There is no denying that cycling is one of the healthiest activities available today. This fun habit helps you relax, lose weight, stay in shape, and more. As a result, most cyclists set a goal that they aspire to achieve through cycling.
Regardless of your goal, it is essential to have a good plan. This includes the number of miles you will have to ride each day. Spending too much time cycling will do you more harm than good, while spending too little time will not affect you at all.
In general, if you don’t engage in any other physical activity, cycling 5 miles a day is best. However, depending on your goal, you can increase your limit day by day.
In this article, we will help you find the answer to “How many miles should I bike a day?” So, let’s dive right in!
How Many Miles Is a Good Bike Ride
As mentioned above, setting goals will spice up your routine and make your hobbies more enjoyable. Here are some of the most common goals:
1. Stay Fit
If you want to stay in shape or slowly get back to shape after an illness or injury, you should cycle for at least 30 minutes or 5 miles per day.
2. Lose Weight
If your purpose of cycling is to lose weight, it can be difficult to determine how many miles is a good bike ride. The number of calories you burn will depend on your speed and distance.
As mentioned above, it is best to start with 5 miles a day. Then, once you get used to it, increase the bike riding distance.
According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), you must cycle at a moderate pace for at least half an hour before resting if you want to lose weight. So, you will need to cycle longer to burn more calories.
3. Prepare For An Event
If you cycle to prepare for a special event, such as a race, you will have to do better than completing 5 miles per day. So instead, challenge your limits by achieving 10 to 15 miles per day. Don’t forget to check your progress regularly.
Things to Consider When Biking
1. Your Health & Fitness Level
- Your current health condition
Your current state of health is the most crucial factor to consider when cycling. Specifically, you need to assess your current health condition and age when determining the average bike ride length you can complete each day.
A 20-year-old can easily cycle more miles than a 70-year-old. Specifically, younger people, with their optimal fitness, can complete 10 miles per hour. Meanwhile, it is best to start slow and gradually increase the distance if you’re past your time. As far as health is concerned, you should contact your doctor before you start cycling.
- Your fitness level
If you are regularly physically active, completing 20 miles of cycling per day might seem like an easy task for you. You can even cycle further than that, as long as your body can handle it. Over time, you will soon complete 100 miles per day.
However, if cycling isn’t a regular part of your routine, you need to take things slowly. It is a good idea to start trips as minimum as 5 miles per day. Then you can go further as your fitness gets better.
2. Bike type
Bike type is another important factor that determines how much biking mileage you can get a day.
If you have to go through rough and challenging roads, road bikes are the perfect pick for you. However, they are not as convenient as electronic bikes, even though they are more reliable and efficient for long rides.
If you choose an electric bike, you can go faster without putting in much energy and effort. Moreover, since these bikes will not take much of your energy, they allow you to go even further.
A gravel or mountain bike will slow you down, resulting in reduced bike riding distance. The type of bike you choose will determine how much energy you will use for your cycling trip.
So, if you are a beginner or have health problems, it is best to start with an electric bike.
3. Habit of Riding
One of the most common rookie mistakes is trying to hit a challenging goal on their first day.
You should not try to hit a long bike riding distance in your first week. Don’t push yourself too hard even if you believe you can do it! It is best to start small and gradually increase your goals over time.
4. Location
There is no denying that the difficulty level of cycling depends almost entirely on the type of terrain you ride. For example, on a flat road, cycling 5 miles a day is like a breeze.
On the other hand, completing the 5-mile distance will be a challenge if you have to cycle in the route that includes climbing hills and rocky terrains. However, this allows you to build strength and burn more calories.
The higher the intensity, the more calories you will lose. As a result, you should choose tough terrain if you want to increase fitness or lose weight.
Know When Should You Increase Miles a Day
It’s essential to know your fitness level to set a reasonable riding limit to avoid getting overwhelmed. Also, you need to be ready to increase your average biking distance.
Complete 5 miles of cycling every day within the first month. Once you can complete this in less time, it is time to push your limits further. Cycling 7 miles a day is probably the next achievement you should conquer after that.
If you’re looking to lose weight or prepare for a race, consider increasing your biking mileage a little bit each day, depending on your fitness level.
Pro Tips
- Stay motivated but don’t overdo it to the point of exhaustion or feeling nauseous. You don’t want to create another problem, right?
- Get everything you need for your bike ride, such as bike shorts, gloves, helmet, water bottle.
- Attempt to cycle in all types of terrains.
- Cycling 5 miles four to five days a week instead of riding long distances for one or two days a week. Maintain this to keep your muscles active throughout the week.
- Combine long & moderate-paced rides with short & fast sprints.
- Take advantage of modern devices, such as smart bike trainers, GPS devices, heart rate monitors, and other tools for the best result.
- Have fun while biking and consider it as a leisure activity. You should enjoy the view to avoid feeling bored.
- Be persistent! It’s not easy to achieve the goal, is it? Ideally, cycle three or four times a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will I lose weight biking 10 miles a day?
The short answer is yes!
Cycling 10 miles every day will help your metabolism to burn fat away. However, if you are a beginner, we recommend completing 5 miles per day for the first month.
2. How long should I bike for a good workout?
Plan to get on your bike and ride for 30-60 minutes, 3-5 days a week. It would be best if you started every ride with a warm-up. Pedal at a slow, easy pace for about 10 minutes. After that, boost your speed, so you start to sweat.
3. How to avoid feeling bored while cycling?
It’s not easy to avoid feeling bored when you ride the same distance every day. So, the best thing is discovering new places to motivate yourself. Setting up a group ride with your friends is also a great idea.
4. If I am someone with underlying health conditions, can I cycle every day?
If you have arthritis, asthma, or any other health problem, you can also participate in cycling. However, you must consult with your doctor to create a suitable plan for your health condition. We recommend completing 3 miles per day.
Verdict
Setting up goals will make cycling more challenging and enjoyable. Determining your average cycling distance per day is the ideal way to measure your progress.
In general, as a regular cyclist, 10 miles per day is the ideal distance. If you are a beginner, start by completing 5 miles per day. No one can really tell you exactly how many miles should I bike a day (except your doctor). However, we hope that our article can give you some good ideas.
In short, it is wise to start at a comfortable point and gradually increase the goal.
Thank you for reading! Have a nice trip!