Cycling Calories Calculator
Estimates the calories used on a ride from your weight, speed or power, and time.
Share sends a link that reopens these numbers. Copy details pastes the full breakdown as a list.
The formula
gross kcal = MET × weight (kg) × hours net kcal = (MET − 1) × weight (kg) × hours
Speed bands are for flat riding. If you have a power reading, the watts rows are closer.
What to watch out for
Speed is a weak guide on a bike. Air drag rises with the square of speed, and wind, hills, drafting and coasting all change the effort at the same speedometer reading. Power is a better measure: because the body is only about a quarter efficient, each kilojoule of work at the pedals takes about one kilocalorie of food energy. The Compendium has no band for 31–32 km/h, so choose the nearer one.
MET values come from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Gross calories include what your body would have used at rest over the same time. Net removes that by using MET − 1, so it is the better figure for the extra calories the activity uses. Both are rough estimates, so allow at least ±20%. The true figure varies by person.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories does an hour of cycling burn?
At 70 kg, about 476 kcal gross in the 16–19 km/h band and 700 kcal in the 22.5–26 km/h band.
How do I work out calories from a power meter?
Average watts × seconds ÷ 1,000 gives kilojoules of work, and calories are about the same number. An hour at 200 W is 720 kJ, so about 720 kcal.
Is an exercise bike the same as riding outside?
At the same power, roughly, but there is no coasting indoors, so an hour on an exercise bike often holds more work than an hour outside. At 101–160 W and 70 kg, an hour is about 616 kcal gross.