Calories burned cycling
Cycling burns calories at a rate that depends mostly on your speed and the terrain. A relaxed ride and a fast road ride are very different.
That is roughly the energy in about 5.5 bananas, about 4.5 rotis or about 3 samosas.
At every effort level
| Effort | MET | Calories for 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Leisure ride, under 16 km/h | 4 | 280 kcal |
| Steady ride, 16 to 19 km/h | 8 | 560 kcal |
| Fast ride, 20 to 22 km/h | 10 | 700 kcal |
Calories burned cycling, by weight and time
At a regular pace (Steady ride, 16 to 19 km/h).
| Body weight | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min | 90 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 200 kcal | 300 kcal | 400 kcal | 600 kcal |
| 60 kg | 240 kcal | 360 kcal | 480 kcal | 720 kcal |
| 70 kg | 280 kcal | 420 kcal | 560 kcal | 840 kcal |
| 80 kg | 320 kcal | 480 kcal | 640 kcal | 960 kcal |
| 90 kg | 360 kcal | 540 kcal | 720 kcal | 1080 kcal |
Good to know
- Headwind and hills raise the effort. Coasting downhill lowers it.
- Stop-start city traffic lowers the average, so count your riding time.
These are estimates for an average adult, based on the Compendium of Physical Activities. Your real figure depends on your fitness, technique and effort. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
Questions people ask
How many calories does an hour of cycling burn?
At a regular pace, a 60 kg person burns about 480 kcal, a 70 kg person about 560 kcal and an 80 kg person about 640 kcal in an hour. Taking it easy (leisure ride, under 16 km/h) burns about 280 kcal for a 70 kg person, and going hard (fast ride, 20 to 22 km/h) about 700 kcal.
How many calories does 30 minutes of cycling burn?
At a regular pace, about 240 kcal for a 60 kg person, 280 kcal for 70 kg and 320 kcal for 80 kg. Use the calculator above to enter your own weight and time.
How is the number worked out?
Calories burned = MET x your weight in kg x time in hours. A MET says how many times more energy an activity uses than sitting still. For cycling we use 4 (easy), 8 (regular) and 10 (hard). These values follow the Compendium of Physical Activities, a standard research list, and are averages for adults.
How accurate is this?
It is an estimate, usually within about 20 percent. Your fitness, technique, body build and how hard you really work all change the true figure, and fitness watches can differ from it too. Use it to compare activities and plan, not as an exact count.
Is cycling good for weight loss?
Any activity that gets you moving helps, and the best one is the one you will keep doing. Weight depends on what you eat as much as what you burn. As a very rough rule, around 7,700 kcal is about 1 kg of body fat, but real results vary from person to person. If you have a health condition, check with a doctor before starting something new.
