In today’s busy life, everyone wants an effective way to relieve their stress. Cycling is the best way to stay fit and relieve yourself of the stresses of life. However, cycling and age have a relationship and determine the power a biker produces. As you age, there is a significant power reduction, hence the decrease in your cycling speed.
So, why do some riders ride faster than others? Here’s everything you need to know about avg cycling speed.
Table of Contents
Factors That Affect Your Cycling Speed
Your cycling speed is usually affected by external factors. Even if you’re doing everything right, you may fail to reach the desired cycling speed. Here’s an overview of these factors.
Riding Distance
The riding distance you’re covering can negatively affect your cycling speed. As you start your ride, you’re a bit slow because your legs are warming up. If your ride is long, you will have higher speeds because your legs are warm and can get to their peak power. However, too long rides will have lower speeds because you will get tired, and fatigue will set in.
Gravity
Gravity and your riding speed have a direct relationship. Your total weight, the bike, and the package you’re carrying will determine your cycling speed. As you increase the weight, the gravity force on your bike increases. If you lower your bike’s weight, you can cycle faster since you’ll have less force acting on you. If you like riding on a steep hill, you need to consider your age because more force will pull you down.
Surrounding Conditions
Some conditions can greatly reduce your cycling speed. For instance, if it’s windy, it will bring more resistance, slowing down your speed. Other weather conditions, like cold temperatures and rain, can also affect your cycling speed. Additionally, off-road cycling will be slower than smooth-surface cycling.
Riding Gear
Whether it’s your outfit, helmet, or the bike itself, the riding gear is important in determining your riding speed. Your speed will be lower if you have a heavy bike since the weight generates more gravity force.
What is the average cycling speed for kids?
Most kids start riding bikes at the age of 3 years. However, their cycling skills can’t match adults.
An average kid’s bike can cycle at a speed of 7.8mph. However, the cycling average speed for kids depends on the cycling experience and the kid’s age. You should expect older kids to cycle faster than younger kids. Similarly, an experienced kid will ride faster than a beginner.
Generally, it’s hard for young kids to continuously ride for more than an hour. Here’s a table to show the kids’ average cycling speed per day.
| Age Group | Cycling Plan (Miles/Day |
| 3 to 5 years | 10 miles per day |
| 6 to 10 years | 10 to 25 miles per day |
| 10 to 12 years | 30 to 40 miles per day |
What is the average cycling speed for teens?
When your kids get to 13 years, they can ride as fast as you, if not faster. Generally, teenagers have the same average speed as adults, depending on their cycling expertise. Beginner teens have an average speed of 10mph, while experience ones can go up to 15 mph.
What is the average cycling speed for adults?
Adults have varying cycling speeds since factors like experience and gender are important. The average speed for adults is 10mph, but older adults cycle slowly. For regular commuters, most adults average 15mph. However, the bike type is an important factor in determining the average cycling speed. Additionally, it is easier to ride on smoother grounds than on hilly terrains.
Average cycling speed of men
Generally, men tend to ride faster than women since they are more masculine. On average, men cyclists ride at an average of 22km/h. However, this depends on a given area’s speed limits and road conditions.
Average cycling speed of women
On average, adult women have an average speed of 19km/h because they are less masculine. Therefore, women cyclists are slower than their male counterparts.
FAQs
What is a good average biking speed?
Most beginners have an average cycling speed of between 10-12 mph. Experienced riders can go up to 16 mph in favorable conditions. Professional cyclists and bikers can easily hit the 19mph mark.
Is 20km/h fast cycling?
20km/h is approximately 12.4 mph, which is fast, especially for beginners. However, this speed is achievable if you’re riding on a smooth road or are a professional cyclist.
What is the average speed of a 70-year-old cyclist?
A 70-year-old cyclist should not exceed an average speed of 8 to 10 mph. However, the strength and stamina of the seniors will determine the speed at which they feel comfortable.
Conclusion
Cycling is the best sport and therapy to keep you physically and mentally fit and healthy. Although your age is not directly related to your average speed, the cycling speed is closely related to power, which reduces as you get older.
Since cycling is an engaging sport that demands a physically fit body and practice, you need to choose a safe route that you can comfortably practice and ride on. Most importantly, always put on your protective gear when cycling.