For an average cyclist, a 10-mile bike ride will take between 45 minutes and 1 hour. An average cyclist can maintain a speed of around 10-15 mph.
Of course, not every 10 mile ride is the same. Exactly how long it will take you to cycle 10 miles depends on a number of factors including your level of fitness, the type of bike you’re riding, the quality of your gear, the type of terrain, the weather, your skill level, and more. In this guide, we’ll look at these factors and how they affect your cycling speed.
This information might be useful if you’re planning a commute so you know what time to leave home so you’re not late. It may also be important for beginner cyclists who are trying to improve their time. A 10-mile ride is a good goal for new cyclists.
I regularly take 10 mile rides around my city. I also used to commute around 10 miles to work. In the beginning, the ride would take me about 50 minutes. After a few months, I could make the ride in about 40 minutes.
What is the Average Time to Bike 10 Miles?
On average, it takes 45-60 minutes to cycle 10 miles. For a beginner cyclist, it will likely take closer to an hour. After a bit of training, you should be able to get your time down to around 45 minutes. An elite cyclist can cycle 10 miles in just over 20 minutes.
Riding 10 miles in 1 hour is a pretty easy pace to keep for most cyclists. That’s about 6 minutes per mile. This is a good average speed if you want to relax and take in the view. It’s not an intense pace.
Over time, your average speed will increase as you become a stronger cyclist so the time it takes to cycle 10 miles will decrease. On your first ride, it might take you an hour to ride 10 miles. After a couple of months of training, the same ride might only take you 45 minutes. After a year of training, it might only take you 30 minutes.
The time it takes to cycle 10 miles at various speeds
One way to calculate the amount of time it will take you to ride 10 miles is to use your average speed. You can use your phone or a cycling computer to calculate your average speed. The average person can maintain anywhere from 10-12 mph. After some training, most people can maintain a speed of 15 mph.
- At 10 mph, it will take you 60 minutes to travel 10 miles.
- At 12 mph, it will take you 50 minutes to travel 10 miles.
- At 15 mph, it will take you 40 minutes to travel 10 miles.
- At 20 mph, it will take you 30 minutes to travel 10 miles.
Professional cyclists in the Tour de France can average 25-28 mph while riding on flat terrain. This allows them to ride 10 miles in just over 20 minutes.
You can use your average speed to set goals for yourself. Maybe you want to cycle 10 miles in 30 minutes. You would need to maintain an average speed of 20mph.
Various Factors that Can Affect Your Cycling Speed
There are a number of factors that can affect your cycling speed. You won’t always maintain the same pace. In this section, we’ll analyze how some of these variables can affect your cycling speed. This will help you make a more accurate estimate of the time it will take you to cycle 10 miles.
The Type of Bike You Ride
Some bikes are faster than others. For example, you can maintain a much higher speed on a road bike than you can on a mountain bike, gravel bike, or hybrid bike.
A skilled road bike rider may be able to maintain a speed of 15-20 mph. At this speed, they could ride 10 miles in 30-40 minutes. To compare, the same rider on a mountain bike may only be able to maintain an average speed of 10-12 mph. At this speed, it would take 50-60 minutes to ride 10 miles. Hybrid bikes fall somewhere in between. An average rider might be able to maintain a speed of 12-15 mph and ride 10 miles in 40-50 minutes. If you want to improve your time, switching to a road bike is your a great option.
Road bikes are faster for a few reasons. Most importantly, they are lighter than mountain bikes. It takes less energy to accelerate and maintain your speed when you’re riding a lighter bike. Road bikes also have narrower tires. These create less rolling resistance on the pavement than the wider off-road tires. In addition, road bikes have rigid frames. There is no suspension that wastes energy when it’s compressed. The ride position is also more aerodynamic. You can tuck down to reduce wind resistance.
Check out this interesting guide to the average speed of different types of bikes for more info. Also, check out my guide to road bikes vs mountain bikes.
Your Level of Fitness
A person who is in good physical condition can cycle 10 miles faster than a person who is in poor physical condition. When your muscles are stronger, you can output more power and ride faster. When you have more stamina, you can maintain a faster cadence for a longer period of time without tiring out. Body weight is also an important consideration. If you’re carrying a few extra pounds, you won’t be able to cycle as fast. The extra weight slows you down. It takes more energy to carry the extra weight around.
The good news is that cycling is a great way to improve your fitness. As your fitness improves, your cycling speed will increase. The more you cycle, the faster you’ll get. On your first ride, it might take you over an hour to cycle 10 miles if you’re out of shape. After you’ve been riding regularly for a couple of months, you might be able to do the same 10 mile ride in 45 minutes. After a year, you might get that time down to 30 minutes if you train hard.
To improve your speed, it’s a good idea to create a training plan. If you’re a beginner, you might start by riding 2 miles 3 times per week. The next week, you might ride 3 miles 3 times per week. The following week, you could bump it up to 4 miles, and so on until you reach 10 miles. Once you reach 10 miles, you can increase the distance or increase the intensity to cut your time down. By gradually increasing the intensity and duration of the rides, you can gradually improve your strength and stamina. Each week, you will ride further and faster.
The Type of Terrain You’re Riding
The terrain also affects your speed. For example, you’ll ride slower uphill than on flat ground or downhill. Cycling 10 miles on hilly terrain might take an hour. Cycling 10 miles on flat ground might take 40 minutes.
Ground conditions can also slow you down. You can maintain a faster speed on a smooth road than you can on a rocky mountain bike trail or a pothole-filled city street. Cycling 10 miles on a smooth road might take you 45 minutes. Cycling 10 miles on a mountain bike trail might take an hour and a half.
For this reason, you can’t really compare your time on different 10 mile stretches. If you’re trying to compare your time to see how much you’ve improved, you want to ride the same route.
Traffic
Of course, traffic can also slow you down. If you’re riding through stop-and-go traffic in the city, you’ll have to wait for traffic lights, cars, and pedestrians. There are lots of obstacles that can slow you down while riding in cities. If you’re riding on a country road, you won’t have to deal with these slowdowns.
Your Gear
The gear you use can also impact your speed. For example, you could improve your speed by riding a lighter weight bike. An ultralight carbon fiber road bike will be faster than a heavy steel road bike.
The quality of your gear can also affect your speed. You’ll ride faster on a brand new $10,000 road bike than you would on a $500 road bike. The age of your bike can also impact your speed. A brand new road bike will be faster than a 40 year old vintage bike. Newer and higher-end bikes are faster because they are smoother, lighter, and more aerodynamic. They shift faster.
For some marginal gains, you can upgrade your current bike. You might reduce your times by swapping steel and aluminum components for lighter weight carbon fiber components. For example, you can install carbon fiber wheels, handlebars, seat post, etc. You could also upgrade to an electronic groupset for faster and smoother shifting. You could swap out your regular clothing for lightweight and aerodynamic Lycra cycling clothing. All of this will improve the performance of your bike.
Your Skill Level
Cycling requires skill. It’s not all about fitness. A skilled cyclist can ride faster than a beginner cyclist. There are a few reasons for this.
A skilled cyclist can shift faster and more efficiently. They will spend more time in the optimal gear. Skilled cyclists will also have a smoother and more efficient pedal stroke. Their cadence won’t be affected as much during shifts. In addition, skilled cyclists can also choose the best line through corners. This can cut some time. Skilled cyclists can also pace themselves better so they can maintain the same speed throughout the ride. Once you become an experienced rider, your time will decrease.
You can cut your time down by developing proper cycling skills. Learning bad habits could slow you down. Skill is one of the reasons that professional bikers are so much faster than average cyclists.
The Weather
The weather can also affect your cycling speed. Sunny, warm, and dry weather is optimal. You can cycle the fastest in these conditions.
Wet weather will slow you down. When it’s rainy, you can’t ride as fast because wet roads become slippery. Water reduces the friction between the road and your tires. You have to brake earlier into corners and slow down more because your tires don’t have as much grip.
The wind can also slow you down. Riding into a headwind will require much more energy. Wind resistance will slow you down substantially. In fact, at speeds over around 10 mph, wind resistance is the main force acting against you. A nice tailwind can improve your time. On a windy day, it might take you an hour to cycle 10 miles. The same ride might take you 40 minutes on a calm day.
Bike Maintenance
How well you maintain your bicycle can also affect your time. You can ride faster on a bike that is well-maintained. There is less friction when the drivetrain, hubs, and bottom bracket are cleaned and properly lubed. The bike will shift faster and more accurately when the derailleurs are properly adjusted. This helps you ride faster.
If the bike is dirty, rusty, or out of adjustment, you won’t be able to ride as fast. A dirty or rusty chain will create extra friction. Poorly adjusted gears won’t be able to shift as well. This slows you down.
How Long Does it Take to Ride 10 Miles with an Electric Bike?
Electric bikes have a built-in electric motor to help assist the rider. Most e-bikes have a maximum speed of either 15.5 mph, 20 mph, or 28 mph.
At 15.5 mph, it would take around 39 minutes to cycle 10 miles. At 20 mph, it would take 30 minutes to cycle 10 miles. When riding at 28 mph, it would take around 21 minutes to cycle 10 miles.
The top speed of an e-bike is usually limited electronically. In many countries, this is required by law for safety reasons. There are faster e-bikes available.
For more info, check out my guide: How fast are ebikes?
Cycling More than 10 Miles
You can use your 10 mile cycling time to estimate how long it will take you to cycle longer distances. For example, if you can cycle 10 miles in 45 minutes, you can probably cycle 20 miles in around an hour and a half. Maybe a little longer.
Of course, you probably won’t be able to maintain the same exact pace all day during long rides. If you can cycle 10 miles in 1 hour, that doesn’t mean that you can cycle 50 miles in 5 hours. You will slow down as you tire out. You have to pace yourself when cycling longer distances.
On my first bicycle tour, I rode 50 miles on the first day. Based on my 10 mile cycling time, that should have taken me around 4 hours. In reality, it took closer to 6 hours. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and moving really slowly. I can’t maintain the same pace on longer rides.
My Experience
I regularly cycle for exercise and for fun. I have found that 10 miles is a perfect distance for a casual bike ride. If I’m cycling at a leisurely pace through the city, it usually takes me around 50-60 minutes to ride 10 miles, depending on traffic.
Sometimes, I like to time myself to see how fast I can go. When I first started cycling, it would take me around 50 minutes to cycle 10 miles. These days, I can usually get my time down to around 40 minutes.
I ride a relatively heavy touring bike so it’s not the most efficient. I could probably cut my time down a bit more if I were to ride a proper road bike. Personally, I don’t really care about my cycling speed. I ride either for fun or entertainment. Sometimes it is fun to time myself. I usually use my phone to time my rides.
Final Thoughts
The average time it takes to bike 10 miles can vary significantly based on your fitness level, the terrain, the type of bike you’re riding, and the weather conditions. For most recreational riders, expect to maintain a pace of somewhere between 10 and 15 mph. At this speed, a 10 mile ride will take 40-60 minutes. New riders may take a bit longer. Experienced riders can go faster.
To improve your time, train consistently, buy a lightweight and high-quality bike, and stay on top of maintenance. Whether you’re cycling for exercise, recreation, or as a mode of transportation, hopefully, this guide makes it a little bit easier to estimate your speed.
How fast can you bike 10 miles? Share your experience in the comments below!
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Zachary Friedman is an accomplished travel writer and professional blogger. Since 2011, he has traveled to 66 countries and 6 continents. He founded ‘Where The Road Forks’ in 2017 to provide readers with information and insights based on his travel and outdoor recreation experience and expertise. Zachary is also an avid cyclist and hiker. Living as a digital nomad, Zachary balances his professional life with his passions for hiking, camping, cycling, and worldwide exploration. For a deeper dive into his journey and background, visit the About page. For inquiries and collaborations, please reach out through the Contact page. You can also follow him on Facebook.