As technology becomes better, data is playing a major role in cycling. Some of the widest available data in the market discusses the average cycling speed by age. A better understanding of the average cycling speed by age makes it much easier for cyclists to assess their natural progression.
It also helps bike manufacturers get a better idea of the sort of gear and set up their particular bike requires. For example, a kids’ bike won’t need to deal with the same level of cycling power output as an adult bike.
However, the most significant advantage of learning about the average cycling speed by age is that it helps you measure your overall cycling ability and fitness. If you can manage a faster time than the average, then it’s a good indication of your overall cycling skills.
Even though the average cycling speed by age is a beneficial metric, it doesn’t paint the full picture. There are some factors that you need to consider while comparing your performance with the average cycling speed by age.
Here’s everything you need to know to understand average cycling speed by age properly.
What Factors aside from age Contribute to Average Bike Speed
Aside from the individual’s age, there are several other factors that contribute to their overall cycling speed. Here are the main features that you’ll have to keep an eye on to get a better understanding of your average bike speed.
Riding Conditions
One of the most important features contributing to the average biking speed is the type of road conditions the cyclist encounters. Just hearing someone’s average speed won’t give you the full picture.
For example, an individual living in a hilly area and managing an average speed of 25mph will be better than a cyclist who can manage 25mph on flat terrains.
It’s significantly more challenging for cyclists who live in hilly terrains to maintain a higher average speed than cyclists who predominantly ride on flat terrains.
Aside from the terrain, there are a few other things that impact the riding conditions.
One of the most important factors contributing to biking speed is the wind that the rider experiences. Some areas naturally experience a lot of high winds. Even a slight wind can have a significant impact on your average biking speed.
Whether it’s going to have a positive or negative impact on your average cycling speed depends on the direction of the wind. If the winds are going against the direction that you’re riding, you’ll encounter what’s known as a headwind.
On the other hand, if you’re getting wind in the direction of the bicycle, you’ll experience something known as a tailwind. Tailwind is beneficial and will help improve the overall speed of your bike.
Bike Type
Aside from age, another important factor that impacts overall biking speed is the type of bike that you’re riding. Certain bikes are designed to give you the best possible performance on a particular terrain, while the main purpose of some other bikes is to provide maximum levels of comfort.
Bikes are also designed for different terrains. A road bike will offer decent performance on the road but will struggle to get up to speed on any kind of rugged terrain. On the other hand, a gravel bike will do well on off-road terrains but will struggle to match up the same speed.
If you want to get a better idea of your maximum speed, make sure that you pick the right type of bike for the appropriate terrain. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get a max reading regardless of how much effort you put into cycling.
Overall Fitness
Most people start cycling to help improve their overall fitness. However, as your fitness improves, so will your average cycling speed. Even for cyclists just starting, their overall fitness plays a major role in how well they perform.
An individual who already engages in some form of cardiovascular activity can start with a potentially higher maximum speed than someone just starting with exercising.
However, there’s a significant difference between average cycling speed and maximum cycling speed. Someone with incredible leg strength will achieve a higher maximum speed but won’t be able to maintain a high average cycling speed.
On the other hand, someone with decent cardio will be able to manage a much higher average biking speed for much longer. As you cycle more, it’s only natural that your overall fitness will increase, and so will your longevity as a cyclist.
Cycling Experience
On a similar note, as overall fitness, your cycling experience will also have an impact on your average biking speed. When you’re just starting out with cycling, your form and skill level will prevent you from reaching your max potential.
As you cycle more and become more comfortable with your bike, your average biking speed will only increase. Most cyclists don’t realize this, but their form plays a massive role in pedaling effectively.
Using the incorrect form is inefficient and means that you’ll lose power as you cycle forward. As you gain more experience, you’ll also be able to engage in better training. You’ll also be able to respond better to the training inputs and improve exponentially.
Bike Condition
Most beginner cyclists don’t take bicycle maintenance seriously. That’s why cyclists start off with a higher average speed in certain situations, and then it slows down over time. One of the reasons why the average bike speed might go down is the overall bike condition.
A poorly serviced bike will suffer issues along the chain and drivetrain. These issues will increase the overall resistance that the bike will experience, which slows you down.
Bicycle maintenance is essential to ensuring that you can achieve a decent average speed on your bike.
Average Cycling Speed According to Age
Now that you have a fair understanding of what other factors can contribute to the average cycling speed. Let’s take a look at the impact of age. To make things easier, we’ll be discussing the average cycling speed by age by dividing it into four sections; Kids, Teenagers, Adults, and Seniors. Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the average cycling speed
Average Cycling Speed by Age for Kids
Most people start their cycling journey while they’re still a kid. Some kids even start cycling from when they’re three years old. Generally, on average, a child can manage a speed of around 7.0mph!
A 7 to 8 year old can manage slightly higher with an average cycling speed of around 7.2 mph! As the kids reach age 9-10, they can manage around 8mph, while older kids can generally manage around 8.5mph!
These are generally the average cycling speeds by age for kids. Some kids may be able to cycle faster than this, while others might be slower.
It’s much more challenging to measure the average cycling speed for kids because there’s not extensive data on the subject matter. Kids shouldn’t cycle for more than an hour regardless.
Once children cross the age of 10, there’s a very significant increase in their average cycling speed. 10-11 year old kids are capable of reaching an average cycling speed of almost 10mph!
Average Cycling Speed by Age for Teenagers
Once kids reach their teenage years, they start to develop physically, which greatly increases their average cycling speed. Kids from the age of 13 can maintain an average speed between 10-15mph.
More experienced kids will generally be able to manage a higher average speed, while those that are just getting into cycling will be at the lower end of the spectrum.
Around this point, the average speed statistics for males and females start to divulge greatly as men are more capable of generating explosive power, which is essential to how fast you can go on a cycle.
The average speed you manage to maintain as a teenager is also a good indicator of how well you’re going to do when you’re an adult. Teenagers who maintain an average speed of 15mph can well and truly expect to achieve an average cycling speed of 20-25mph as adults!
Average Cycling Speed by Age for Adults
Many experts believe that between the ages of 20 and 30, a human reaches their physical and biological prime. Here’s when you can expect to reach your maximum potential as a cyclist.
We’ll be looking at the average cycling speed statistics for both men and women individually because there’s a greater discrepancy in their average speed from this point!
Average Cycling Speed by Age for Male Adults
Here’s a breakdown of the average speed of male adult cyclings
| AGE | AVERAGE SPEED |
| 18-20 | 16mph |
| 20-25 | 19mph |
| 25-30 | 21mph |
| 30-35 | 20mph |
| 35-40 | 18mph |
From the age of 18-25, there’s a consistent increase in the average cycling speed for men. After the age of 30, though, athletic performance in most adults will start to decrease.
It’s possible for cyclists to maintain their cycling speed as they grow older. However, after a certain threshold, everyone’s speed will start to decrease.
Average Cycling Speed for Senior Cyclists
| AGE | AVERAGE SPEED |
| 40-45 | 17.1mph |
| 45-50 | 14.5mph |
| 55-60 | 13.7mph |
| 60-65 | 11.5mph |
As humans grow older, it’s only natural that a dip in their performance occurs. After the age of 40, there’s a steep decline in the overall cycling speed, which is only natural. Naturally, there are certain outliers that can maintain a steady average cycling speed for longer, but it’s quite natural for athletic performance to decrease with age.
Even though athletic performance will decrease over time, cycling is still an excellent exercise for senior cyclists. It’s great for your overall cardiovascular health.
This is generally the breakdown for average cycling speed by age, and you can use this to get a better idea of your performance.
How to Measure Average Cycling Speed
There are two main ways that you can measure your average biking speed. First is the traditional manner. You’ll need some form of device that’ll help you measure distance and time. A smartphone can effectively help you do both.
Once you map out the route distance and get the time down, you’ll be able to calculate your speed by using the Speed = Distance / Time formula. After you make a few runs, you can measure your average cycling speed by using the formula; (Add up Total Speed) / Number of Runs.
Alternatively, you can also choose to invest in a bike computer that can provide you with much more accurate speed readings. There are plenty of different bike computers on the market; the most advanced will provide you with detailed cycling metrics on various factors.
Whichever way you use, you’ll be able to use the results to get a better idea of how well you’re performing.
Tips that can Help Improve your Average Biking Speed!
No hard and fast rule claims you have to reach a cycling speed that’s above the average for your age. However, following these tips can be incredibly helpful if you’re looking to increase your cycling speed.
It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out with your cycling or are stuck at a certain wall in your performance. There’s something in these tips that anyone can use to improve their performance.
Here are the best tips that you can use to increase your overall cycling performance.
Improve Form
While an experienced cyclist might already have good cycling form, beginners especially will benefit the most from this trip.
One of the biggest detriments to your overall average speed is wind resistance when you’re on a cycle. The more wind resistance you experience, the more difficult it’ll become for you to actually manage a high average speed.
To avoid the level of air resistance you encounter, the best tactic is to reduce your frontal area, so it’s easier for you to slice through the wind. The more surface area you present, the more air resistance you’ll experience.
The simplest way you can improve your body position is by leaning forward on the bike and tucking in your elbows. When you sit up straight and flare out your elbows, it increases your overall surface area, and you encounter more excellent air resistance.
Alternatively, when you lean forward and tuck in your elbows, you reduce the overall surface area and the level of air resistance you encounter. While most intermediate-level cyclists will already know these tips, beginners will benefit significantly by adopting these tips.
Invest in Gear
If you’ve been cycling for a while and can’t seem to increase your average biking speed any further, investing in proper gear can make a world of difference. If you’re wearing baggy clothing and a standard off-the-shelf helmet, then you’re going to encounter high levels of air resistance.
By opting for proper cycling gear and a more aerodynamic helmet, you can significantly reduce the amount of drag that you experience. The end result is a noticeable increase in your average biking speed.
Get some Headphones
While it might go against overall riding safety standards, if you want to test out your maximum average cycling speed, getting some headphones can help you reach higher speeds. However, you have to be very careful while using this tip.
Beginner cyclists should make sure that all their senses are engaged so they can cycle with maximum safety. However, some experts actually recommend that cyclists try riding with their headphones. When they can’t hear cars coming, they’re more likely to fall into the habit of looking over their shoulder more frequently.
Putting safety aside, there are significant amounts of research that showcases the effectiveness of music in reducing the perception of effort levels. Fast and upbeat music can effectively block out several fatigue-related symptoms.
The bottom line is that you’ll be able to pedal harder without even really noticing the difference in effort. The more power you put into pedaling, the faster your bike will go! Music can also be effective for helping you maintain a consistent average speed for longer.
Music with beats that match up to optimal cycling cadence can be very useful for helping you pedal harder for longer by simply staying in rhythm. Even if you don’t want to use headphones while riding on the road, you can get in a few good sessions on an indoor bike!
Keep Bike in Optimal Riding Shape
Another aspect that has a significant impact on your riding speed is the overall condition of your bike. If the bike isn’t in decent condition, it won’t provide you with the most optimal speed statistics.
Make sure that you conduct proper maintenance on your bike every few weeks. The maintenance includes:
- Checking the wheels for any potential damage.
- Ensuring that the tires are inflated to an optimal level.
- Checking the bike chain for signs of rust.
When your bike’s in the best possible condition, it’ll positively impact your average cycling speed.
Ride with Partners
If you ride with a few training partners, it can help improve your average cycling speed in a few ways. Firstly, you can ride in the middle of the group to help reduce the air resistance you encounter.
When you ride behind a cyclist, you’ll encounter low levels of air resistance which will greatly increase your overall cycling ability. Aside from reducing the amount of air resistance you encounter, a good training partner can also help you during training.
They’ll encourage you to cycle further and faster than you normally would on your own. The more you step outside your comfort zone, the more your performance will improve.
Improve Cardio
Aside from cycling, you can do a few other exercises to help improve your overall cardio. The better your cardio, the longer you’ll be able to maintain consistent power output. Consequently, your average speed will remain at a high level.
The most effective way of improving your cardio is by engaging in progressive overload. Look to gradually increase the level of the distance you cover, be it while you’re cycling or going out for a run. That way, you’ll be able to optimize your performance.
Can senior cyclists improve their average biking speed?
It’s definitely possible for a senior cyclist to improve their average biking speed by following these tips. Taking care of your health and muscles can help ensure that your cycling performance doesn’t decline.
By following tips like improving cycling form and cycling in groups, even senior cyclists can work towards improving their cycling speed.
