How cycling calories are estimated
The MET formula applies: calories ≈ MET × weight (kg) × hours. Cycling ranges from about 6 MET (light, ~10 mph) to 10+ (vigorous). At a moderate 8 MET, a 70 kg rider burns about 560 calories in an hour.
MET stands for metabolic equivalent of task: 1 MET is roughly the energy you use sitting still, so an 8 MET ride costs about eight times that. Because weight sits directly in the formula, a heavier rider burns proportionally more for the same ride: at 8 MET for one hour, a 90 kg rider burns about 720 calories against the 70 kg rider’s 560.
Time enters the formula in hours, not minutes, so a 45-minute ride uses 0.75. A 90 kg rider at 8 MET for 45 minutes therefore burns about 8 × 90 × 0.75 = 540 calories.
Keep the calories burned running calculator nearby for the rest of the same job.
Once that is settled, the calories burned swimming calculator takes care of the next part.
How to use this calculator
Enter your weight in kg, duration in minutes, and an intensity (MET): 6 light, 8 moderate, 10 vigorous. Wind, hills and gear all affect the real figure, so treat this as an estimate. For information only.
Pick the MET honestly rather than optimistically. Steady commuting on flat ground is closer to 6 than 8, and only sustained hard riding where you struggle to hold a conversation belongs at 10 or above. Stop-start city riding with traffic lights sits lower than the elapsed time suggests, because coasting and waiting cost almost nothing.
Indoor cycling is easier to judge because pace is constant, while outdoors wind, hills, tyre pressure and drafting all shift the true figure by 10–20% in either direction.
The same numbers feed straight into the calories burned walking calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How many calories does cycling burn?
- About MET × weight in kg × hours. A 70 kg rider at a moderate 8 MET burns roughly 560 calories per hour.
- What MET should I use for biking?
- Around 6 for light (10 mph), 8 for moderate (12–14 mph), and 10+ for vigorous riding.
- Does cycling burn more than walking?
- Usually yes for the same time, since cycling MET values are typically higher — but it depends on intensity.
- Is this an estimate?
- Yes. Terrain, wind, weight and effort all change actual calorie burn.
- Should I subtract the calories I would have burned anyway?
- Yes, if you want the net cost of the ride. The MET formula includes your resting metabolism, which is roughly 1 MET, so a 70 kg rider resting for an hour would burn about 70 calories regardless — leaving roughly 490 net calories from that 560 total.