Average Speed on a Hybrid
#2
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 48
Likes: 6
On my favorite route which is a 22 mile loop, I average 13.5-14mph on my 2018 trek dual sport 2 in its completely stock state. That’s with also about 2k feet in elevate climbs. Speed is gonna come down to your tires, bike geometry (upright cruiser vs aggressive) and your general area where you live. I see most people on hybrids average 12-16mph.
#3
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Thanks for the reply. I have a Verve 2 and I average about 13-14. I have never averaged above 14.5, on a windy day, I may dip down in the 12s. I have been riding about 6 months. I'm a rather large guy too! lol I have wondered about changing my tires to something smaller or with less tread, but I am also very interested in a road bike to up my speed! Again, thanks for the reply and happy pedaling.
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 149
Likes: 19
From: Western NY
On my road bike and in mid spring shape I'm averaging 17 MPH. On my DualSpore 2 in stock form, same route, I'm 13-14 MPH depending on the wind.
I tend to want to take it easier on my DS 2 and just enjoy the ride more too. The DS 2 has been getting more attention than the road bike this year just for that reason.
I tend to want to take it easier on my DS 2 and just enjoy the ride more too. The DS 2 has been getting more attention than the road bike this year just for that reason.
#5
Newbie
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 31
Likes: 6
Trek Verve 2 (2020)
My best personal best for 20 miles is 16.6 mph. Heart Rate 164 bpm.
I have made the following mods:
Shimano Speed Clips
35c tires
Bontrager Ergo Grips (These are a must have on any Flat bar bike)
Bontrager Bar Ends
Due to Covid-19 I haven't been on the Neuse River Trail where I set my 20 mile pace record. My pace around town has increased from 16 to 17 mph, I very well am faster on flat ground. I simply raised my seat post 1 cm.
My best personal best for 20 miles is 16.6 mph. Heart Rate 164 bpm.
I have made the following mods:
Shimano Speed Clips
35c tires
Bontrager Ergo Grips (These are a must have on any Flat bar bike)
Bontrager Bar Ends
Due to Covid-19 I haven't been on the Neuse River Trail where I set my 20 mile pace record. My pace around town has increased from 16 to 17 mph, I very well am faster on flat ground. I simply raised my seat post 1 cm.
#6
Full Member

Joined: May 2015
Posts: 277
Likes: 281
I average 13.5 - 14 mph over 30 to 35 miles and have done the same since I got a hybrid 10 years ago. I use Gatorskins on that bike which slows me down a little. On a road bike I do close to 20 mph. On a MTB I average 12 mph but that's not on pavement.
#7
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Trek Verve 2 (2020)
My best personal best for 20 miles is 16.6 mph. Heart Rate 164 bpm.
I have made the following mods:
Shimano Speed Clips
35c tires
Bontrager Ergo Grips (These are a must have on any Flat bar bike)
Bontrager Bar Ends
Due to Covid-19 I haven't been on the Neuse River Trail where I set my 20 mile pace record. My pace around town has increased from 16 to 17 mph, I very well am faster on flat ground. I simply raised my seat post 1 cm.
My best personal best for 20 miles is 16.6 mph. Heart Rate 164 bpm.
I have made the following mods:
Shimano Speed Clips
35c tires
Bontrager Ergo Grips (These are a must have on any Flat bar bike)
Bontrager Bar Ends
Due to Covid-19 I haven't been on the Neuse River Trail where I set my 20 mile pace record. My pace around town has increased from 16 to 17 mph, I very well am faster on flat ground. I simply raised my seat post 1 cm.
#8
Full Member

Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 402
Likes: 39
From: West San Fernando Valley in Southern CA
Bikes: 2021 Specialized Sirrus 6 and 2018 Giant Escape Disc
I average between 12 and 13 mph depending on the season. It seems I am slower in the winter perhaps due to heavier air. Having spinal stenosis has not helped my speed either as I can't push quite as hard as I used to.
My ride this morning.
My ride this morning.
Last edited by jskash; 05-09-20 at 01:01 PM.
#10
Senior Member


Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 4,244
Likes: 908
From: Northern Shenandoah Valley
Bikes: More bikes than riders
Another factor, when comparing speed, is true average speed over the course of a trip/ride, or moving average speed. Dividing the distance you rode with the total time it took to ride it is a true average speed, which includes stops for signal lights, water, bathroom, etc. Most cyclo computers also offer the option to report this. Most computers also, however, offer a moving average speed, which automatically pauses its calculating when you stop. Depending on your riding environment, there can be a pretty big difference between the reported average speed using these two methods.
#11
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 898
Likes: 337
From: Saulkrasti, Latvia
Bikes: Focus Crater Lake
Depends on the route, but it is mostly between 21-25 kph (13-15.5 mph).
My personal best so far was 44.16 km in 1h:29m:28s, averaging 29.6 km/h (18.4 mph), all on pavement, with a slight tail wind; however, I was a bit hungover, so that probably cancelled some of that advantage out. The day before, going in the opposite direction, I was 1 kph slower at 28.5kph (17.7mph), but I did more stop/start city traffic, so on the open road it was pretty much the same speed.
My personal best so far was 44.16 km in 1h:29m:28s, averaging 29.6 km/h (18.4 mph), all on pavement, with a slight tail wind; however, I was a bit hungover, so that probably cancelled some of that advantage out. The day before, going in the opposite direction, I was 1 kph slower at 28.5kph (17.7mph), but I did more stop/start city traffic, so on the open road it was pretty much the same speed.
#16
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 113
Likes: 4
From: Chicago, IL
Bikes: Trek, Schwinn, Huffy
I ride a Trek FX 2. I had a rpm clock device installed on the bike for a while and when I cycled at a fast good clip for me for like an hour putting a lot of effort into it, it came up to about 15 mph I was able to maintain in an hour and I really am no where near in as good shape compared to many speed demons on the road. I rode my bike by one of those large speedometer looking things cops put in neighborhoods to show drivers what their speed is the other day when I was riding on the Dupage River Trail and it clocked me at 17 mph on a downhill in a subdivision.
At a more leisurely pace though I would say I average somewhere between 5 - 15 mph I average on say a 20 - 30 mile trip. It really depends on a lot of factors, very strong wind and hills is a huge factor as well as what surface your riding on. My bike rides fastest on asphalt and on streets. It really depends how fast or slow I want to ride that day. Sometimes I will just ride slow and enjoy my surroundings other days I want a good cardio workout and will ride a lot faster.
Sometimes a guy on road bike will pass me up when I am riding at a leisurely pace, "on your left". And I can tell if I would be able to keep up with him by seeing how fast he zooms by me. Sometimes I will decide to speed up and give myself a good cardio workout and tailgate him for a while or pass that guy up later in the trail "on your left!"
If I was to say a true speed based on total time including stopping/going, traffic lights, traffic on the bike trails... If I decide to ride straight through without taking a rest or water break it takes me about 1hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours to ride on a 23 mile bike trip I frequently take.
At a more leisurely pace though I would say I average somewhere between 5 - 15 mph I average on say a 20 - 30 mile trip. It really depends on a lot of factors, very strong wind and hills is a huge factor as well as what surface your riding on. My bike rides fastest on asphalt and on streets. It really depends how fast or slow I want to ride that day. Sometimes I will just ride slow and enjoy my surroundings other days I want a good cardio workout and will ride a lot faster.
Sometimes a guy on road bike will pass me up when I am riding at a leisurely pace, "on your left". And I can tell if I would be able to keep up with him by seeing how fast he zooms by me. Sometimes I will decide to speed up and give myself a good cardio workout and tailgate him for a while or pass that guy up later in the trail "on your left!"
If I was to say a true speed based on total time including stopping/going, traffic lights, traffic on the bike trails... If I decide to ride straight through without taking a rest or water break it takes me about 1hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours to ride on a 23 mile bike trip I frequently take.
Last edited by littleArnold; 06-14-20 at 07:56 AM.
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,923
Likes: 233
From: Madison, WI
Bikes: Giant Toughroad SLR1 and Motobecane Sturgis NX
My phone pauses time when stopped. Obviously this only matters in traffic areas.
With that I get 22-25 kph depending on distance and terrain. I avoid roads, so sometimes the windy or busy bike path is what slows me down in town. Outside town it is gravel.
With that I get 22-25 kph depending on distance and terrain. I avoid roads, so sometimes the windy or busy bike path is what slows me down in town. Outside town it is gravel.
#18
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 77
Likes: 5
Looking at my recent app results, on my 2020 Trek FX3, I typically average about 15.5-16.0 mph throughout a 10-25 mile ride. Depends on crossings and other slow downs. Probably get as high as 24 mph on a slight downhill straightaway and slow to about 11 mph if uphill and with wind in my face. I'm in the far NW suburbs of Chicago and typically ride stretches of the Parairie/Fox River Trail from the Wisconsin border to all the way down to St. Charles (mostly paved with some sections of packed gravel).
#19
Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
From: Nova Scotia
Bikes: Trek Madone 3.1, Cannondale Quick3
Helpful info here...
In your opinion, what PSI rating are you looking for in a hybrid tire, for maximum speed on pavement (minimal riding on groomed gravel trails)? I'm looking at a Kenda K-198 700 35 rated for 50-85 PSI. Is that typical of a hybrid tire? Would you ever go thinner, to a 28?
I'm also trying to set my hybrid up for a more aggressive riding position (it is a city/cross bike) with longer stem (40mm to 90mm). I'm moving from a 660mm bar width to a 600mm. Do you feel that will give me more speed?
In your opinion, what PSI rating are you looking for in a hybrid tire, for maximum speed on pavement (minimal riding on groomed gravel trails)? I'm looking at a Kenda K-198 700 35 rated for 50-85 PSI. Is that typical of a hybrid tire? Would you ever go thinner, to a 28?
I'm also trying to set my hybrid up for a more aggressive riding position (it is a city/cross bike) with longer stem (40mm to 90mm). I'm moving from a 660mm bar width to a 600mm. Do you feel that will give me more speed?
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 898
Likes: 337
From: Saulkrasti, Latvia
Bikes: Focus Crater Lake
Helpful info here...
In your opinion, what PSI rating are you looking for in a hybrid tire, for maximum speed on pavement (minimal riding on groomed gravel trails)? I'm looking at a Kenda K-198 700 35 rated for 50-85 PSI. Is that typical of a hybrid tire? Would you ever go thinner, to a 28?
I'm also trying to set my hybrid up for a more aggressive riding position (it is a city/cross bike) with longer stem (40mm to 90mm). I'm moving from a 660mm bar width to a 600mm. Do you feel that will give me more speed?
In your opinion, what PSI rating are you looking for in a hybrid tire, for maximum speed on pavement (minimal riding on groomed gravel trails)? I'm looking at a Kenda K-198 700 35 rated for 50-85 PSI. Is that typical of a hybrid tire? Would you ever go thinner, to a 28?
I'm also trying to set my hybrid up for a more aggressive riding position (it is a city/cross bike) with longer stem (40mm to 90mm). I'm moving from a 660mm bar width to a 600mm. Do you feel that will give me more speed?
Regarding the riding position, one that takes your torso lower and hands closer together will be more aero and can definitely help with speed, however, if it's uncomfortable for you, you won't be able to hold it for long. Just try it out and see how it feels; the body might take a while to get used to it.
#21
Most in this thread would be flat out flying by my standards... I average about 13 for 20 miles. It's something that I want to work on as I'm just getting somewhat comfortable with that distance.
#22
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 60
Likes: 33
From: Houston, TX
Bikes: Specialized Roll Elite LTD, Sirrus X 5.0, Allez Elite
I have a Sirrus X 5.0, and I have been averaging about 13mph or so on our 5.5 mile daily ride in our neighborhood...sometimes slowing down for cars or people.
My average on my Roll was closer to 10.5 mph, so it's been an improvement for sure.
My average on my Roll was closer to 10.5 mph, so it's been an improvement for sure.
#23
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 22
Likes: 4
Brooklyn Bicycle Roebling hybrid, 700/32 tires. 10-12mph usually. I ride about a 10 mile loop through a residential area. I almost always have my trunk bag on the bike in case I stop for at the grocery store or TJ Maxx, so that adds a bunch of weight. I also like to cruise slower sometimes and enjoy scenery. Most of my route is through a wealthy neighborhood with big, attractive properties and some wooded areas, so I'll routinely see possums, skunks, rabbits, all kinds of birds, and even the occasional armadillo.
Last edited by calebpagan; 07-02-20 at 12:00 PM.
#24
Newbie
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 31
Likes: 6
Pushing my threshold, I maintained 16.7 mph for 30+ miles. The route is mostly flat, but there are a few punch hills.
Trek Verve 2 (2020)
Ergo grips
Bar Ends
Shimano SPDs
I'd upload the screenshot from Strava, but rules.....
"1. You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites and photos after you have made 10 posts or more."
Trek Verve 2 (2020)
Ergo grips
Bar Ends
Shimano SPDs
I'd upload the screenshot from Strava, but rules.....
"1. You are only allowed to post URLs to other sites and photos after you have made 10 posts or more."
#25
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 71
Likes: 52
People, dogs, cars, traffic lights, hills, rough roads I see 12 mph. Open roads, smooth, generally flat, no dogs or people, few cars and intersections I like 15 mph. However, experiencing hot weather these past few weeks I 've been trending slower. Something about hot humid air makes everything feel slower.



