How fast can a 7 speed bike go? (Faster than you may think)

I looked at my trusty hybrid bike the other day and wondered: How fast can a 7-speed bike go? So I took it for a spin and found out. The result may surprise you.

How fast can a 7-speed bike go?

In this test, I found that a 7-speed bike can easily reach 27.15 mph (43.7 kmh) on flat ground. While the rider itself makes the biggest difference in how fast any bike can go, there are things you can do to reach speeds of 35 mph or more.

What is the top speed of a 7 speed bike?

I completed 3 sprints to find the top speed of a 7 speed bike on perfectly level ground. The results were as follows:

What is the average speed of a 7-speed bike?

I usually average around 14mph (22.5 kmh) on rides over an hour. I sometimes even go as high as 16 mph (26.2 kmh).

This is not racing speed by any means. It’s the perfect speed where you can still chat with your bike buddies while quickly getting places.

How I tested

I went for a ride following a mostly-flat country road with little traffic and no winds. There were some steeper climbs and even an MTB trail on that path to make for a good mix of conditions.

The bike I used was my 7 speed Batch Lifestyle. This bicycle is a good example of a typical 7 speed bike in my opinion. It’s a solid bike, but nothing outstanding. You can find the specs here if you are interested.

I also used a Cateye Velo 9 trip computer to measure the results.

How can you go faster?

There are different things you can try to go faster. You can improve your technique and you can upgrade your gear. Here is what I recommend:

Better high-speed gear ratio

There were times during my sprints where I could have squeezed out a couple more mph if my seventh gear had a higher gear ratio.

I think this change alone would have pushed me past the 30 mph mark.

A smaller rear cog and a bigger chainring would provide a better gear ratio that is more aimed towards speed and can make a huge difference – not only in reaching top speed, but also in ease of maintaining those speeds.

Gear ratios are much too complicated for the scope of this post. But here is a great primer if you want to dive deeper into this topic.

Better tires and less rolling resistance

Even the fastest tires have some sort of rolling resistance.

But they have much less resistance than a mountain bike tire on pavement for instance.

Finding a balance of grippy MTB treads and slick road tires can make your bike much faster in the terrain you’re riding.

My bike has 700c x 38mm knobbly tires. They are not particularly great on the road, but they strike a reasonable balance for the mix of road, gravel, and single track we have around where I live.

If I was going for speed particularly, I would replace these tires with something like 700c x 32mm tires with a single slick line through the center.

And while we’re replacing tires, it may allow us to shed some weight as well.

Shed some weight (on your bike)

Every piece of equipment or gear you don’t need on your bike can give you a little bit of an edge.

It might not make sense to optimize a city bike for speed. Especially not at the expense of safety. But shedding heavy tires and unused bike racks can make your bike feel much faster and more responsive.

Even better if you don’t think you will need that extra water bottle, saddle bag, mudguard, or pump.

This is one of the things that can amp up the fun factor of your bike the most.

Just remember that some of those things are on your bike for a reason.

Reduce Drag

Drag is essentially wind resistance. Here is how that affects your speed:

• If you wear tighter clothes, you will reduce the feeling of dragging a parachute behind you when you ride into the wind.

• The smaller your profile from the front, the less drag you create.

• The fewer air turbulences your bike and gear create at high speeds, the less resistance you will feel.

• You can opt for narrower handlebars, a more aggressive riding position, and a more streamlined cockpit without trip computers, lights, and or other air traps. But whatever you do: Keep your bike safe for the conditions you ride in.

These small changes can make a big difference in setting a new personal speed record.

I wore a skinny shirt and bike shorts. I leaned over the handlebar as much as I could to lower my profile. But there would still be some easy wins here.

Get in shape

You knew this was coming, didn’t you?

The sad truth is: The rider makes the single biggest difference in all of this.

If I gave my 90s mountain bike to Lance Armstrong and took his best bike instead – he would still beat me in a race every single time.

So it would definitely help my speed record if I lost some weight and strengthened my leg muscles.

But for us everyday riders: I think there is no need to go this far unless you want to enter competitive races.

Are 7 speed bikes slow?

Now you have seen how fast 7-speed bikes can be. You also know how to make them even faster.

But are they fast compared to other bikes?

Let’s summarize:

• For most people, 7 speed bikes are fast enough.
• 7-speed bikes aren’t necessarily any slower than other kinds of bikes. What matters more than the number of speeds, is the gear ratio of the high-speed gear: You essentially want to combine the biggest front chain ring with the smallest rear cog.
• You are limited to 7 steps to get from the slowest to the fastest gear ratio – you are not limited in speed itself. More importantly, this means that 7-speed bikes are generally not good for hills.
• Generally speaking, a 7-speed bike is not built for speed. It is often a recreational bike that lets you commute to work or school, haul some groceries, and to get to the park to meet friends on the weekend.
• 7-speed bikes are not necessarily slower than 8-speed bikes.

If you are looking for a fast bike, you may want to upgrade to a road bike.

Here is a great article to see if a road bike is right for you.

Who is a 7 speed bike Great for?

The humble 7 speed bike is great for someone who wants a reliable, simple, and inexpensive bike.

Something that can be used for commuting the whole year, to whip through the city, or going for a chill sunday cruise.

Most are hybrid bikes that are easy to customize and probably the most versatile bike out there.

They may not be the fastest bicycle on the road or even safe to take on a downhill trail.

But they’re perfect for everyone who just needs a bike. They simply don’t get the love they deserve.