, which would be much harder to bike through. Thus, it would take a long time to get through than if you’re riding on flat tarmac.
How the terrain is inclined also affects how fast you can ride. There are downhill and uphill terrains, and there’s no doubt that the former is easier to ride on than the latter. Riding downhill takes very little energy because gravity pushes you down. Thus, you might need only a minute to ride.
But you use way more energy when you ride uphill because you are going against gravity. It makes you more tired as you constantly pedal while covering more ground. This is why it takes double the time to ride uphill that it takes to ride on flat ground.
Available Gear
The equipment fitted on your bike would also influence how long it takes to bike a mile or more. For one, having too much equipment makes it harder to ride your bike since it would be too heavy. You’ll move slower than someone that has nothing on their bike if you’re moving with a tool kit, first aid kit, or bottle of water.
The clothing you’re wearing will also determine how fast you can ride on your bike. A professional rider only wears a helmet or spandex, and they would go more quickly than someone wearing a jacket and jeans. The bike gears will also determine how fast you can cover a mile when riding.
The Weather
Finally, the weather condition is an essential factor influencing how long it takes to bike a mile. Wind can be beneficial or disadvantageous to your bike riding, depending on where you’re facing.
If you’re riding towards the wind, it pushes against you and makes you drive slowly. But, if you have the wind behind you, it would propel you forward and make your ride faster.
Another weather force that can affect you is rain, as any bike rider knows that it’s harder to ride during the rainy season. The ground would be muddy and slippery, making it extra hard to ride quickly and safely at the same time.
How Long It Takes Professional Riders to Bike One Mile
Pro bikers are on an entirely different level than recreational bikers, as they can spend a little over 2 minutes riding a mile. They move at impressive speeds with their training, gears, and suitable clothing and can cover around 5 miles in the time a novice takes to cover 2-3 miles.
It’s also hard to determine how fast pro bikers move because of the different terrains and their maneuvering.
According to Bicycling Magazine, a pro biker at Tour de France has an average speed of 28 mph on flat terrain. They take up to ten minutes to cover five miles.
Pro bikers can also ride on an uphill terrain for about 25mph, which is twelve minutes to cover five miles.
How Long Does It Take to Bike a Mile Casually?
Biking a mile casually means you’re moving at 10 miles per hour. You can ride and take in the fresh air and exercise simultaneously at this speed.
When biking casually, you would spend between 6 to 10 minutes depending on the different factors we explored and how many breaks you take.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever watched a bike race before, you probably want to know how long they are driving. Well, there’s no fixed answer to how long it would take to bike a mile; you can time yourself when you first ride your bike after reading this article. You can ride a mile at ten mph in six minutes with more training.
Remember that you should take your time and still enjoy your biking experience regardless of how fast you’re trying to go. With time, you can bike a mile as fast as you want.
