How Long to go 10 miles on an eBike

How Long To Go 10 Miles On an eBike

There is no denying that electric bikes are a fast means of transportation. It allows you to go anywhere without requiring much pedaling effort, thanks to the integrated motor. But going faster means what in your life? It saves time.

Plan on 1 hour and 12 minutes to travel 10 miles on an eBike.1

EBike users also claim that riding an electric bike takes them to their destinations quicker than riding a standard bike. To prove this claim, this article will answer the question, “how long will it take for an eBike to reach 10 miles?”

eBike vs Bike vs Walk (Time For 10 miles)

Mode of TravelTime to Travel 10 miles
eBikes11 hour, 12 minutes
Regular Bike11 hour, 33 minutes
Walk23 hours
1. using average speed from PSU study 2. Using 3.25 mph walking speed (average from Nike Study)

Key Takeaways

This article will tackle the following:

  • The amount of time an eBike needs to travel 10 miles
  • The differences between eBikes and regular bikes
  • Speed comparison of an eBike and a traditional bike
  • Factors that affect eBike speed

An eBike has an average speed of 8.3 mph. Considering this speed, it takes an hour and 12 minutes for this bike to travel 10 miles. Wind, load, and hills can affect an eBike’s speed.

Apart from eBike speed, we will also discuss why eBikes are better for long-distance rides.

How Long To Bike 10 Miles On An eBike

The popularity of eBikes comes from their ability to bring cyclists to far distances without requiring much effort. According to a study done at Portland State University, people are switching to eBikes because it allows them to efficiently ride long distances and hilly terrains.

But is an electric bike faster than a traditional bike?

How Long Will A 10-Mile Ride Take On An eBike? (The Calculation)

An electric bike can run 8.3 miles every hour. To calculate the amount of time it would take for an eBike to reach 10 miles, you must divide the distance you want to cover by the eBike’s average speed.

Time = Distance / Speed

         = 10 miles / 8.3 mph

Time = 1.20 hours

Therefore, a 10-mile eBike ride would take 1.20 hours or 1 hour and 12 minutes.

But what if you need the 10-mile travel time in kilometers? In that case, all you need to do is to convert the figures into kilometers and use the same calculation. Regardless, you will still get the same travel time for a 16.09-kilometer (10 miles) eBike ride.

Why Are eBikes Better For 10-Mile Rides?

A 10-mile bike ride seems intimidating, especially if you are riding a conventional bike. Fortunately, an eBike can reduce your difficulty when covering far distances. Even better, riding an eBike has various advantages.

One reason why an eBike is better for a 10-mile ride is convenience. Because this bike has a motor, you do not have to exert much power to propel it forward. Instead, the motor will make pedaling more manageable, so long rides will not drain all your energy.

Less Sweat

With an eBike you can carry some baggage, make good time and avoid traffic. All without sweating! With a good capacity battery and motor combination you might be able to “throttle” the whole way without even pedaling.

As some added reading, I’d suggest reading my article “Do You Have to Pedal an eBike?”

A standard eBike can also serve as a multipurpose bike. It allows you to ride far distances with various road conditions. Meaning you can use your eBike on paved roads, dirt paths, and hilly terrains.

I’ve got a group of articles explaining why eBikes are Awesome Check Them Out Below πŸ‘‡

eBikes Vs. Regular Bikes

Electric bikes are becoming more and more popular now. But apart from the fact that eBikes have electrical drive systems, how do they differ from their manual counterparts?

How Long to Go 5 Miles on an EBike
How Long to Go 5 Miles on an EBike πŸ‘ˆ Read the article

Efficiency

Let’s say that you are using a bike when commuting to work. A regular bike will not take you to your destination quickly. And while you can use your maximum pedaling power to make a traditional bike run fast, it will tire you out quickly.

Meanwhile, the pedal-assist feature of an eBike will contribute some pedaling power, so you only need a little effort to reach your destination. You may also increase the motor’s pedal assist, allowing you to reach your destination quickly.

Fitness

There is no denying that biking has health benefits. However, there is a misconception that riding an eBike is less beneficial than a standard bike, as its motor allows you to use less physical effort.

But while an eBike has pedal assistance, it still provides similar, if not the same, fitness benefits to traditional cycling. According to a study published in the National Library Of Medicine, outdoor exercises like cycling can improve mental processes while keeping one’s body fit.

Parts

The parts of an eBike and a conventional bike are practically the same. However, what makes an eBike different is it has a motor and a rechargeable battery. As long as the battery is charged, the motor will kick in when you start propelling the pedals, thus making the ride smoother.

RIDE eMTB Tour Tip: Grab this FREE PDF Checklist containing a list of items to consider before an eBike Tour. πŸ‘‰ eBike Tour Accessories Checklist

How Much Faster Is An eBike To A Regular Bike?

Another factor that makes eBikes different from regular bikes is speed. As mentioned, an eBike can travel 8.3 mph. On the other hand, a traditional bike can only reach 6.5 miles in an hour.

That said, riding an eBike will give you 1.8 miles more distance covered. To put the difference into more perspective, let us calculate how much time it would take for a traditional bike to reach 10 miles.

Time = Distance / Speed

         = 10 miles / 6.5 mph

Time = 1.54 hours

Therefore, it would take a traditional bike an hour and roughly 33 minutes to reach 10 miles. You must cycle for an additional 21 minutes if you are not riding an eBike.

Factors That Affect The Speed Of An eBike

Weight

The rider’s weight can decrease the speed of an eBike. The heavier the eBike’s load is, the more drag it will have. This drag also causes your eBike to use more power, resulting in a faster battery discharge.

Think of it as pushing a cart forward. If the wagon is empty, you do not have to put a lot of force into driving it, allowing you to move fast. On the other hand, a full and heavy wagon is harder to push, resulting in the slow movement.

The same happens to an eBike when its lord capacity is high. Its electrical drive system has to work harder, thus causing the speed to slow down.

Do you want more range from your eBike? Read πŸ‘‰ How to Calculate an eBike Range and Tips to Go Farther

Wind

The study The Effect Of Crosswinds On Cyclists: An Experimental Study found that crosswinds, or the wind that blows against the direction of a cyclist, increase drag. Therefore, you have to expect a decrease in your eBike’s speed if you are riding against the direction of the wind.

eBike Display with Battery Voltage
eBike Display with Battery Voltage

Terrain Condition

Although an eBike can undoubtedly help you drive on hilly roads, uphill paths can still decrease your speed. When riding uphill, you are accelerating against gravity. As a result, a gravitational force will pull you down and cause your eBike to go slower.

Bafang Mid-Drive Electric Bike Conversion
Bafang Mid-Drive Electric Bike Conversion

Did you Know You Can Convert a Regular MTB to Electric?

Bafang a leader in DIY electric bike conversions has a mid-drive kit that will fit on most regular bikes. I’d recommend the BBSHD kit, it’s a complete setup with a huge capacity battery and a 1000 watt motor. Why this setup?

  • Heavy duty 1000 watt motor (built for cargo bikes)
  • +50 volt 17.5 Ah battery for speed and distance
  • Easy installation with provided tools.

If you’re considering a conversion, do what I’m doing get the BANFANG BBSHD 1000w eBike Conversion with Battery

Final Thoughts

The average speed of an eBike is 8.3 mph. This speed is 1.8 miles faster than a conventional bike, which can only reach 6.5 miles an hour. Saving nearly 20 minutes, all without sweating!

If you have questions or comments about the article, make sure that you leave them in the comments section so we can interact!

It would take an eBike an hour and 12 minutes to reach 10 miles. Therefore, you will reach your destination faster when you use an eBike, as a regular bike takes an hour and 33 minutes to reach the same distance.


David Humphries Author at Ride e MTB

Hi David Humphries here the guy doing all the pedaling behind the scenes with this blog. I’ve been in the MTB world for a while and recently started getting into eMTBs. You can check out more about me HERE and on my other passion project – DIYMountainBike.com

Sources

  1. MacArthur, John, Christopher R. Cherry, Michael Harpool, And Daniel Scheppke. A North American Survey Of Electric Bicycle Owners. No. NITC-RR-1041. National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC), 2018. Accessed January 24, 2023.
  2. Lawton, Emma, Eric Brymer, Peter Clough, and Andrew Denovan. “The Relationship Between The Physical Activity Environment, Nature Relatedness, Anxiety, And The Psychological Well-Being Benefits Of Regular Exercisers.” Frontiers In Psychology. (2017). Accessed January 24, 2023.
  3. Fintelman, D. M., Mark Sterling, Hassan Hemida, and F-X. Li. “The Effect Of Crosswinds On Cyclists: An Experimental Study.” Procedia Engineering (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2014.06.122. Accessed January 24, 2023.