There are a variety of ways to exercise, and it really depends on what works for you. One popular way to exercise is by biking or cycling. This is a common type of working out you’ll find people doing every day. Whether it’s on the street, through the neighborhood, or a bike trail, people like to ride their bikes. Usually, people tend to set goals in miles when they bike (and run but that’s an article for another day).
Now if you are new to biking, even just one mile is going to seem daunting. If you are a frequent biker, you may only feel like doing a few miles now and then. After deciding to bike that first mile, the next question is how long is it even going to take me to bike a mile, anyway?
Based on skill level, how long does it take to bike a mile?
The time you end up spending biking a mile depends partly on your skill level. It takes about three to four minutes on average for someone to bike that one mile. If you are on a professional level, then it could take as little as two. However, should your skill level fall into the intermediate category you’ll take the average time.
A person being a beginner at biking is going to take the longest amount of time to complete one mile. They might spend as much as six minutes or more depending on certain factors.
So really, the time you’ll spend biking a mile can vary. There’s nothing wrong with taking a decent amount of time to complete it, either. You want to go at a pace you are comfortable with and if you feel like going faster, then go for it!
Either way, you are exercising.
What are some factors in how fast or slow you bike?
So, you know how long it could take you to bike a mile and that experience level can play in part in how fast or slow you go. However, there are other things that can play a part as well in affecting your speed.
One thing that can play a part is your fitness. If you are a person who doesn’t always exercise or engage in much physical activity, then it’s going to take a hot minute (or six) to bike a mile. On the flip side if you are a person who frequently exercises, then you’ll be more successful in finishing the mile quicker.
The type of bike you use and trail/location you are biking on also plays a big part. There are bikes that are built for different terrain so depending on what you use, you might end up going slower than intended! Trail wise if the trail is flat, rather than uphill you’ll have an easier time. If you’re curious about what bikes are best for what terrain, you can check out some more information here.
Finally, something as simple as weather can also affect your speed. Wind is going to make it difficult to go fast and rain could make it too dangerous to increase your speed.
How can you improve your speed?
Even if you have a slow speed, there are things you can do to improve your overall speed while biking. The only exception to this is if the weather is causing you to be slow because no one can control the weather. Not yet at least.
The easiest way to improve your speed is to get a fast bike. Simple enough, right? Well, you really need to do your research. Besides that, you want to make sure you are maintaining the bike properly. Keeping your bike in tip-top shape will make sure it is working to the best of its ability!
Training and working on your stamina is an obvious way to improve your speed, but not one that is easy to achieve. This takes practice, time, and more practice. However, if you can stick with it, you’ll be surprised at how fast you can go!
Finally, some simple little tricks you could do are pedaling more, bending, and tucking elbows, and breaking less. These are just a few things you could do that will help you complete a mile in the shortest time imaginable.
What types of bikes should you use to bike a mile?
The type of bike you want to use when biking a mile depends on the type of surface on which you are riding. Say you are riding on a paved road or bike path, well the bikes you’ll want to use are road, hybrid, or electric bikes. The last two are also good for pavement and natural surfaces such as grass.
When riding on different types of roads (meaning you are going from one type of surface to the other), then you’ll want a gravel or touring bike. Now if it’s a dirt road or dirt trail, you’ll want to use a mountain bike. An electric bike will work too, but you can’t go wrong with a mountain bike.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to buy these specific bikes depending on the terrain you’re biking on. However, it will make your biking experience easier if you choose a bike that is built for a specific terrain.
Conclusion
And there we have it. You’ve not only learned how long it can take a mile but also the things that can affect how long it may take you to complete one mile on a bike. These factors can play a big part in how fast or slow you are going. However, there are ways to improve your speed, which includes using a certain bike and training to increase stamina.
Remember, it’s never too late to pick up biking, and it doesn’t matter your motivation for starting. Just go pick a bike! Well, for some groups it’s easy to find a bike while for others it’s not. If you are a short woman, like me, you’ll want to look at these bikes for short women and if you are a little on the overweight side, you can check out bikes for overweight females.
Soon you’ll be biking that mile faster than you ever could’ve imagined!
By Jennifer Smith
