How fast is that on a bike?

Cycling speed is almost entirely a fight with air. Above about 25 km/h, most of your effort goes into moving air aside.

89% of a club rider

25 km/h is faster than 3 of the 7 references on this page.

recumbent streamliner record145 km/hhour record56.8 km/hTour de France average40.7 km/hclub rider28.1 km/hYou25 km/hfit recreational rider22 km/hcity commuter15.8 km/hleisurely ride13 km/h

Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.

Every reference on this page, with its size and its ratio to your number
Reference Size Yours ÷ theirs Note
leisurely ride 13 km/h 1.93× 13 km/h
city commuter 15.8 km/h 1.58× 16 km/h
fit recreational rider 22 km/h 1.14× 22 km/h
club rider 28.1 km/h 0.89× 28 km/h
Tour de France average 40.7 km/h 0.615× 40.6 km/h over three weeks
hour record 56.8 km/h 0.44× 56.79 km in one hour
recumbent streamliner record 145 km/h 0.172× 144.17 km/h

Worth knowing

  • At 30 km/h roughly 80% of a cyclist’s power goes into aerodynamic drag. That is why a fairing more than doubles the record.
  • The Tour de France has averaged over 40 km/h for the whole race since 1999 — including mountains.

Frequently asked

What is a good average cycling speed?

For a fit recreational rider on flat roads, 22–25 km/h. Club riders hold 28–32 in a group, where drafting saves about 30% of the effort.

Why is drafting worth so much?

Because the rider in front leaves a pocket of moving air behind them. Sitting in it cuts drag by 25–40%, which at racing speed is most of the work.

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