There are many reasons why the bicycle, as a mode of transport, occupies one of the leading places in the world, these are:

• economical;
• fast enough;
• good for your health;
• environmentally friendly;
• and just great.

However, many are wondering what speed a cyclist can develop in various conditions? Regardless of the reasons, we will try to answer this question and deal with the factors that affect the speed of movement.

speed test

Other types are not designed for fast driving, so they do not participate in the comparison. For interest, let's add the indicators of an electric bike. Also read and make no mistake with the choice.

Test conditions: distance 15km; asphalt road good quality, without sharp drops; air temperature 22 degrees Celsius, weak side wind 3-5 m/s. Subjects: Men and women between the ages of 25 and 35, cycling 1-2 hours daily.

Results:

• electric bike - 25-30 km / h;
• highway - 21-25 km / h;
• tourist - 20-23 km / h;
• hybrid - 19-21 km / h;
• mountain - 18-20 km / h;
• urban - 15-17 km / h.

The e-bike could have shown better results, but its riding speed is limited by the controller. For touring bikes equipped with cycling backpacks, the optimal speed is 17 km/h.

City

Urban driving conditions level out speed characteristics different types of bicycles due to the need for frequent maneuvering and overcoming obstacles. Bicycle speed in the city is 15-18 km/h.

Also interesting is the fact that in the conditions of megacities, at distances up to 5 km, a bicycle is “faster” than other modes of transport. At distances of 5-10 km, its average speed is comparable to a car. Plus, the cyclist has the opportunity to move not only on the roadway, but to lay his route through the park or yard areas.

Professionals

Experienced athletes are able to cover distances of 100 kilometers, moving at an average speed of about 30 km / h. So Rui Costa (winner of the 242 km group race) in 2013 covered the distance at an average speed of 36 km/h.

For example, here are the norms for obtaining ranks for cycling-road in the discipline "individual time trial" (RUSSIA):

Rank / rank	Distance (km)	Time (minutes)	average speed(km/h)
MSMK men	50	64	46,88
MSMK women	25	35,5	42,25
MC men	25	33	45,46
MS women	25	37,5	40
CCM men	25	35,5	42,25
CCM women	25	40	37,5

A bit of history

According to the TRP standards in the USSR, in order to get a gold badge, it was necessary to ride a bicycle:

Age (years)/gender	Distance (km)	Time (minutes)	Average speed (km/h)
19-28 men	20	43	27,91
18-28 women	10	25	24
29-39 men	20	46	26,09
29-34 women	10	27	22,22

Factors Affecting Bicycle Speed

Cyclist training

Most of all, the speed of riding depends on the physical strength and endurance of a person. The second place is occupied by driving technique. The gender of the rider does not significantly affect the speed of movement.

Windage

In the absence of wind, airflow resistance problems begin at speeds of 25-27 km/h. With a headwind, movement difficulties arise at a speed of 10-15 km / h. The influence of the air flow depends on how much .

On a mountain bike, with a high seating position, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bresistance to the oncoming flow increases, and the ride slows down. On a road bike, thanks to the narrow handlebars with a lower grip, it is possible to provide the torso with an almost horizontal position. This allows you to facilitate movement, due to a decrease in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe body that resists the oncoming air flow.

rolling resistance

On hard surfaces, rolling resistance can be reduced by a smaller wheel-to-road contact area. This can be achieved by either pumping up wide tires heavily, or replacing them with narrower ones.

On soft surfaces (soil or sand), the opposite is true. Wide or slightly flat tires take precedence over narrow ones.

The weight of the cyclist and the bike itself affects when moving uphill, reducing the average speed. Therefore, it is recommended to choose lighter bike models.

Wheel size also matters a lot. retains the force of inertia longer and overcomes uneven road surfaces more easily, which has a positive effect on driving speed.

Friction forces

The technical condition of its rubbing parts is reflected in the speed of a bicycle. The chain and bushings must be kept well lubricated and free from contamination. Too soft shock absorbers reduce speed, but add comfort when driving on uneven surfaces.

We hope that the information in this article will help you to optimally choose and set up a bike for your conditions of movement. We wish you good speeds and driving pleasure.

Let's start with the average numbers obtained by analyzing statistical data and based on running standards. There are four main speeds.

44 km/h - the maximum possible running speed of a person, a speed record.
30 km/h - the average running speed of a trained person over a short distance (100m - 400m).
20 km/h - the average running speed of a trained person at an average distance (800m - 3km).
16 km/h is the average running speed of a trained person long distance(10km - 42km).

Comment:
All conclusions are made for men, for women the speed indicators will be lower.

Table of running speeds at various distances, depending on the category of the athlete

Distance	3rd category speed (km/h)	1 rank, speed (km/h)	MSMK, speed (km/h)
100m	29	32,4	34,8
400m	25	27,8	31,4
1000m	20	23,2	26
3km	17,4	20,2	22,9
10km	16	18,5	21,2
21.1km	15,6	17,7	20,3
42.2km	-	16,1	19

Addition #1:
It should be noted here that these figures do not mean the average speed of a person’s running, but the average maximum speed. That is, under normal training conditions, athletes run 10-30% slower than their maximum speed (depending on the type of training). Namely, this very maximum running speed is taken into account by us in the diagram, built on the basis of sports running norms.

Addition #2:
The second remark concerns short sprint distances (100m - 400m). Here important point is that the maximum speed is gained gradually. If we take a hundred-meter race, then the record holders will run the first segment of 10m in 1.83s, which is only 19.6 km / h. The second segment (10m-20m) is already in 1.03s - and this is already 35.1km / h. Approximately by the fifth - seventh segments (50m-70m) the champions reach their top speed running.

Some conclusions from the table with the diagram:
1. 44km/h- the fastest this moment fixed running speed. The owner of this record is Usain Bolt - in 2009 he ran a hundred meters in 9.58 seconds (average 37 km / h, and he developed a peak speed of 43.9 km / h to 60-70 meters). And it's running in ideal conditions, and over a very short distance.
2. Even elite athletes cannot run faster than 44km/h.
3. The vast majority of trained people are able to run at speed 20km/h but not more than one kilometer.
4. The average speed of a trained person in long-distance running (10km, 21km, 42km) will be about 15-18km/h. Elite athletes run faster: 19-21km/h.

Human running: what average speed can he develop? Running is one of the options. human body to help him navigate through space. Running speed can be changed depending on the desires and physical training a certain person. What values ​​of average speed can people show under different conditions.

Average running speed by gender.

AT childhood(before puberty), this figure is almost the same for both boys and girls. They develop muscles very similarly, the amount of lactic acid after exercise is identical, and the heart rate does not differ either. The value will be in the range of 9-11 km / h.

When a person grows up, there are many changes. The average speed of a woman's normal running becomes less than that of a man, due to the elastic and soft muscles. Also the indicator subcutaneous fat women are 10% higher. Which slightly complicates the process of developing speed, and in this case it will be 12-15 km / h. A man with active running will keep a value of about 15-20 km / h.

Indicators of trained runners at different distances.

• Sprint – short distance(from 60 to 400 m), respectively, the average speed will be the highest. The athlete's body is full of energy, in a short period it does not get tired, as in a longer distance, and the average figure reaches 36 km / h.
• On the average(up to 3000 m), athletes run within 20-25 km / h. They move quite quickly, practically without slowing down the pace throughout the entire segment.
• On long In marathon races (up to 30 km or more), athletes distribute their forces over the entire length of the distance, accelerating only towards the end. This is where stamina is most important. The average value is 18-20 km/h.

The value of the indicator during recreational running.

Health jogging is a common type of physical activity for ordinary people who think about their health. It is also called jogging. It is like a shuffling run, it is. The average value is 7-9 km / h, this is an indicator slightly higher than active walking. With this movement, the load on the legs is reduced, and the risk of injury is minimal. Such a run is also popular with athletes during the warm-up and during the recovery period.

Running in place (also jogging) can be about 5-7 km / h in speed, suitable for elderly and not very trained people who are not eager for records.

Every person is capable of various achievements In my life. Also, the average speed indicators have their own deviations.

When riding a bicycle, there is no iron box around you, as when driving a car, and you are open to the wind and other weather conditions. When riding a bike, there is no heavy steel body under you, like when riding a motorcycle, and you just fly above the ground. Speed ​​in such conditions is felt as fully as possible.

Too many beginner cyclists overestimate the speed at which they ride. Having noticed the figures of 25-30 km / h on the computer, many people think that they most often move at this speed, and this is the average speed. But this is not so, only an experienced cyclist can maintain such a speed, and athletes are also capable of unimaginable records.

Bicycle speed records

The maximum speed at the velodrome is 51.151 km/h. In a race on the track in Mexico City, the Italian athlete Francesco Moser in 1984 covered a distance of 51.151 km in one hour. This result is considered a speed and endurance record. As the record holder himself admitted in 1999: to maintain high speed and not slow down for a second, he was helped by blood doping, which at that time was not prohibited.

when installing an aerodynamic fairing on a bicycle- 133.78 km / h. This world record was set by 26 year old Dutchman Sebastian Bowyer in 2013 in the 200m. The rider was lying on his back, this bike had front-mounted pedals, and the velomobile itself was completely enclosed by an ultra-light carbon fiber fairing. This velomobile was built jointly by students of the Free University in Amsterdam and the Delft University of Technology.

Maximum speed in a straight line, when sheltering a bicycle in an air bag- 268.83 km / h. This absolute bicycle speed record was set by 50-year-old accomplished athlete Fred Rompelberg from the Netherlands in 1995. Such a result was achieved on a flat surface of a dried-up salt lake in Utah (Bonneville Salt Flats), and only due to the bicycle following the front of a moving racing car, the large fairing of which protected the cyclist from the oncoming air flow. Of course, a special bicycle was built, which is impossible to ride under normal conditions.

The maximum speed at is 222 km / h. This speed record was set on a mountain bike (mountain bike) by the Frenchman Eric Baron in 2000 on a run-in ice ski slope in the French Alps. To set this speed limit, a bike was built with improved aerodynamics, but with a dampened fork and rear suspension. The athlete himself was dressed in an aerodynamic hard suit suit. In 2002, Eric Baron, already on the dry gravel slope of the Sierra Negro volcano in Nicaragua, was able to accelerate to 210.4 km / h. After driving about 400 meters, the bike under the daredevil, due to the unbearable load on the frame, was torn into two parts. Eric Baron suffered a severe hip fracture, a dislocated left shoulder and cervical spine, numerous bruises and cuts, but the athlete survived thanks to a helmet and a protective suit.

The maximum average speed for a road bike is 41.654 km/h. The American road racer Lance Armstrong was able to keep such a speed at the Tour de France distance in 2005. On the descents from the mountains, the participants of this competition develop a speed close to 90 km / h.

Possibilities of an untrained cyclist

Hard-to-reach records inspire any athlete, and an ordinary person who sometimes chooses to bike rides is much more interested in knowing how fast one can move on ordinary roads without taking part in competitions.

To measure speed on a bicycle, not so long ago - fifteen to twenty years ago, large, heavy and unreliable mechanical speedometers were installed. Today, everyone can afford to buy a miniature electronic bike computer that, in addition to the current speed and total mileage, displays the average speed, maximum speed, route length, pace per minute, calories burned, travel time, and more. useful information in more expensive models.

The average cyclist on a modern mountain bike, without undue effort, can maintain an average speed of 18-20 km / h on the highway, traveling 10 km in 30 minutes. The same cyclist on a road bike can move at an average speed of 20-25 km / h on a straight asphalt road, traveling 10 km in 25 minutes. The gender of the rider is not critical at these speeds. An average cyclist is a person who rides approximately 20-50 hours per month or 1-2 hours per day.

At short distances of about 10 km, everyone can develop an average speed of 18 km / h, including teenagers from 12-14 years old. A more experienced cyclist who travels more than one thousand kilometers a year will cover the same distance twice as fast. He has more physical strength better technique ride and usually a better bike. Such people, thanks to trained endurance, can maintain a speed of about 30 km / h, at a distance of 100 km along the highway. For such distances, the average cyclist rarely travels, or does not travel at all.

In urban conditions, it is necessary: ​​to go around stopped cars and public transport, stop at intersections and crossings, slow down before entering turns and in front of pedestrians, so the average speed of a cyclist in the city is always lower than on the highway, by about 5-10 km / h.

Although a road bike can be ridden faster on pavement than a mountain bike, it is not recommended for city riding. The biker sits low on the road bike and has poor visibility, and it is impossible to stop emergency on such a bike without skidding. A mountain bike, although slower than a road bike on hard surfaces, is more preferable for city riding. The mountain bike is very easy to maneuver thanks to the wide handlebars, and the excellent grip of the wide tires on the pavement will allow you to instantly freeze in place.

When riding on rough terrain, even on a mountain bike, it is impossible to achieve a maximum speed of 30 km / h. Since outside the asphalt on the way there are often pits, mounds, sand, during the passage of which the speed will significantly decrease. When riding a mountain bike on a forest road, the average speed is usually 15 km/h.

On the other hand, a road bike, with its thinner tires and greater weight distribution on front wheel, actually not suitable for riding in the forest. Average moving speed road bike when driving on sand, fallen leaves, snow, it will be 5-8 km / h. When trying to get through deep sand or snow on a road bike, the front wheel will skid to the side, or it will hit the pressed sand, and the rider may eject through the handlebars. In addition, when riding a bicycle without shock absorbers on a gravel or tracked road, fatigue accumulates very quickly due to blows to the arms and spine.

Factors affecting the speed of movement

The level of training of the cyclist

The speed of movement depends most of all on the physical strength and endurance of the rider. The experience of the rider has more influence on the speed of riding than the choice of type of bike. On the highway, an experienced mountain biker will be able to keep a novice road bike rider on their tail, maintaining a higher speed even when going uphill.

Oncoming air resistance

At speeds of 25-27 km / h, air resistance significantly slows down the movement of the bicycle. If a headwind blows, it becomes difficult to move already at a speed of 10-15 km / h. A mountain bike with a wide and high handlebar, and especially a low saddle, is much harder to pedal at 30 km/h than a road bike. The road bike has a special detail - a narrow steering wheel with a lower grip (ram's horns). If there is a noticeable headwind resistance, a road bike rider can bend down to the handlebars by grabbing the handlebars. lower part arc, thus significantly reducing the load.

You can completely get rid of oncoming air pressure only by driving into an air bag, under the protection of a bus or truck in front. But it is very dangerous to attach yourself behind a bus or a truck, as they can brake sharply or turn when driving around the pit.

rolling resistance

This resistance is especially felt at the beginning of the movement. It takes more energy to accelerate from a standstill, both for the cyclist and for the car engine. After the start of movement, rolling resistance has less effect on the amount of effort required for acceleration. With increasing speed, this resistance gradually decreases.

Increasing the friction between the tire and the road primarily increases the amount of rolling resistance. A narrow tire that has pressed through soft ground is hard to lift off the ground. A tire with a wide-spaced tread is excessively rubbed into a hard asphalt surface, moreover, it is quickly erased. Therefore, you should choose tires according to the width, area and tread depth, taking into account which roads you will ride your bike on.

The pressure in the chamber significantly affects the friction between the tire and the road. The more inflated the chamber, the easier the wheel rolls on asphalt and hard ground. To facilitate driving on gravel, sand, mud, snow, it is recommended to reduce the pressure in the chambers.

Big weight bicycle greatly increases the amount of rolling resistance. Disperse and push uphill heavy Mountain bike always harder than more light road.

Increasing the wheel diameter reduces the amount of rolling resistance. A bicycle for adults coasts in a straight line much longer than a child's. In addition, a large wheel overcomes bumps in the road more easily, rolling over small pits.

Friction in gears

An unlubricated or dirty chain, as well as worn bushings and bottom brackets, will certainly reduce the speed of a bicycle. If you are striving to achieve high speed, then you need to buy expensive bushings and a carriage mechanism, and further monitor the state of their lubrication.

Shock absorbers on a bike, especially those that are too soft, reduce speed on smooth pavement. But they are indispensable when overcoming road sections with small bumps. A shock-absorbed fork turns out to be indispensable when driving around the city, while the rear suspension can be abandoned.

In general, it’s not worth sticking to the above average speeds, especially the maximum ones. You should ride your bike at a speed that is comfortable for you and enjoy the ride.