Cycling Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate calories burned cycling from body weight, speed, duration, and terrain.
Covers road, mountain, and stationary bikes with MET-based calculations.
Cycling calorie burn depends on your body weight, the intensity of effort (measured by speed or power output), and duration. The most accurate method uses MET values (Metabolic Equivalent of Task), which are standardized effort multipliers.
Calorie Formula (MET method):
Calories = MET × Body Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)
MET values for cycling:
| Speed / Effort | MET |
|---|---|
| < 10 mph (leisure) | 4.0 |
| 10–12 mph (light) | 6.0 |
| 12–14 mph (moderate) | 8.0 |
| 14–16 mph (vigorous) | 10.0 |
| 16–20 mph (racing pace) | 12.0 |
| Mountain biking | 8.5 |
| Stationary bike, easy | 5.5 |
| Stationary bike, vigorous | 10.5 |
Worked example: Rider weight: 80 kg (176 lbs) Speed: 14 mph (moderate effort) → MET = 8.0 Duration: 1.5 hours Calories = 8.0 × 80 × 1.5 = 960 kcal
Power-based formula (for cyclists with a power meter):
Calories = Average Watts × Duration (sec) × 3.6 / 1,000
This formula assumes ~25% cycling efficiency — meaning 75% of energy becomes heat and roughly 25% moves the bike.
Worked example: 200 watts for 60 minutes (3,600 sec): Calories = 200 × 3,600 × 3.6 / 1,000 = 2,592 kJ ≈ 620 kcal
Note: kJ and kcal are roughly equivalent for cycling due to the 25% efficiency factor — a handy shortcut most cycling computers use.
Key variables: Wind resistance increases calorie burn sharply above 15 mph. Climbing adds 30–60 calories per 100 feet of elevation gain per 100 lbs of body weight.