Key Takeaways
- Ride time is distance divided by average speed. At 25 km/h, 40 km takes 1:36:00 and 100 km takes 4:00:00.
- Stops are added on top of riding time. 50 km at 25 km/h is 2:00:00 of riding, and with 30 minutes stopped it is 2:30:00, an average of 20 km/h.
- Some bike computers pause their timer when you stop[2]. Check whether your average speed includes those stops, so you count them once and not twice.
- Hills and wind only change this answer if your average speed already allows for them. To predict a time from power, weight, drag area and wind, use the cycling race predictor.
How the Calculator Works
Enter a distance and your average riding speed. You can type the speed in km/h or mph, or as a pace in minutes per km or per mile.
Add the time you expect to be stopped and a start time if you want a total time and an arrival clock. The results also show the same ride at nearby speeds and your speed over other distances.
The Cycling Time Formula
One relationship covers the whole tool. Stops are added after the division.
| To find | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Riding time | Distance ÷ speed | 40 km ÷ 25 km/h = 1:36:00 |
| Total time | Riding time + time stopped | 100 mi at 16 mph = 6:15:00, + 40 min = 6:55:00 |
| Average with stops | Distance ÷ total time | 50 km ÷ 2.5 h = 20 km/h |
| Pace per km | 60 ÷ speed in km/h, in minutes | 60 ÷ 25 = 2.4 min = 2:24 per km |
| km/h to mph | km/h ÷ 1.609344 | 25 km/h = 15.53 mph |
The cycling time formulas with a worked example for each.
A mile is exactly 1,609.344 m, and NIST marks that factor as exact[1]. Another example: 180 km at 28 km/h takes 6:25:43.
Minutes and seconds are not decimals
How Long Does It Take to Cycle 10, 20, 50 or 100 Miles or Kilometres?
Each time assumes one steady average speed and no stops. Find your distance in the first column, then read across to the speed closest to yours. For a distance that is not listed, enter it in the calculator.
| Distance | 15 km/h | 20 km/h | 25 km/h | 30 km/h | 35 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 km | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 | 10:00 | 8:34 |
| 10 km | 40:00 | 30:00 | 24:00 | 20:00 | 17:09 |
| 20 km | 1:20:00 | 1:00:00 | 48:00 | 40:00 | 34:17 |
| 30 km | 2:00:00 | 1:30:00 | 1:12:00 | 1:00:00 | 51:26 |
| 40 km | 2:40:00 | 2:00:00 | 1:36:00 | 1:20:00 | 1:08:34 |
| 50 km | 3:20:00 | 2:30:00 | 2:00:00 | 1:40:00 | 1:25:43 |
| 60 km | 4:00:00 | 3:00:00 | 2:24:00 | 2:00:00 | 1:42:51 |
| 80 km | 5:20:00 | 4:00:00 | 3:12:00 | 2:40:00 | 2:17:09 |
| 100 km | 6:40:00 | 5:00:00 | 4:00:00 | 3:20:00 | 2:51:26 |
| 120 km | 8:00:00 | 6:00:00 | 4:48:00 | 4:00:00 | 3:25:43 |
| 150 km | 10:00:00 | 7:30:00 | 6:00:00 | 5:00:00 | 4:17:09 |
| 160 km | 10:40:00 | 8:00:00 | 6:24:00 | 5:20:00 | 4:34:17 |
| 180 km | 12:00:00 | 9:00:00 | 7:12:00 | 6:00:00 | 5:08:34 |
| 200 km | 13:20:00 | 10:00:00 | 8:00:00 | 6:40:00 | 5:42:51 |
Riding time in h:mm:ss for common distances in km at five average speeds.
| Distance | 10 mph | 12 mph | 15 mph | 18 mph | 20 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 miles | 30:00 | 25:00 | 20:00 | 16:40 | 15:00 |
| 10 miles | 1:00:00 | 50:00 | 40:00 | 33:20 | 30:00 |
| 15 miles | 1:30:00 | 1:15:00 | 1:00:00 | 50:00 | 45:00 |
| 20 miles | 2:00:00 | 1:40:00 | 1:20:00 | 1:06:40 | 1:00:00 |
| 25 miles | 2:30:00 | 2:05:00 | 1:40:00 | 1:23:20 | 1:15:00 |
| 30 miles | 3:00:00 | 2:30:00 | 2:00:00 | 1:40:00 | 1:30:00 |
| 40 miles | 4:00:00 | 3:20:00 | 2:40:00 | 2:13:20 | 2:00:00 |
| 50 miles | 5:00:00 | 4:10:00 | 3:20:00 | 2:46:40 | 2:30:00 |
| 60 miles | 6:00:00 | 5:00:00 | 4:00:00 | 3:20:00 | 3:00:00 |
| 75 miles | 7:30:00 | 6:15:00 | 5:00:00 | 4:10:00 | 3:45:00 |
| 100 miles | 10:00:00 | 8:20:00 | 6:40:00 | 5:33:20 | 5:00:00 |
Riding time in h:mm:ss for common distances in miles at five average speeds.
The speed columns are examples to read across, not labels for rider levels.
Moving Time vs Elapsed Time
The Garmin Edge 550 manual describes an Auto Pause setting that pauses the timer when you stop moving, or when your speed drops below a value you choose[2]. Other brands may work differently.
The manual page does not say how a device's average speed treats that paused time, so test yours with a quick sum. Divide the ride distance by the average speed on the screen.
If the answer matches your moving time, the average leaves stops out, so enter your stops in the stop box. If it matches the total elapsed time, the average already includes them, so leave the stop box at 0.
The gap can be large. 50 km at 25 km/h is 2:00:00 of riding, but with 30 minutes stopped the elapsed time is 2:30:00 and the average over the whole trip is 20 km/h.
Which Average Speed Should You Enter?
The result is only as good as the speed you enter. The most reliable number is the average from a ride you have already done on a similar route.
- From a past ride, divide the distance by the moving time. 30 km in 1 hour 15 minutes is 30 ÷ 1.25 = 24 km/h.
- With no past ride, try two or three speeds in the table above and see which total fits your plan. The calculator also shows the same ride at nearby speeds.
- There is no single typical speed. It depends on the rider, the bike and the route, so use your own numbers.
To work out the speed a past ride averaged, or the speed needed for a goal time, use the bike pace calculator.
When a Flat Average Is Not Enough
A flat average works when the new route is similar to the one the average came from. It can mislead you when the new route has much more climbing or a steady headwind.
A different approach starts from power. Martin and colleagues derived a mathematical model of cycling power and compared its predictions with power measured during road cycling. The measured and modelled values were highly correlated (R² = .97), and the standard error between them was 2.7 W[3].
That is a result for their model, and this calculator does not use it. The cycling race predictor predicts a finish time from power, weight, drag area, rolling resistance, wind and course, and the cycling performance calculator works out the watts a ride took.
Limits of the Estimate
- The tool assumes one steady average speed. Hills, wind, surface, traffic, group riding and fatigue are not inputs.
- Calories, VO2 max, FTP and power are not calculated here. For power-based tools, see the cycling power training zones and the cycling critical power calculator.
- An average above 60 km/h or below 5 km/h triggers a prompt to check your units. Those two cut-offs are not published limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically. National Institute of Standards and Technology. NIST Special Publication 811
- Edge 550 Owner's Manual: Using Auto Pause. Garmin. Garmin Edge 550 Owner's Manual
- Validation of a Mathematical Model for Road Cycling Power. Martin JC, Milliken DL, Cobb JE, McFadden KL, Coggan AR. Journal of Applied Biomechanics 14(3):276-291 (1998)
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Disclaimer: This calculator does arithmetic on the distance, speed and stop time you enter and assumes one steady average speed. Real rides vary with hills, wind, traffic and fatigue. It is not coaching or medical advice.