Bicycles are not strange to everyone because they are a means of transportation that has been used for a long time, very familiar to human life. Nowadays, when society is developing strongly, there are also many modern means of transport such as motorbikes, cars which travel at speeds many times higher than bicycles. However, the role of bikes remains, and most of us can understand why. How fast do bikes go? What are the health benefits of cycling? We follow the article below.
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How Fast Do Bikes Go?
Bikes go fast. Okay, they don’t actually go that fast, but this article will show how to figure out the speed of a bike and answer the age-old question: How Fast Do Bikes Go?
| Cyclist Level | Average Speed For 1 Hour Riding |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 10 mph |
| Average Rider | 15 mph |
| Regular Training | 20 mph |
| Professional | 25mph |
As with many things in life, different equations and calculations will be required to get accurate answers. But we’ll walk you through it and make it super easy! Keep reading to learn all about bikes and how they work.
How Fast Do Bikes Go?
Bike Speed = Distance/Time
To calculate how fast bikes go, you need to know the distance the bike goes and the time it takes to go that distance. If you were driving a car, your speedometer would measure this for you. But most bikes don’t have speedometers, so how do you figure out the speed of a bike?
A 100-meter cycling track is normally used to measure speed in bicycle racing.
There are a couple of different ways to go about finding bike speed. Let’s start out by looking at one way.
What is Distance?
Distance is a measurement of time and space used in physics. Let’s use it in relation to bikes to get us started on the right track, although we’ll use an example of cars instead of bikes for all our calculations below.
What is a good average speed on a road bike?
Here are some speeds to help answer the question of what is a good average speed on a road bike:
• If you’re looking to find an average for flat roads and no wind, that’s 14 to 18 miles per hour.
• There are times when the wind is a factor, but something important happens. The wind will blow at different speeds not just for a minute or two, but for hours. For example, if the wind is blowing 8 miles per hour and gusting to 20 miles per hour, the average speed of the bike rider is 10 miles per hour.
• If you’re looking for a good average speed on a bike that includes lots of hills and no wind, then it’s about 7 to 10 miles per hour.
• If you’re looking for a good average speed on a road bike that includes lots of hills and the wind, then it’s about 8 to 12 miles per hour.
• If you’re riding in the early morning or evening hours when there is little traffic on the road, you can move faster than if there is a lot of traffic on the road. The time of day also has a huge effect. Morning hours are better than afternoon, and early morning better than early evening.
How Fast Should You Go With Bikes?
Specifically, under the age of 20, the cycling speed of men is about 13km/h, and women’s is about 12km/h. As for the elderly, cycling faster than the average 15km/h is the most suitable. The above-average cycling speeds are recommended for a cyclist of everyday health. In addition, to improve your health, you should combine cycling with the proper nutrition to get the best effect.
Average Speed of a Beginner Cyclist
The average speed of a beginner is about 14 miles per hour. This is according to a study by the University of Illinois, which found that novice cyclists on a quiet country road with no traffic showed an average speed of 5-6 miles per hour. The study was published in Bicycle Research and Design, an academic journal. It was conducted with 30 adult participants who had never ridden before and were riding at their own pace for the first time. They were asked to ride on a quiet country road at noon. The researchers did not tell the cyclists what the average speed was until afterward. At this point, 64 percent of them reported an average speed of exactly 14 miles per hour, while 32 percent said they had been faster, and 2 percent said they had been slower.
Why are beginners slow? The main reason is that beginners get flustered by stopping and starting during their rides. They usually have to stop at crosswalks, or wait for traffic lights, or to turn right at a junction. All this stops your momentum and interrupts your pattern. Inexperienced cyclists also tend to put too much weight on the handlebars while going uphill. This again makes them lose momentum and slows them down. At the end of a ride, beginner cyclists also tend to get tired very easily since their conditioning is poor. They might want to just stop and leave their bikes at the roadside. Many times they do not have a firm grasp on their biking skills. In addition, many of them get tired of cycling after a while. They might find other things to do with their time or get ill from cycling.
Average Speed for Professional Riders
Cyclists typically travel up to 45 miles an hour during competitions (when not stopping for breaks). Some professional cyclists, like Chris Froome of Team Sky, can go up to 60 miles per hour.
So what’s the average speed of a professional cyclist?
The answer depends on the race and where it is taking place. On average, though, it would appear that the speed of a professional cyclist is somewhere in the range of 30-40 miles per hour. For example, in an individual time trial, each rider will be required to cover a 20-mile course on their own. In some cases, though, they may have to do 40 miles or more. In some races, if they’re competing in a team time trial, cyclists may have to go up to 60 miles at a time.
It’s important to note, however, that all competitions are different. In some cases, the race may be a time trial or a sprint. In others, it might be a stage race or a medieval tournament. The average speed of a professional cyclist also depends on the duration of the competition and how many breaks are taken during it. Average speeds can also vary depending on factors such as whether it’s in a velodrome or in the countryside.
Taking a break during a race can also dramatically alter the speed of a professional cyclist. During a 10-mile road race, the average speed of a professional cyclist would drop to about 15 miles per hour. In the same competition, though, if they took a 10-minute break for food or to adjust their bikes, they might wind up going up to 22 miles per hour.
16 Tips to Cycle Faster
Cycling is a great way to get exercise and explore the countryside. It can also be a great way to get from point A to point B and save money on fuel and public transportation costs.
I’m not going to teach you how to read a map or tell you about greenways, but I will give you 16 tips that will help you cycle faster. From drafting behind other cyclists or riding in the rain, these tricks can get your average speed up by 10-15 km/h!
Stay in a group
You’ll always go faster when you’re in a group. Not only will you have someone to draft off, but the other cyclists will also be able to warn you of upcoming dangers. I’ve found it much safer riding with others around me than to be by myself. If you don’t want to ride with strangers, join up with a local cycling club.
Choose your route wisely
The most direct route isn’t always the fastest. Sometimes you’ll be able to take a shortcut and get to your destination faster. It might require taking a road you aren’t comfortable on but if it gets you where you want to go in less time, it’s worth it!
Get the right gear and training wheels
Make sure that you’re always using the right gear for the situation. You’ll slow down quite a bit if you’re on the small chainring and not pedaling fast enough to keep the pedals turning at a good cadence. Likewise, if you’re riding in shifty crosswinds, it helps to have some big gears so that you can stay upright. You’ll also want training wheels of some sort until you’ve gotten more comfortable on two wheels.
Take safe routes
Just because it’s a straight line between two points doesn’t mean you should always take the shortest route. Make sure that the route you’re taking is safe. If there are hills, make sure they aren’t too steep. Watch out for traffic and potholes!
Go easy on the brakes!
There’s nothing more slowing down your average cycling speed than braking. Whenever possible, use your momentum to climb up hills rather than using your brakes. If you do find yourself needing to brake, try to apply it in a way that won’t slow you down much. If you’re coming downhill, brake before the corner so that your bike will have less speed when you enter it.
Don’t ride with your hands in the air
It looks cool if you’re winning a race or something, but it’s one of the most inefficient ways to ride a bike! The more body weight you have out in front of you, the faster your average cycling speed will be.
Ride with a gear higher than 52 x 11
It’s true that there’s a lot of resistance with a 52 x 11 gear, but it is very efficient. It gives you enough climbing power to make the uphill portion of a road significantly faster than the downhill. A 32 x 11 will give you about as much speed as those long climbs with 52 x 11 will, but it’s almost impossible to pedal up those hills with your legs alone.
Drafting
Riding behind another cyclist will actually increase your average speed by about 10-15 km/h. I’ve found that there’s a really easy way to do it: just sit on the back and roll along! It doesn’t work as well as drafting, but it can shave at least 10 minutes off of each ride. Just make sure that the other cyclist has a helmet and is wearing a cycling jersey so you can stay right with them!
Don’t fight the wind
If you’re in a headwind, it’s almost impossible for you to ride faster than the person in front of you. Since your speed is limited, they’ll probably be going just as fast if not faster. If you see someone ahead of you looking really strong and having a great time, it can be motivating. Just stay right with them and try not to let them go!
Go easy on the hills
If you’re having a hard time cycling faster than 10 km/h up one side of a hill, try going down the other side. It’ll be slower to get back up again, but you’ll still end up getting there faster than if you tried to stay at that speed.
Get in the drops (or lower)
You can ride much faster in the drops than you can in your normal riding position. If you have trouble going faster than 10 km/h down hills, get in the drops and it’ll help a lot. You’ll also get more used to riding without your hands on the handlebars if you’re going slowly.
Use a tailwind
While a tailwind can give you a slight speed increase, it might make the ride more dangerous since you’ll be traveling faster than you normally would be. Tailwinds should only be used when it’s clear that there aren’t any cars or other vehicles ahead of you. It might also be wise to try and draft behind other cyclists if there’s a tailwind—they’re probably going at the same speed!
Ride outside of rush hour
It’s hard to get anywhere faster than you would be with a car. If you’re going for a long ride and there’s no-one on the road, you can go much faster than usual. Just make sure that you’ve got plenty of daylight—you don’t want to be stuck in darkness!
Ride in a bike lane
I think bike lanes are a great idea! Not only do they keep cars from running you over, they also help you to ride faster. The more obstacles you have to go around, the easier it will be to ride slower. It might take a little longer at first as you get used to it, but once you’re confident biking in traffic, bike lanes can really help your average cycling speed!
Don’t ride in the dark
Sometimes I’ll ride at night when I’m out on long rides alone or with my dog, but it’s very dangerous. If you’re making a long ride, just try to get there during daylight hours. You’ll also need lights so that people can see you!
Drink before you’re thirsty
If you start out thirsty, it’s probably too late. I’ve found that if I start drinking water before I’m thirsty, it’s easier for me to stay hydrated throughout the ride. If you notice yourself getting dehydrated, try to take sips every 20 minutes or so to re-hydrate yourself.
Wear sunblock and sunglasses
Without these two things, you’re going to end up burnt and squinting like a character from the Old Testament (which is not cool).
Bring a spare tube, a spare inner tube, and a patch kit
It’s pretty tricky to have a flat tire just as you’re going uphill. I’ve had some really bad flats with my bikes and I’ve been lucky enough not to have had any blowouts as well. Although it might seem like you would be more at risk from your own tire, I’ve been able to ride up hills fairly smoothly on a flat tire. Just make sure that you’re prepared for the unexpected!
Properly lube your chain
I’ve found that the best way to lubricate my chains is with a really cheap spray can of WD-40. It seems to reduce friction between the chain and the cassette much better than other, more expensive products. I also recommend also using it in between your shoes and your pedals—if you have any dirt or pedal grime, it will make for a smoother ride.
Paying Attention To Nutrition When Cycling
Nutrients help the body quickly recover after hours of strenuous exercise to maintain a long-term exercise plan. In particular, those who cycle to lose weight or want to have a balanced and slim body need to pay great attention to their diet to achieve their goal.
You can say that cycling is a sport that brings many benefits, helping practitioners have good results in terms of health and physical beauty. However, cyclists need to pay attention to suitable exercises, such as the average cycling speed in each training session, along with a good diet. Hope the article helps you to have more exciting information; see you on the following new topics.
Cycling Movements And Trends
On the other hand, bicycles are not forgotten with outstanding advantages such as convenience, low cost, environmental protection, and cycling. Moreover, it is considered a sport to improve health in human life. Moreover, many people in big cities also like to use bicycles as a popular exercise for fitness and weight loss.
In recent years, environmental pollution has become alarming because one of the notable reasons is the emissions from the fuels of cars and motorbikes. That’s why cycling became a movement that everyone was encouraged to use. And for the practice of sports, cycling has also become a popular trend.
We’ve compiled a list of top cost-efficient hybrid bikes here.
Some Benefits That Cycling Brings To Human Health
Cycling daily regularly and maintaining it will have a lot of benefits for our health; here are some typical effects as follows:
- Cycling improves and strengthens the circulatory system
- Effectively relieve migraine when cycling
- Improve body endurance and adequate patience
- Great stress relief, stress, fatigue thanks to the effect of cycling exercise
- Improve your beautiful body from cycling
- Avoid some diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol up to 15%.
- Effective weight loss and healthy muscles
- Improves and increases the strength of the musculoskeletal system.
- Cycling is good for the heart
- Reduce the risk of angina or heart attack by up to 24% compared to inactive people
- Increase longevity and reduce stress when cycling
To achieve the above effect, we need to have a suitable exercise schedule for our physical health. In some places with air pollution, if we ride a bicycle outdoors, we will breathe in a quantity of dirty, toxic air, affecting our health. Therefore, you may be able to use the option of cycling indoors or choose fresh air places. Or, to minimize the inhalation of dirty air, you can adjust the speed to match your health.