How long it takes to ride a set distance comes down to one number: your average speed. At 30 km/h, 40 km takes 1 hour 20 minutes, 90 km takes 3 hours and 180 km takes 6 hours. At 25 km/h, the same 180 km takes 7 hours 12 minutes.
This guide gives you the times for the distances people ask about most, explains what a realistic average speed looks like, and covers what to eat and drink once a ride goes past a couple of hours.
Answer first
- 40 km: about 1 h 20 min at 30 km/h, or 1 h 36 min at 25 km/h.
- 90 km (70.3 bike leg): about 3 h at 30 km/h, or 3 h 36 min at 25 km/h.
- 100 km: about 3 h 20 min at 30 km/h, or 4 h at 25 km/h.
- 180 km (Ironman bike leg): about 6 h at 30 km/h, or 7 h 12 min at 25 km/h.
The formula is simple: time = distance ÷ average speed. Riding 90 km at 28 km/h is 90 ÷ 28 = 3.21 hours, which is 3 hours 13 minutes.
Ride time by distance and average speed
Moving time only. Add time for stops, traffic lights and café breaks on a training ride.
| Distance | 20 km/h | 25 km/h | 28 km/h | 30 km/h | 32 km/h | 35 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 km | 1 h 00 min | 48 min | 43 min | 40 min | 38 min | 34 min |
| 40 km | 2 h 00 min | 1 h 36 min | 1 h 26 min | 1 h 20 min | 1 h 15 min | 1 h 09 min |
| 60 km | 3 h 00 min | 2 h 24 min | 2 h 09 min | 2 h 00 min | 1 h 52 min | 1 h 43 min |
| 90 km | 4 h 30 min | 3 h 36 min | 3 h 13 min | 3 h 00 min | 2 h 49 min | 2 h 34 min |
| 100 km | 5 h 00 min | 4 h 00 min | 3 h 34 min | 3 h 20 min | 3 h 08 min | 2 h 51 min |
| 120 km | 6 h 00 min | 4 h 48 min | 4 h 17 min | 4 h 00 min | 3 h 45 min | 3 h 26 min |
| 160 km | 8 h 00 min | 6 h 24 min | 5 h 43 min | 5 h 20 min | 5 h 00 min | 4 h 34 min |
| 180 km | 9 h 00 min | 7 h 12 min | 6 h 26 min | 6 h 00 min | 5 h 38 min | 5 h 09 min |
For any other distance or speed, use the free cycling speed calculator. It also works backwards: enter a goal time and it tells you the speed you need.
What average speed should you plan on?
Average speed depends on fitness, terrain, wind, the bike and whether you ride alone or in a group. As a rough guide for riding alone on mostly flat roads:
- Newer riders and relaxed rides: around 18 to 24 km/h.
- Regular club and fitness riders: around 25 to 30 km/h.
- Strong age-group triathletes on a TT bike: around 30 to 36 km/h on a flat course.
Hills and wind matter more than most people expect. A headwind or a long climb can take several km/h off your average, and you rarely win all of it back on the way down. If you are planning a race, use your average from a similar course rather than your best day on a flat loop.
How long is the bike leg in a triathlon?
- Sprint (20 km): 34 to 60 minutes for most athletes.
- Olympic (40 km): about 1 h 10 min to 2 h.
- 70.3 (90 km): about 2 h 30 min to 4 h 30 min.
- Ironman (180 km): about 5 h to 8 h, with the cut-off at most races sitting around 10 hours 30 minutes from the swim start. Check your race's athlete guide.
To predict a full race time with the swim, both transitions and the run, use the triathlon calculator.
Fuel and fluid for longer rides
Once a ride passes about 90 minutes, what you eat and drink starts to decide how the last hour feels. Some practical starting points:
- Plan carbohydrate per hour, not per ride. Many endurance athletes aim for 60 to 90 g of carbohydrate per hour on long rides, building up in training. See how many carbs per hour for cycling.
- Know your sweat rate. Fluid needs vary a lot between riders and with the weather. Weigh yourself before and after a ride and use the sweat rate calculator.
- Plan for the hottest part of the day, not the temperature when you leave home.
- Count your bottles. A 180 km ride at 30 km/h is six hours. Work out where you will refill before you set off.
The race fuel plan builder turns your ride time, weight, sweat rate and forecast into an hour-by-hour plan.
The short version
Divide the distance by your average speed. Most riders cover 40 km in 1 h 15 min to 1 h 40 min, 90 km in 3 to 3 h 40 min, and 180 km in 5 h 30 min to 7 h 15 min. Plan your fuel and fluid for the time you will actually be out there.
Important information
This article provides general information for healthy adult athletes and is not medical or coaching advice. Ride times are calculated moving times and will vary with terrain, weather, traffic and fitness.
Quick answers
How long does it take to cycle 180 km?
About 6 hours at an average of 30 km/h, 7 hours 12 minutes at 25 km/h, or 5 hours 9 minutes at 35 km/h. Divide the distance by your average speed.
How long does it take to cycle 90 km?
About 3 hours at 30 km/h, 3 hours 36 minutes at 25 km/h, or 2 hours 34 minutes at 35 km/h.
How long does it take to cycle 40 km?
About 1 hour 20 minutes at 30 km/h, 1 hour 36 minutes at 25 km/h, or 1 hour 9 minutes at 35 km/h.
What is a good average cycling speed?
On flat roads riding alone, newer riders often average 18 to 24 km/h, regular club riders 25 to 30 km/h, and strong age-group triathletes 30 to 36 km/h. Hills and wind lower it.