Touring - average distance

whats the average distance done per day on tour

That depends upon so many variables, no one can accurately answer your question. Some of those variables include what gear you're taking, terrain, weather conditions, age, strength, etc. On my recent Southern Tier tour I averaged 61 miles/day, and I didn't feel like I killed myself. If I had had the time, I would have gone at a slower pace and smelled even more flowers.

If you're planning, just remember to pad the numbers on the low side so you can take the time to do some side trips through towns and to sights and sites that may be a couple miles off your intended route. So if you want to do 70 in a day, plan 60-65.

If I were solo, I'd probably aim for 75 a day, more some, less others, but with my wife, 50-60 is about it due to time constraints (we're not early risers, we'll stop for a short hike and she's got one speed... hers.)

about 75 miles. Max ever 143.

IMO, 80 km/day is a good guideline when planning a trip.
this allows plenty of time to "smell the roses" and take
in the surroundings.

It is important to have time off the bike to enjoy a place. Getting 60-80 kilometers completed before lunch then roaming around town for the afternoon is idea for us.

about 75 miles. Max ever 143.


Argh, my max is 134 on a loaded bike. I can't wait to get a real road bike with no load and do double centuries.

Typically, though, I started my tour around 80 miles a day and was eventually able to get 100 pretty much any time I had a full day of riding.

It is important to have time off the bike to enjoy a place. Getting 60-80 kilometers completed before lunch then roaming around town for the afternoon is idea for us.

I think 75 is about right. For long tours. Take time to enjoy the ride. Unless the 75 miles was with tough climbing, we'd get there with plenty of time to look about and enjoy camp.

rule of thumb - 10 miles an hour.

Depends, in June, I had a tough time making 30 miles a day across the back country section of my tour on the Upper Peninsula, but I was on sandy dirt roads with a road touring bike pulling a heavy trailer.

Bek can tell ya a bit about where I was as well!;)

I freind of mine crossed the US from San Diego to St. Augestine, FL. He did not want to burn out, had unlimited time. His wife for some reason did not mind. He paced himself generally at 50 miles a day with every sixth days off. He did not burn out. Even spent like a week somewhere in Arkansas in route. Certainly no RAAM tour.

I've only ridden on supported bike tours, so I'm not sure what kind of distances are typical for loaded touring. However, most of the bike tours I've ridden we've averaged about 60-70 miles per day. That is a good distance because it allows enough time to stop a see the sites along the way, while still getting to your destination before it gets too late in the day. I've ridden as far as 105 miles in a day during a weeklong tour, but that tends to wear you out for the next day -- unless it's an easy route. Riding 60 or so miles a day leaves you enough time to relax, enjoy the sites and drink a few beers at the end of the day. If I was trying to average 100 miles a day, I think that would take much of the fun out of touring, plus I would get worn out.

Alot depends on your fitness and speed, as well. If you are a slower rider, you will have to spend a lot more time on the bike riding 60 miles than someone who is faster. For very fit and fast riders, 100 miles might not be that big a deal. BTW, we typically average about 15-16 mph on tours, and average speed tends to decline as the days go by unless the terrain gets flatter. On typical weekend group rides, we average 17-19 mph, but it's much harder to sustain those speeds riding long distances day after day. I'm sure it is much more difficult with loaded touring.

I think it depends on lots of factors. There's topography. In hilly country like the west coast, 50 miles a day might be plenty. Climbing mountain passes, 30 might be good. In flat country 75 or 80 might be better. There's the kind of shape you're in. For the first few days of a tour my mileage is pretty pathetic. But after I get used to it, the miles I can ride happily in a day increases. On a one-week tour, half of the tour is spent getting used to it. Weather is a factor. On rainy days with a headwind I don't feel like being very ambitious. On sunny days with a tailwind my goals increase dramatically. Weight is a factor. There are always going to be hills. You'll go up faster with a light load. Add up a days worth of hills and a difference in load can make a big difference in miles pedaled.

My experience: on a four week trip down the west coast I averaged 55 miles per day. On a ride across Iowa I averaged about 85. On a recent trip where I climbed over several mountain passes I averaged around 35 miles per day.

when i was in my late twenties i did three tours through upper new england and upstate NY - we averaged 80-100 miles per day.

now that I'm in my 40s and only doing training rides of 30-40 miles, when i return to touring, hopefully this fall, if not, next summer, i see myself shooting for 65-75 mile days, riding from 9 am - 5 pm.

Argh, my max is 134 on a loaded bike. I can't wait to get a real road bike with no load and do double centuries.




Why? Even at an average 25 MPH that is 8 hours in the saddle. If you want to do all of those miles, it seems to me that it would make more sense making trips from home and save lots of money.

To me a tour is about the whole experience, taking time to meet people, check out interesting places and things and generally taking time to smell the flowers. Who cares if one day you do 50 miles and another day just 10 miles? The important thing is to enjoy yourself and experience another part of your world.

Why? Even at an average 25 MPH that is 8 hours in the saddle. If you want to do all of those miles, it seems to me that it would make more sense making trips from home and save lots of money.

To me a tour is about the whole experience, taking time to meet people, check out interesting places and things and generally taking time to smell the flowers. Who cares if one day you do 50 miles and another day just 10 miles? The important thing is to enjoy yourself and experience another part of your world.

That's what I'm doing. I was merely commenting on my transition from touring to road cycling. Riding a 100 lbs bike for 2 months has me itching to get on a 15-20 lbs bike and go fast. I will be riding merely around my city for the miles, and won't be touring for some whiles.

"ymmv"

40 to 55 miles per day, average/tour including rest days and longer "gotta get there" moments.

Why? Even at an average 25 MPH that is 8 hours in the saddle. If you want to do all of those miles, it seems to me that it would make more sense making trips from home and save lots of money.

To me a tour is about the whole experience, taking time to meet people, check out interesting places and things and generally taking time to smell the flowers. Who cares if one day you do 50 miles and another day just 10 miles? The important thing is to enjoy yourself and experience another part of your world.

Here, Here!!!

In my humble opinion a bike is a tool to tour.

Here, Here!!!

In my humble opinion a bike is a tool to tour.

Why not. They have wheels, same as cars do. and lots more fun.

On my tour with my GF, we were FULLY loaded with extras most likely.... we toured for over a month.

We planned a tour, and a distance, and worked out we needed to do 44km a day to make it, this was NO days off... but we had planned to take of lots of days in anywhere we decided was nice to stay...

This low number was ridiculous to be honest, we are home 12 days early, and we have lots of days off..

From the experience we learnt what was possible. If you know your terrain, plan higher or lower numbers accordingly, if you dont go for the middle. We crossed the pyrenees for example, this slows ya down a bit lol...

Our average on OK roads ie. no mountains, we could do 90kms in a day before we started feeling it. My favourite number would be 70km, because it doesnt seem too tedious or tiring, and you can still arrive at a place early and explore somewhat... take into account our maximum was 110km, so were not as hardcore as some of the above!!!

I didnt read this whole thread, but if your new, plan low numbers, im glad i did, now i 100% of what do plan next time, especially the fact i know to add 10km extra through i dodgy looking city, just cause you know you will detour somewhat and waste time, things like that....

My average across Canada (solo) worked out to just under 100km per day but that includes like 18 'rest days.' My longest day on tour was just over 255km and my shortest was around 30km. Play it by ear but around 100km/day sounds pretty good to me.

Why not. They have wheels, same as cars do. and lots more fun.

The 3 biggest problems I have had with touring is 1) getting my bike to my starting destination 2) sometimes finding a place to park my bike overnight and lastly but most frustratingly 3) parking my fully loaded bike while I am visiting the sights-- with a car you can lock your things up out of sight but not with a bike.

I have found that when I do more than 60 miles in a day, I feel it the next day.

I try to keep my daily mileage to 50 and try to plan my routes so that for every day I go over 60, I do less the next day to prevent burnout.

Ray

The best answer is to go to www.crazyguyonabike.com and read their journals. The average mileage per day is all over the place. Mine is around 65. I've seen them low as 20-25 and has high as 150.

60 (camping) to 100+ in homes and motels.

tangerine,
What is a tour?
Seriously, you must be more specific if you want answers that will help you. Are you going on a weekend tour or a cross country tour? How much stuff are you carrying? Is the terrain flat or up steep mountains? Is it going to be raining? Or snowing? How old are you? How much training will you do before you begin your tour? Will you be taking rest days along the way or ride straight through?

For long-distance, cross-country, unsupported touring I use 65 miles/day as a planning average. Most day's riding distances depend on the distances between towns that are along the route. Some days are 85 miles, sometimes only 45 miles. On the Southern Tier I made an average of 65 miles/day. On my Florida to Oregon this year my average was 67 miles/day. But then, I am an old man hauling a bunch of stuff.

Another way to figure averages is to go to Adventure Cycling website and look at their tours. Divide the total mileage by duration for an average. also, their tours include one zero day almost every week.

Hmm. My buddy and I have typically averaged about 50 miles a day on our trips, all of which have been in the hilly terrain of northern New England. We're young, so I don't think age is much of a factor. Much more important is the fact that we are huge slackers in the morning - we often rise at 8:00 or 8:30, and may not get rolling for as much as two hours after that (y'know, breakfast...). We just tried an experiment on the last day of a tour we took through western MA this weekend: we rose at 6:30, were packed and rolling before 7:30, and didn't have breakfast until we were a ways down the road. Result: 59 miles and home by 3:00 that afternoon. That's not amazing, but it's a huge difference from our usual schedule. Getting yourself moving earlier in the morning makes a big difference.

Hmm. That's not amazing, but it's a huge difference from our usual schedule. Getting yourself moving earlier in the morning makes a big difference.

As long distance hikers say, morning miles are always shorter than afternoon miles.

Out of the 44 actual riding days out of 56 on my last trip, we averaged 81 a day. Our longest was 135 miles and we had two sub 30 mile days. I agree that it is easy to make big mile days if you wake up early. In my mind, it really helps to be half done by lunch. This was from Seattle to Boston by two 20 year olds just for reference.