Assuming you are a beginner, this distance will take about 30 minutes. Keep in mind that this time can be affected by many factors such as your experience, fitness level, type of bike, type of road and weather.
I ride my bike to work every day, I have an idea of how long it can take to make short cycling trips. In this article you will learn and know the importance of the elements that can affect your trips, and thus measure your routes according to your plans.
How Long Does It Take To Bike 5 Miles?
To determine the time it takes to cover a distance by cycling, you need to know your average speed on your routes. This speed is directly related to our riding profile. An experienced cyclist will go faster on average than a beginner on his rides. Thus, the duration of a 5 miles ride will be more or less long. According to bikelockwiki the average speed of a cyclist is summarized as follows:
| Average Road Cycling Speeds (1hr Ride) | Time for 5 miles | |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner Cyclist | 8 – 12 mph (13 – 19 km/h) | ~ 30 min |
| Intermediate Cyclist | 12 – 16 mph (19 – 26 km/h) | ~ 21 min |
| Advanced Cyclist | 16 – 24 mph (26 – 39 km/h) | ~ 15 min |
| Professional Cyclist | >24 mph (>39 km/h) | < 12 min |
The conditions here have been imagined as flat roads with calm weather. Other factors may affect your time.
What Are Key Factors That Affects the Speed of a Bike?
Fitness
Cycling is an absolutely great exercise for your body and your health. As you practice, you will feel your cardio progress and see your results and performance improve. At first, with a modest level of fitness, it may seem a little difficult, but the progress you make is well worth it!
Your physical activity and fitness level play a key role in your ability to run longer or shorter distances. An advanced athlete will have an advantage over someone returning to the sport after a long break.
For the same distance, you will go faster after a few weeks of practice, as your body adapts and evolves.
As time goes on, the answer to the question “How long does it take to bike 5 miles?” will become a shorter and shorter time 🙂
Terrain & Road
The environment in which you cycle will strongly influence your travel time. A ride on a flat road will be infinitely faster than on a steep, hilly trail.
You should therefore take this into account when you plan to ride your bike, especially when you are a beginner. Then, little by little, you will feel more confident and extend the route, try a more technical road, try the country trails…
What is really great about cycling is that you are always progressing, as you are always discovering new things.
Type of Bike
Another important element in the duration of your rides is the type of bike you use. Having an unsuitable or poorly chosen bike will have a negative impact on your performance and your appreciation of the sport.
On the road, a road bike is ideal because it is designed exclusively for this use. Lighter and without suspensions, everything in the design of this bike is designed to improve and optimize your performance on the road, especially your speed.
While it is still possible to use a mountain bike on the road, the performance will not be the same, with the gap widening even more when the rider has an advanced profile.
Mountain bikes and hybrid bikes are more oriented to off-road riding, are heavier and allow for more ease of riding on more challenging trails.
Weather
Without going into detail about extreme conditions such as snow or windy situations, the weather during your rides impacts your performance. Doing the same ride in clear, calm weather or in the rain will not require the same amount of time because in our example, the rain will slow you down. You should not put yourself in danger by trying to achieve the same performance in different weather conditions, your safety must come first.
Is Biking 5 Miles in 30 Minutes Good?
That’s a good start! For a beginner rider it’s a good average. If you don’t manage to do it right away, don’t give up, keep practicing and you’ll see your progress day by day. In any case, you are doing good to your body by practicing these few minutes of sport!
Then little by little, aim to shorten this ride time. If some people do 5 miles in 20 minutes on a flat surface, why not you?
I’ll give you my personal example: if you only knew how much easier it is to get to work than it was at the beginning!
Is it Hard to Ride 5 Miles on a Bike?
Normally, not really. 5 miles is a good distance to cover for all levels and is generally attainable by the average person. If this is too easy for you, no problem! Try running 8, then 10. Little by little lengthen your wrinkles and enjoy this wonderful sport.
You can’t do it? Don’t panic! Aim for smaller, and with a little training you will get there, I promise you that the pride of the work done will be present.
Is 5 Miles a Long Bike Ride to Work?
It depends, if you have difficulties to start this distance I advise you not to start directly by going to work like this. Aim for a smaller distance, and as you progress, try cycling to work.
It also depends on whether you work in the city or the country, whether the route is flat or hilly. So many things to consider before making a decision.
What is Next?
Now that you know that when you first start cycling it will take you about 30min to cover 5 miles, make sure you have the right machine before you set off!
Read our guide on how to choose the right bike for your size!
