How many cycling calories do I burn?
Pick your riding speed or kind of ride, then type your weight and the minutes. The cycling calorie calculator uses the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities to estimate the calories you burn on the bike.
- Calories burned
- 610
Cycling for 60 minutes (12 to 13.9 mph, moderate effort) at 160 lb burns about 610 calories.
- Above resting
- 533
- Calories per hour
- 610
- MET value
- 8
Calories burned: 610. Cycling for 60 minutes (12 to 13.9 mph, moderate effort) at 160 lb burns about 610 calories.
Calories burned by minutes ridden
This calculator gives general information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor or other health care provider. Talk with a professional about your results. Terms of use
How to calculate
Estimates the calories burned cycling from body weight, riding speed or kind of ride (road, mountain, e-bike, stationary bike by watts) and minutes, with MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities.
Example with the default inputs (Weight 160 lb, Speed or kind of ride 12 to 13.9 mph, moderate effort, Minutes ridden 60): Cycling for 60 minutes (12 to 13.9 mph, moderate effort) at 160 lb burns about 610 calories.
Method: Calories = MET × 3.5 × weight (kg) ÷ 200 × minutes; calories above resting use MET − 1.
- MET values are the 2024 Adult Compendium’s, measured in adults 19 to 59 years old.
- One MET is taken as 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram per minute, and 1 litre of oxygen as 5 kilocalories (the Compendium’s conversions).
- The answer is an estimate for an average rider; wind, hills, the bike and riding position change the real cost.
- This is for information only and is not medical advice.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Weight 160 lb, Speed or kind of ride 12 to 13.9 mph, moderate effort, Minutes ridden 60 gives Calories burned 609.628145, Above resting 533.424627, Calories per hour 609.628145, MET value 8.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, Bicycling, https://pacompendium.com/bicycling; Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions (kcal/min = METs × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200), https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/
- Weight 154.3 lb, Speed or kind of ride 14 to 15.9 mph, vigorous effort, Minutes ridden 30 gives Calories burned 367.5, Above resting 330.75, Calories per hour 735.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, Bicycling, https://pacompendium.com/bicycling; Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions (kcal/min = METs × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200), https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/
- Weight 200 lb, Speed or kind of ride Stationary, 126 to 150 watts, Minutes ridden 45 gives Calories burned 571.526386, Above resting 500.085588, Calories per hour 762.035182.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, Bicycling, https://pacompendium.com/bicycling; Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions (kcal/min = METs × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200), https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/
- Weight 121.3 lb, Speed or kind of ride E-bike, high motor support, Minutes ridden 20 gives Calories burned 77, MET value 4.Source: 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, Bicycling, https://pacompendium.com/bicycling; Compendium of Physical Activities, Unit Conversions (kcal/min = METs × 3.5 × body weight in kg ÷ 200), https://pacompendium.com/unite-conversions/
How it works
- Calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × weight (kg) ÷ 200.
- Calories burned = calories per minute × minutes.
- Above resting = (MET − 1) × 3.5 × weight (kg) ÷ 200 × minutes.
- Calories per hour = calories per minute × 60.
A weight typed in pounds is changed to kilograms at 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly. The weight is used as the exact decimal you typed, and each result is an exact fraction rounded once.
MET values
From the 2024 Adult Compendium, heading Bicycling (labels shortened; the four concentric-only and eccentric-only laboratory rows, 01252 to 01264, are left out):
| Speed or kind of ride | Code | MET |
|---|---|---|
| Leisure, 5.5 mph | 01018 | 3.5 |
| Leisure, under 10 mph | 01010 | 4.0 |
| Leisure, 9.4 mph | 01019 | 5.8 |
| 10 to 11.9 mph, light effort | 01020 | 6.8 |
| 12 to 13.9 mph, moderate effort | 01030 | 8.0 |
| 14 to 15.9 mph, vigorous effort | 01040 | 10.0 |
| 16 to 19 mph, racing | 01050 | 12.0 |
| Over 20 mph, racing, not drafting | 01060 | 16.8 |
| Bicycling, general | 01014 | 7.0 |
| Own pace, easy | 01015 | 4.3 |
| Own pace, moderate | 01016 | 7.0 |
| Own pace, vigorous | 01017 | 9.0 |
| Commuting to or from work, own pace | 01011 | 6.8 |
| Dirt or farm road, moderate pace | 01013 | 5.8 |
| 12 mph, seated, 80 rpm | 01065 | 8.5 |
| 12 mph, standing, 60 rpm | 01066 | 9.0 |
| Mountain biking, general | 01009 | 8.5 |
| Mountain biking, uphill, vigorous | 01003 | 14.0 |
| Mountain biking, racing | 01004 | 16.0 |
| BMX | 01008 | 8.5 |
| E-bike, no motor support | 01080 | 6.8 |
| E-bike, light motor support | 01084 | 6.0 |
| E-bike, high motor support | 01088 | 4.0 |
| Unicycling | 01070 | 5.0 |
| Stationary bike, general | 01200 | 6.8 |
| Stationary, 25 to 30 watts | 01210 | 3.5 |
| Stationary, 50 watts | 01214 | 4.0 |
| Stationary, 60 watts | 01216 | 5.0 |
| Stationary, 70 to 80 watts | 01218 | 5.8 |
| Stationary, 90 to 100 watts | 01220 | 6.0 |
| Stationary, 101 to 125 watts | 01224 | 6.8 |
| Stationary, 126 to 150 watts | 01228 | 8.0 |
| Stationary, 151 to 199 watts | 01232 | 10.3 |
| Stationary, 200 to 229 watts | 01236 | 10.8 |
| Stationary, 230 to 250 watts | 01240 | 12.5 |
| Stationary, 270 to 305 watts | 01244 | 13.8 |
| Stationary, over 325 watts | 01248 | 16.3 |
| Spin or RPM class | 01270 | 9.0 |
| Interactive virtual cycling | 01290 | 8.8 |
| High intensity interval training on a bike | 01305 | 8.8 |
Rules
- Weight from 20 kg to 350 kg, both included, checked in kilograms. In pounds that is 44.0924524… lb to 771.6179… lb, so 44.1 lb is the smallest and 771.61 lb the largest two-decimal pound value accepted; minutes a whole number from 1 to 1,440.
- The MET values are for adults aged 19 to 59; the result is an average estimate, not a measurement, and not medical advice.
Output format. Calories show as whole kilocalories and the MET value with 1 decimal, each rounded half up from its exact value.
Worked examples by hand
160 lb, 60 minutes at 12 to 13.9 mph (8.0 MET). 160 lb = 72.5747792 kg. 8 × 3.5 × 72.5747792 ÷ 200 = 10.1605 kcal a minute; × 60 = 610 calories (609.628); above resting 7 × 3.5 × 72.5747792 ÷ 200 × 60 = 533; per hour 610.
70 kg, 30 minutes at 14 to 15.9 mph (10.0 MET). 10 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 = 12.25 kcal a minute; × 30 = 367.5, shown as 368; above resting 9 × 3.5 × 70 ÷ 200 × 30 = 330.75, shown as 331; per hour 735.
200 lb, 45 minutes on a stationary bike at 126 to 150 watts (8.0 MET). 200 lb = 90.718474 kg. 8 × 3.5 × 90.718474 ÷ 200 × 45 = 572 calories (571.526); above resting 500; per hour 762.
55 kg, 20 minutes on an e-bike with high support (4.0 MET). 4 × 3.5 × 55 ÷ 200 × 20 = 77 calories.
Other questions people ask
How many calories does cycling burn?
A 160 lb person riding one hour at 12 to 13.9 mph (8.0 MET) burns about 610 calories. At 14 to 15.9 mph (10.0 MET) the same rider burns about 762 an hour.
How is it calculated?
Calories per minute = MET × 3.5 × weight in kg ÷ 200, the Compendium’s conversion, times the minutes. The MET value is the energy cost of the ride as a multiple of sitting at rest.
How many calories does a stationary bike burn?
It depends on the power you pedal at. In the Compendium, 50 watts is 4.0 MET, 126 to 150 watts 8.0 MET and over 325 watts 16.3 MET. A 200 lb rider at 126 to 150 watts for 45 minutes burns about 572 calories.
Does an e-bike burn fewer calories?
Yes, more motor help means less work. The Compendium gives 6.8 MET with no support, 6.0 with light support and 4.0 with high support, so a 55 kg rider burns 77 calories in 20 minutes on high support.
What does “above resting” mean?
The calories from the ride itself: (MET − 1) of the total. Your body would have burned the rest (1 MET) even sitting still for the same time.
Why does my bike computer show a different number?
A power meter measures your work directly, and a watch may use heart rate. The Compendium values are averages for adults 19 to 59; wind, hills, tyres and riding position change the real cost.