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How Long Will It Take to Ride a Century?

molly hurford
·6 min read
female road biker rides along sunny country road
How Long Does It Take to Ride a Century?AscentXmedia - Getty Images

I remember the first time I rode a century: I was still in college, reluctantly part of the Rutgers Cycling Team in order to improve my biking as a triathlete. Every Sunday in February, the ragtag team of 10 or so riders would roll out from New Brunswick, New Jersey—rain, snow, or sun—and pedal for 100 miles.

These were truly the best of times and the worst of times. Numb fingers, toes, and noses were the norm. We never packed enough snacks. We’d swarm coffee shops and gas stations like gremlins, hunting out the most calories for the least amount of money. These rides often took upward of 10 hours, thanks to multiple stops, flats, and quite a few missed turns. And I had the time of my life.

If you’ve never ridden a century—or 100 miles—it can be a daunting concept. If you’ve been training consistently and are ready to hit triple digits, the big question becomes: How long will it take me to ride a century? It can be hard to plan your day when you’re not sure if you’ll be out for seven hours or 14. So we compiled the data on average finish times and what you need to know to estimate the length of your own 100-miler.

How many people ride centuries?

First of all, a round of applause for even attempting such a feat: According to Strava, in 2023, only four percent of cyclists on the platform did a ride that was 100 miles or more.

Nervous about making the attempt? Consider starting with a metric century, which is about 62 miles, if you haven’t done a ride that long yet. Even at 100 kilometers, you’ll be riding longer than 87 percent of your fellow cyclists on Strava. In 2023, only 13 percent of riders hit 100 kilometers in any ride—and in the U.S., the number is even lower, with only 9 percent of cyclists going that far.

How long do most people take to ride a century?

Strava crunched the numbers for median times that it took to pedal 100 miles, by country:

Those numbers seem relatively low, and average out to traveling at around 16 miles per hour. This might be a simple task if you have a fairly flat route or you’re riding with friends and can take advantage of drafting. But if you’re riding solo, doing a hillier route, or you’re riding on gravel rather than smooth, speedy tarmac, expect to take longer.

How can you figure out how long it will take you to ride a century?

If you’ve already done quite a few longer rides of 50 or more miles on a similar route, your pace for those rides should be fairly close to your century pace. “When trying to calculate out a century time, there are a couple good places to look,” says gravel pro and FoCo Fondo organizer, Whitney Allison. “Look at your actual average speed in training... not what you tell your friends you do! This provides a nice, conservative estimate and let’s you make some reasonable calculations on how long it will take you.”

If you’re doing a harder route than usual to make it to 100 miles, Allison notes that you’ll need to be more conservative in your guesstimate. “If the century has some crazy features like a major climb or more difficult terrain than you usually ride, you’ll need to take that into account, especially between places to refuel,” she says. “It’s always better to carry a little more hydration and food than less: A well-fueled athlete is a stronger and faster athlete.”

Take weather into account as well, says Allison: You may not be able to completely account for how wind, heat, or rain will affect your day, but you can assume that any of those variables could slow you down. We know that even the perception of heat can drop your performance by 9 percent, which can add up to an hour over the course of 100 miles.

If this route is new to you—for example, if your first century is a Fondo-style ride or a gravel grinder—then you’ll want to check the course profile. Look at the terrain (gravel, road, or a mix) and elevation over the course of the 100 miles, and try to find similar rides that you’ve done to make a time comparison. You can also look at past results for other finishers: Check your age group/gender to see the span of finish times.

“If you are completing an organized century, you can look at the results time of past riders you know are of similar ability to you,” Allison says. “Don’t forget to take into account the weather: If the 2024 predicted weather for your event is 20 degrees warmer than the year before, expect times to be slower overall.”

It’s also smart to add at least an hour to your century time estimation and pack your snacks and fluids accordingly—and make sure you have working bike lights just in case you’re riding after dark. A flat tire can easily cost you 15 minutes on the side of the road, and you may find that your pace slows down significantly as the day goes on. (This is also a good tip if you have family obligations/plans postride: Assume it will take an hour longer than you expect and avoid marital strife by getting home earlier than planned!)

How should you plan your century timeline?

Whether you’re doing an organized ride or creating your own course, a little preparation goes a long way. As you plan out your route, use an app like Strava or Google Maps, and consider things like terrain and total elevation. Make sure that you’re accounting for places to stop to fill up water bottles, buy extra snacks if needed, and hit up a port-a-potty or public restroom.

You should be aiming to drink at least one bottle per hour and eating 200 to 400 calories of carbohydrates per hour on a ride like this, starting from mile one: The longer the ride, the more critical it is to avoid bonking! So when you figure out about how long it’ll take you to complete 100 miles, then calculate how many bottles and calories you’ll need (and pack a little extra, just in case).

One final note on how long it’ll take to ride a century: Know it doesn’t matter, as long as you prepared for it. Whether it takes you six hours or 16, the fact that you’re even attempting this kind of feat is impressive and amazing. And as many cyclists will say: The longer the century, the better the stories.

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