What is a good average cycling speed?
Find out what speed to expect from yourself or your group, and how to plan arrival times on hilly or windy days.
The short answer
A good average cycling speed is around 20 km/h (12 mph) for a recreational ride: the median ride in Strava's 2024 report was 19.6 km/h. Club grades put steady groups at 19–22 km/h (12–14 mph) and fast ones at 29 km/h (18 mph) or more on flat roads. Hills, wind, rough surfaces and stops all pull it down.
Key takeaways
- The median ride logged on Strava in its 2024 report averaged 19.6 km/h (12.2 mph).
- Club pace grades describe flat roads without breaks, so expect less on hilly routes.
- At the same effort, 1,000 m of climbing can cut a 25 km/h rider's 100 km average to 17.8 km/h.
- Compare moving average with moving average; stops belong in your arrival time, not your fitness.
Definitions
- Moving average speed
- Distance divided by the time you were actually moving, leaving out stops.
- Elapsed average speed
- Distance divided by the whole time from start to finish, including café stops and traffic lights.
- Pace grade
- A club's label for how fast a group ride goes, usually a speed range on flat roads without breaks.
What is a good average cycling speed?
A good average cycling speed for most recreational riders is around 20 km/h (12 mph). Fit club riders often average 25 km/h (15.5 mph) or more on flat roads, and racers far more. What counts as good depends on the route, the wind and whether you count your stops, which is why speed matters so much when you're planning a cycling tour.
Club pace grades are the most useful yardstick. They're written for flat roads without breaks.
| Rider or ride | Average, km/h (mph) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday riding in Germany, conventional bike | 15.3 (9.5) | German Naturalistic Cycling Study, 2017 |
| British Cycling guided ride, "Steady" | 11–16 (7–10) | Let's Ride, 2026 |
| British Cycling guided ride, "Challenging" | 18–26 (11–16) | Let's Ride, 2026 |
| Median ride on Strava, worldwide | 19.6 (12.2) | Strava Year in Sport, 2024 |
| Cascade Bicycle Club, "Steady" group pace | 19–22.5 (12–14) | Cascade, 2026 |
| Cascade Bicycle Club, "Vigorous" group pace | 29–32 (18–20) | Cascade, 2026 |
| Tour de France 2026, race average | 43.3 (26.9) | Escape Collective, 2026 |
What do real riders actually average?
Real riders average less than many online guides suggest. The median ride in Strava's 2024 Year in Sport report was 19.6 km/h (12.2 mph), worldwide. Spanish riders were faster than the global figure, at 21.0 km/h (13.0 mph).
Everyday riding is slower again. The German Naturalistic Cycling Study fitted bikes with sensors and followed 90 riders for four weeks. Conventional bikes averaged 15.3 km/h (9.5 mph), pedelecs 17.4 km/h (10.8 mph) and fast S-pedelecs 24.5 km/h (15.2 mph). Those trips include junctions and traffic.
Club grades fill the gap. In Wales, Cycling UK's Swansea group runs "Touring" rides at 16–18 km/h (10–11 mph) and "Sportive" rides at 22.5–26 km/h (14–16 mph) or faster. In Seattle, USA, Cascade Bicycle Club grades "Moderate" at 22.5–26 km/h (14–16 mph).
Want this for your own route? Windline shows the wind for every stretch, timed to your pace. Free. Make a free ride page →
How do hills, wind, surface, groups and stops change your average?
Each one can move your average more than you'd guess. The table holds one rider's effort steady over the same 100 km (62 miles) and changes one thing at a time, using the standard road-cycling power model.
| What changes | Rider A: time, average km/h (mph) | Rider B: time, average km/h (mph) |
|---|---|---|
| Flat, calm, no stops | 4h00, 25.0 (15.5) | 3h20, 30.0 (18.6) |
| 1,000 m (3,280 ft) of climbing | 5h36, 17.8 (11.1) | 4h15, 23.5 (14.6) |
| Out and back in a 20 km/h (12 mph) wind | 4h39, 21.5 (13.4) | 3h44, 26.7 (16.6) |
| Rougher surface (rolling resistance doubled) | 4h35, 21.8 (13.6) | 3h40, 27.2 (16.9) |
| 45 minutes of stops, counted in the average | 4h45, 21.1 (13.1) | 4h05, 24.5 (15.2) |
| Sitting in a paceline (70% of solo drag) | 3h37, 27.7 (17.2) | 3h00, 33.4 (20.7) |
Climbing hurts most because you spend so long going slowly. Rider A climbs a 5% slope at 7.3 km/h (4.5 mph), so 20 km (12 miles) of climbing takes 2 hours 44 minutes, and the fast descent gives back only a fraction. Wind works the same way: the headwind leg lasts far longer than the tailwind leg, as our article on how much a headwind slows you down shows.
Groups cut both ways. Drafting lifts the speed of everyone sitting in, but regroups, punctures and café stops lower the elapsed average.
Why is speed the wrong target on hilly or windy days?
Because the same effort gives a very different number. Chasing your flat-road average into a headwind or up a climb means riding far harder than you planned.
Cascade Bicycle Club makes the same point in its own grades. For rides marked hilly, it advises choosing a pace one step down from your usual comfort level.
- Pace by effort. Use power, heart rate or breathing, and accept whatever speed that effort gives.
- Compare like with like. Judge your fitness on similar routes in similar wind, using moving average speed.
How do you estimate arrival times with climbs and stops?
Work stretch by stretch, not from one average for the whole route. A single number hides where you'll be slow.
- Start with your flat-road moving speed in still air, from rides you've done.
- Split the route into short stretches, a few kilometres each, and note the climbing in each.
- Slow the climbs and speed up the descents, but cap descents for bends and braking.
- Adjust for wind: slower where it's in your face, faster where it's behind you.
- Add the stops where you'll take them: cafés, regroups, water.
- Add it all up from your start time, to know when you'll reach each place.
That last step is what links speed to the weather. Once you know when you'll reach each stretch, you can read the forecast for that place at that hour. It also helps you pick the best time to start a long ride.
## How do you choose the right pace for a group ride?Pick the grade you can hold for the whole distance, not your best day. Club grades describe flat roads without breaks, so step down one grade if the route is hilly or the forecast is windy.
If you lead the ride, publish the grade in advance and plan the timing for the day's conditions. Our checklist for organising a group bike ride covers pace groups and regroups, and cycling in the wind explains how wind changes the work.
Frequently asked questions
Is 25 km/h a good average speed on a bike?
Yes. A 25 km/h (15.5 mph) moving average on a solo road ride is well above the 19.6 km/h (12.2 mph) median in Strava's 2024 report. Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle grades 22.5–26 km/h (14–16 mph) as a "Moderate" group pace on level ground. On a hilly or windy route, a lower number can mean the same fitness.
How much faster is an e-bike than a normal bike?
Less than you might expect. In the German Naturalistic Cycling Study, riders of pedelecs, which assist up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph), were on average 2 km/h (1.2 mph) faster than riders of conventional bikes. Riders of S-pedelecs, which assist up to 45 km/h (28 mph), were 9 km/h (5.6 mph) faster. The study tracked 90 riders on their everyday journeys.
Does Strava's average speed include stops?
Usually not. Strava says it generally prioritises moving time, and pace based on moving time, in its feed, activity pages and stats. It works out moving time from your GPS data, using a speed threshold to decide when you're resting. Your bike computer may use a different method, so the two can disagree. Compare moving averages with moving averages.
Do older cyclists ride slower?
On average, yes. In the German Naturalistic Cycling Study, riders aged 65 and over averaged 13.9 km/h (8.6 mph) on conventional bikes, against 16.6 km/h (10.3 mph) for riders aged 40 and under. Riders aged 41 to 64 sat in between, at 15.8 km/h (9.8 mph). The authors found the over-65s rode significantly slower than younger participants.
How long does it take to cycle 100 km?
About 4 to 5 hours of moving time for a fit road rider at 20–25 km/h (12–15.5 mph) on flat roads, plus your stops. Add more for climbing and wind: at the same effort, 1,000 m (3,280 ft) of climbing turns a four-hour ride into about 5 hours 36 minutes. Our guide on [how far you can cycle in a day](/blog/how-far-can-you-cycle-in-a-day/) covers longer days.
Get the wind for your ride.
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Make a free ride page →Sources and method
- Escape Collective (2024). A year of Strava in review (Strava Year in Sport 2024 report)
- Brújula Bike (2024). Strava Report 2024: Spanish cyclists are faster than the global average
- Safety Science (2017). The German Naturalistic Cycling Study: comparing cycling speed of riders of different e-bikes and conventional bicycles (Schleinitz, Petzoldt, Franke-Bartholdt, Krems and Gehlert)
- European Transport Safety Council (2023). Older cyclists and e-bike riders: what's same, what's different? (presentation by Katja Schleinitz, with the study's speed table)
- Cascade Bicycle Club (2026). Ride classifications
- British Cycling (Let's Ride) (2026). HSBC UK Guided Rides – choosing the right ride level
- Cycling UK Swansea and West Wales (2025). Ride grading system
- Strava Support (2026). Moving time, speed, and pace calculations
- Journal of Applied Biomechanics (1998). Validation of a mathematical model for road cycling power (Martin, Milliken, Cobb, McFadden and Coggan)
- Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics (2018). Aerodynamic drag in cycling pelotons: new insights by CFD simulation and wind tunnel testing (Blocken et al.)
- Escape Collective (2026). The 2026 Tour was the fastest in history
Real-world averages are quoted from the sources listed; imperial values are our conversions (1 mile = 1.609 km). The worked 100 km (62-mile) table uses the standard road-cycling power model (Martin et al., 1998) with the same assumptions as our headwind article: rider, bike and kit 86 kg (190 lb), drag area 0.32 m², rolling resistance coefficient 0.005, air density 1.225 kg/m³, drivetrain efficiency 97.5%, steady power and no wind unless stated. Rider A holds 97 W (25 km/h, 15.5 mph, on the flat); rider B holds 152 W (30 km/h, 18.6 mph). Climbing case: 60 km flat, 20 km up a steady 5% and 20 km down it, with descents capped at 45 km/h (28 mph) for braking and bends. Wind case: 50 km straight into a 20 km/h (12 mph) wind and 50 km back with it. Rough-surface case: rolling resistance doubled to 0.010 for the whole ride, as an illustration rather than a measured value for any surface. Stops case: 45 minutes added to the flat ride's moving time. Paceline case: drag area cut to 70% of solo, the upper end of the 50–70% range in Blocken et al. (2018). Real riders usually push harder uphill, so the climbing loss is smaller in practice.
About the author
Wes Thomson, Founder, Windline. Wes Thomson builds Windline, live wind and weather forecasts timed to when riders reach each stretch of road. He built it for his own 2,093 km tour from Pont Drift to Cape Town, and writes these guides with the same focus: what the wind will do to your ride, and how to plan around it.