How can I estimate the duration of a long bicycle trip?

How can I estimate the duration of a long bicycle trip? - Man in Black and White Plaid Dress Shirt Holding Black Smartphone

Next summer, I'm planning to do a very long bicycle trip. I'm not yet sure where it will take place, but I have 2-3 favorites. 1) from Stockholm to the North Cape 2) from Switzerland to Istanbul 3) from Switzerland to the Black Sea.

Now I have some troubles to guess how much time I will need for this. I'm not talking about days, but I'm not sure if this will take 3 months, half a year or a whole year.

That's why I'm interested if there are any rules (e.g. on average 30km a day) so that I can vaguely guess how long it will take?



Best Answer

It actually worries me a little bit that you are planning such an extensive trip without the capability of estimating yourself how long it will take :)

Checking out estimates for other bicycle routes might help you, but my experience is that they are exactly what they are labeled: only estimates. To give you an answer with a higher confidence rate than rolling some dice, you have to fill out a few blanks with your personal conditions and preferences:

  • What is your pace? Even with a moderate physical condition and some weight from your luggage, you should easily be able to keep 15-20 km/h on a flat route. If you calculate as low as 30 km/day, you shouldn't need to spend more than two hours a day on the bike. If your condition is well above average and you plan to spend more time on the bike, your daily leg may just as well be five or even ten times longer.

  • How much time do you want to spend on the bike and how much time do you want to spend on interesting points along your route, meeting other people etc.

  • How "weather sensible" are you? If the rain is pouring, will you stay in bed or still force yourself through the daily leg? After you've decided for a specific region and the time of year, historical weather databases should be able to give you an estimate on the expected weather.

  • What are your accommodation requirements? At least in the more rural areas in northern Sweden and Norway, it may be difficult to find lodging along the shortest route, forcing you to choose a longer route than strictly required.

I am not sure if my personal experience is of much value here, but I made a longer bike tour in an oddly mixed group last year. The attendants ranged from a 23 year old sport science student on a rented e-bike to a 65 year old tweedy gentleman on a rusty 3-speed bike and we rode a part of the Weser-Radweg in Germany from Hannoversch Münden to Bremen (about 350km). The trip took us 21 hours (real "on-bike" riding time) over three days and arrived safely after the sport science student gave up on the last day and took his e-bike aboard a train for the last 60km or so. As you see, it is not at all easy to estimate.




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How many miles can you ride a bike in a day?

On average, a person can cycle between 56 to 60 miles in a day. Or 90 to 96 Kilometers. It might be a little more or a lot less for you.

How does Google Maps calculate bike time?

Google Maps assumes a standard moving speed of roughly 16 km/hr (10mph) irrespective of the length of your journey. It also does not take into account time lost due to stopping for water, checking directions, and so on, while it uses the average stopping time for traffic lights, rail crossings and other stops.

How do I map a cycle route?

Plan Your Bike Ride
  • Type the address or name of your starting point into the search field on Google Maps. ...
  • The directions icon opens up the route planning features in Google Maps. ...
  • Click the cycling mode icon. ...
  • Click the up-and-down arrow icon to reposition the starting point.


  • What is the best cycle route planner?

    The 7 Best Cycling Mapping & Route Planning Apps
    • 1 About Cycling Route Planning & Mapping Apps.
    • 2 1. Google Maps.
    • 3 2. Komoot.
    • 4 3. Bikemap.
    • 5 4. Bike Citizens.
    • 6 5. Cyclers Navigation.
    • 7 6. Bicycle Route Navigator.
    • 8 7. BikeMaps.org.




    How to Prepare for a Long Distance Bicycle Tour




    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Mikhail Nilov, Mikhail Nilov, Plato Terentev, Johannes Plenio