Cycling across America—It is a dream that has inspired cyclers and adventurers since before biking its trails was dreamt of. A coast-to-coast trip full of sundry road and state experiences is a more glorious escapade. But before you set out on this life-changing endeavor, there’s one burning question all riders want to know: How long to bicycle across America?
How long it will take to bike across the United States is not a simple question to answer because it depends on many factors. From the route you select to your daily mileage, your fitness ability, the conditions of the route, and even the weather, all these conditions have a very tangible effect on how long your trip will take.
In this guide, we will cover what you need to know about how long does it take to cycle across America, your route options, external factors affecting your trip, and how to prepare for the trip of a lifetime.
How long to bicycle across America?
The Route You Choose
One of the biggest factors that will dictate how long your bike journey takes is what route you pick. There are many established cross-country routes in the United States as well, each with related terrain, distance, and difficulty. Some of the most common routes are:
Trans America Trail
While others exist, the Trans America Trail is arguably the most well-known and heavily used route for cyclists looking to complete a U.S. transcontinental route, running from Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia, over a distance of roughly 4,200 miles (6,700 km). Bikes give riders a taste of a diversity of terrain from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains and Appalachian Mountains.
Cyclists typically complete this route in 65 to 90 days. But your time may differ based on your pace, the weather and how many rest days you take.
Northern Tier Route
Another common route for cross-country cyclists is the Northern Tier Route. It runs from Anacortes, Washington, to Bar Harbor, Maine, and measures roughly 4,296 miles (6,900 km) in length, making it a little longer than the Trans America Trail. The Northern Tier crosses through the northern U.S., including a rugged cocktail of mountain passes, lakes, and varied terrains. Because of its length and varying conditions, cyclists usually take between 70 and 90 days to cover this route.
Southern Tier Route
If you’re one of those cyclists who would rather avoid the harsh northern winters and ride when the weather is a little warmer, then the southern tier route is an amazing choice. That route stretches approximately 3,078 miles (4,950 km), from San Diego, Calif., to St. Augustine, Fla. The Southern Tier is sheltered from the cold and snow of the upper tier of states, but other challenges, such as desert heat and summer storms, can arise. Cyclists usually take 50 to 70 days to ride this route.
Other Custom Routes: In addition to these established routes, many cyclists prefer their own custom routes. Others may wish to cut their trip short, lengthen their route, select a specific route based on a particular landmark or take scenic detours. Because custom routes can be completely different lengths and have vastly different terrain, the time it will take you to finish the route can vary widely depending on how you plan your route.
Rider speed and distance travelled per day
Your daily bike distance is one of the biggest factors in determining the exact number of months it will take to bike across America. With a few exceptions, cyclists can expect to pedal between 50 to 80 miles per day, depending on experience, fitness level and terrain.
For instance, let’s analyses it:
- 60 miles a day: If you average 60 miles per day, you’ll finish the 4,200 miles of the Trans America Trail in 70 days.
- 50 miles a day: The trip would take approximately 84 days at that pace.
- 53 days: If you average 80 miles a day, you can finish the whole thing in just 53 days.
Fitness Level and Experience
How fast you can cover each day’s mileage depends a lot on your level of cycling experience and physical fitness.
- Well Established Riders: If you have ridden long distances before, are physically fit and are used to being on your bike for long hours, you will be able to cover more miles each day. Most experienced cyclists can do between 70 – 100 miles in a day.
- Intermediate Cyclists: 50-70 miles per day is more realistic for people in decent shape, if they haven’t long-distance biked before. This will give recovery time and adjust to the physical stresses of the voyage.
- For Beginner Cyclists: If you’re new to long-distance cycling, you might want to cap your daily mileage at around 30-50 miles per day. This reduced tempo will make it easier to avoid straining yourself and getting injured, but of course it will lengthen the duration of your trip.
The Terrain and Elevation
Factors such as the amount of terrain and elevation along your route will also influence the amount of time it takes to bicycle across America. Flat land means you can cover a lot of distance in a day, while mountainous areas can slow you down significantly with each steep up and down.
- Flat Terrain: Since many of the routes are flat, such as the Midwest, this helps cyclist to hold a higher pace. You might even be able to cycle your daily maximum mileage in these areas.
- Hilly: Areas of Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Mountains and other hilly regions need more effort. This can slow you down as well and adds time to your journey. Reaching these areas will take time, and rest days for recovery should be included in your calculations.
Weather Conditions
Weather is the single most unpredictable element of a cross-country bicycle trip. If you’re in certain regions during certain seasons, you’ll have to deal with extreme weather—high winds, rain, or snow—making it difficult to get ahead.
- According to common experience, summer heat: Cycling in the summer months can unavoidably subject you to extreme heat, especially in the desert climate of southern California and Arizona. Not only can this slow your pace, but it can also heighten your chances of becoming dehydrated or heat-exhausted.
- Rain and Snow: Be prepared for unforeseen rain, snow, or a drop in temperature depending on your route and time of year, especially in the north and/or mountainous areas. Poor weather will shorten your distance traveled each day and could leave you stranded.
Indeed, most people do their cycling in late spring, summer, or early fall, when offered stretches of decent weather, avoiding the harsh winter months. But even if they are in these seasons, the occasional weather phenomena can disrupt your schedule.
Rest Days and Recovery
Rest Days: Another big factor when figuring out how long it will take to bike across America is rest days. Long-distance cycling takes a toll on your body and mind, so you need to take some time off to recover. Typically, cyclists take one rest day a week, though some might take more.
Rest days give you a chance to recover from fatigue, visit some local towns or take a mental break from being on the road. Though those breaks may extend the total length of the journey by a few days, they are necessary as we need to preserve our health.
Estimated Time for Different Scenarios
For a 4,200-mile Trans America Trail, here are the time estimates for some common daily mileage:
Daily Mileage |
Route Miles |
Estimated Days |
| 60 miles | 4,200 miles | 70 hours |
| 50 miles | 4,200 miles | 84 days |
| 70 miles | 4,200 miles | 60 days |
| 80 miles | 4,200 miles | 53 days |
These estimates ignore bad weather days, mechanical problems, and rest days. Always leave time for the unknown, of course.
The final word: How long to bicycle across America?
To summarize the question of How long to bicycle across America, depends on route, daily mileage, level of fitness, terrain faced, and weather encountered. With the Trans America Trail taking an estimated 2-3 months to complete, and the Southern Tier around 2 months.
For most cyclists, the route will take anywhere from 50 days to many months, depending on the whims of the rider and how fast you ride. Whether you are an experienced cyclist, beginner, or someone looking to have fun via an extended tour, the best method of ensuring success is to plan, prepare, and be flexible.
Other Things to Think About with a Cross-Country Ride:
Self-Supported or Support Team: Determine whether you want to take the journey solo or do it with a support team. A support team can expedite your travel by handling logistics, food, and shelter, which can save you time on your overall trip.
The Mental Challenge: Cycling across America is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. Any number of things can conspire against you during the climb: days without other humans; bad weather, fatigue. While motivation will get you starting and mental resilience will get you placing the finishing touches on it,
Planning for Contingencies: You can never have too much planning ahead, take a contingency plan for your equipment breakdowns, Drifting out of your path, etc. Carry the essential tools and spare parts and know where to stop for repairs.
Biking across America will challenge your endurance, but with the right planning, it can be a highly rewarding adventure. And, whatever the duration of your journey, you will all return home with the indelible memories of all the different peoples and topographies that you have encountered on your trip.
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Best regards,
~Team BikeBicycler