Biketoworkday is supported by its audience. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

How Long Does It Take to Bike 15 Miles?


Written by Gary Johnson / Fact checked by Henry Speciale

how long does it take to bike 15 miles

Do You Have the Ultimate Willpower to Bike Down 15 Miles for 15 Minutes

Are you planning to improve your fitness through cycling? Are you wondering “how long does it take to bike 15 miles?”

If you’re like a pro who can go at 60mph without getting tired, then you can easily hit that mark quickly.

In general, a few factors must be considered before you can ace that mileage.

Factors to Consider

Is-biking-15-miles-Hard

The answer lies in your personal fitness level, road type, and bike type. If you are fit and have good endurance, and ride a road bike or a bike designed for optimum speed on a straight road that usually goes downhill, then you should have little trouble with 15 miles.

Speed greatly affects how fast you pedal to reach a 15-mile mark. The average speed you should go to reach a 15-mile mark for 15 minutes is 60 miles per hour, provided that there are no in-between breaks.

It may sound impossible, but you can easily reach 60mph to 80mph if your terrain goes downhill. Some even reach up to an unbelievable 100mph! Such speeds are not good for the faint-hearted, though.

Aside from speed, endurance also plays a part in your journey.

Professionals who compete in Tour de France, a renowned cycling competition, come with great skill, endurance, and overall fitness. This allows them to reach a certain mark as fast as lightning.

Since I’ve talked about roads before, let us move on to the next factor: the trail you are about to go through.

Are you cycling on flat asphalt highway streets? Or do you have to go through bumpy terrains and rough roads? It is important to note that you can reach your destination faster if the road is smooth and straight.

  • More Biking Durations

I cannot give a surefire digit for people with lower endurance, but I can tell a specific time range.

You can reach 15 miles after about 120 minutes when you cycle with your road bike on a flat, straight road. But, this varies completely if the path is rough and hilly. For rough roads, you can take an estimate of more than 3 hours. It can really be challenging.

Some people usually average 20 mph, which can be considered a good speed. For this one, you can easily reach the mark in around 45 mins.

  • Average Cyclists

Now that I’ve laid out additional durations to reach a 15-mile mark, let us delve deeper into the speed of an average person.

So, how fast can an average cyclist pedal their bike?

You cannot talk about average bike times to pedal a particular distance without watching regular rides.

An average biker who regularly commutes can reach an all-out speed of 25km/h or 15.5 miles per hour if we do the math. This speed usually goes for people biking with purpose, which is either to arrive at work on the dot or to get groceries before the store closes.

But for average cyclists that want to enjoy a bit of scenery and some casual biking, they can go for about 20 kilometers per hour or 12.5 miles per hour. I can say that this speed is already excellent for somebody who cycles often.

  • Average vs. Experienced Cyclists

We are now going to compare the speed of an average and an experienced cyclist.

Let’s say that one biker goes 10 or 12 miles per hour, which is way below the usual speed. By doing simple calculations, we will know that it will take 1.25 hours to 1.5 hours for beginner or slow bikers to complete a 15-mile trip.

A normal cyclist normally takes about 58 minutes up to an hour.

Lastly, pro cyclists will only take 30 minutes to finish 15 miles, given that the road comes with only a little bit of challenge of uphill and downhill adventures mixed with straight roads.

In the biking world, 15 miles is deemed a short distance. They usually consider 40 miles as the medium distance to build speeds from 16 to 19 mph.

However, bikers tend to go over greater speeds during long-distance trips. In these long journeys, they exceed 25 miles per hour.

All estimates that I have mentioned focus on flat terrains. It is important to note that hilly and rough terrains would take longer to bike.

  • Leisure cyclists

Crunching numbers may not be on the priority list for leisure cyclists, but it can also be a thing. If you love to bike your way to work or on almost every errand, counting numbers is an important hobby because it helps you finish tasks on time.

It is good to get a road bike for your day-to-day commute because you can effortlessly go to work and the grocery store.

If you love long bike trips, you can equip it for your journey and even get free exercise while you’re at it.

Benefits of Cycling

Is-biking-15-miles-a-day-good

Did You Know that People Who Love Commuting Usually Gain Dexterity and Skill

They also have a good judgment that allows them to ride swifter than an average joe. This type of person that uses regular road bikes moves with an average speed of 30 kilometers per hour or roughly 18.6 miles per hour.

To make cycling an exercise rather than for leisure purposes, you should bike for 30 minutes a day.

This activity acts as an excellent aerobic workout and is a good replacement for treadmills. You can bike your way to work, and I can assure you that it will be more than enough. However, do not go beyond 10 miles as you would run out of energy for work.

Since the bicycle bears most of your weight, your thighs and legs will be toned down. This is because these two body parts perform most of the work. Cycling may be a hard job, but it is definitely worth it.

From teens to adults that age above 50, every age group can benefit from the wonders of cycling. In fact, biking is an ideal low-impact exercise for adults because it toughens up their joints. This keeps any unwanted joint sickness like arthritis at bay.

If you feel that you do not fit in any of the duration speeds above, keep in mind that several factors come into consideration. So, what might work for you might not work for others and vice versa.

You have also seen how biking to your work can aid you. It does not matter if it’s 5 to 10 miles. It really works wonders on your body when you cycle from home to work, to school, or to the market.

Plus, you can even save the environment by doing so.

  • Boost Up Your Speed

To be a faster cyclist, you should train your body for endurance and upgrade your bike tire into something durable and designed to deliver optimum speed.

Some of the common sizes offered in a bike store are 26 by 1.5, 26 by 2.0, 700 by 25c, or 29 by 2.35. So to avoid dilemmas, it is best to write your bike’s tire size down before buying on physical stores or online.

Switching widths can also affect your trip. I tried to upgrade mine from a 26 by 1.5 tire into a 2.0 model, and it did not disappoint. Now I have a wider tire that can accommodate more air, keeping me comfortable and offering excellent control and traction on the road.

You can also add tire liners upon installation. These tools effectively prevent future flats so you can reach your destination at the right time. You do not even have to be stressed out about flat tires, even when going at great speeds.

Boosting up your speed also includes raising your energy levels, and we can never deny that energy drinks help us a lot in this endeavor. You can bring a SiS Go Electrolyte Energy Drink to give you the right boost when the trip seems tiring.

Wrapping it Up

Now that we answered your question, you’ll never have trouble estimating the time for your destination anymore. Just do not forget to remember the factors that come with your trip. This includes the bike type, road type, and your skill as a biker.

  • Enhance your biking skills, including your endurance and dexterity.
  • Upgrade your bike, so it hits the road faster.
  • When you start to feel drained, replenish your energy with the SiS Go Electrolyte Energy Drink during the trip
5/5 - (2 votes)