What this calculator works out
This calculator divides distance by average speed to give cycling time, plus an allowance for stops.
Average speed on a bicycle is more variable than on foot. Wind, gradient, traffic lights and bike type move it far more than most people account for.
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Before you plan a ride
- 18 km/h is a reasonable leisure average on mixed roads. Commuting through a town is often 15; a fit rider on a road bike may average 25 or more.
- Average speed includes stopping. An urban route with frequent lights averages far below its moving speed.
- Headwind costs more than a hill of equivalent effort, because it never ends.
- The stops allowance should include punctures, junctions and any planned café.
A hill has a summit and a descent that returns some of the effort. A headwind does neither — it applies for the whole leg, and the return is rarely as fast as the outward was slow, because you spend longer riding into it than with it. Planning a ride out into the wind and back with it is the standard response.
How this calculator works
Distance divided by speed, plus stops:
Minutes = distance ÷ average speed × 60 + stop minutesThe arithmetic is identical to the walking calculator. What differs is the sensitivity: a 20% change in walking pace is unusual, whereas a 20% change in cycling speed is an ordinary difference between a still day and a windy one.
Worked example: twenty kilometres
Using the default figures — 20 km at 18 km/h with 10 minutes of stops:
- Riding time: 66.7 minutes
- Total: 76.7 minutes
Drop the average to 14 km/h — a moderate headwind or a heavily laden bike — and riding time becomes 86 minutes, nearly 20 minutes longer for the same distance. That is why route planning apps that use a fixed average are unreliable for a specific day, and why checking the wind direction before choosing which way round to ride a loop is worth doing.
Common mistakes
- Using moving speed as average speed. Junctions and lights reduce the average substantially.
- Planning a loop without checking the wind. Ride out into it and back with it.
- Ignoring gradient on an unfamiliar route. Elevation profiles are published by most route planners.
- Not allowing for a mechanical. A puncture costs 10 to 20 minutes at best.
- Forgetting lights and daylight. A ride that overruns needs them.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical cycling speed?
For a leisure rider on mixed roads, 15 to 20 km/h as an average including stops. Urban commuting is often 12 to 15 because of junctions. A fit rider on a road bike may average 25 to 30 on open roads. Electric bikes typically raise the average to around 20 to 25 regardless of rider fitness, since assistance is capped at 25 km/h in the UK.
Does an e-bike change the calculation?
It raises and stabilises the average rather than transforming it — UK law limits motor assistance to 25 km/h, above which you are riding unassisted. The main effect is on hills and headwinds, where an e-bike removes most of the variability that makes ordinary cycling times hard to predict.
How much does a hill slow me down?
Considerably more than the descent speeds you up. Climbing is limited by power output, which for most riders means a few km/h on a steep gradient; descending is limited by safety and road conditions, and the time saved is much shorter than the time lost. A hilly route always takes longer than a flat one of the same distance.
What do I need for riding after dark?
By law in the UK, a white front light and a red rear light, a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors when riding between sunset and sunrise. Beyond the legal minimum, being seen matters more than seeing — reflective clothing and a rear light with a distinctive pattern make a substantial difference.
Is what I enter stored?
No. Figures are processed in your browser and never transmitted or retained.
Related tools
References
- GOV.UK — Highway Code rules for cyclists, lighting requirements and e-bike law
- Met Office — wind forecasts, which affect cycling times more than any other factor
Sources are checked at publication and can change — how I choose and check references.