Health📅 18 March 2025⏱ 5 min read
How Many Calories Does Cycling Burn? A Formula for Any Ride
Cycling calorie burn varies hugely by weight, speed, terrain, and bike type. Here's the MET formula for accurate estimates and a reference table for every type of ride.
JW
James WhitfieldPersonal Finance & Maths WriterJames has written about personal finance, health metrics, and everyday mathematics for over six years. He holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Leeds.
Cycling is one of the most calorie-efficient ways to exercise — it covers large distances with relatively little effort per kilometre, making calorie estimates highly dependent on effort level rather than distance alone.
The MET Formula
The most accurate way to estimate cycling calorie burn uses the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) — a measure of exercise intensity relative to sitting still.
Calories per hour = MET × Weight (kg) × 3.5 ÷ 200 × 60
Or simplified:
Calories burned = MET × Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)
Example: 75kg rider, moderate cycling (MET 8), 45 minutes:
= 8 × 75 × 0.75 = 450 calories
MET Values by Cycling Type
ActivityMETCal/hr (75kg)
Leisurely cycling (<16 km/h)4.0300
Light effort (16–19 km/h)6.0450
Moderate effort (19–22 km/h)8.0600
Vigorous effort (22–26 km/h)10.0750
Racing / intense (>26 km/h)12.0900
Stationary bike (light)5.5413
Stationary bike (vigorous)10.5788
Mountain biking (moderate)8.5638
Spinning class9.0675
By Body Weight
WeightLeisurely (4 MET)Moderate (8 MET)Vigorous (10 MET)
60 kg240/hr480/hr600/hr
75 kg300/hr600/hr750/hr
90 kg360/hr720/hr900/hr
110 kg440/hr880/hr1,100/hr
Cycling vs Running: The Calorie Comparison
Running burns roughly 2–2.5× as many calories per kilometre as cycling at equivalent effort, because running supports your full body weight against gravity. However, cycling allows you to cover much more distance in the same time, which narrows the gap per hour of exercise.
Running at moderate pace: ~600–700 cal/hr for 75kg person
Cycling at moderate pace: ~600 cal/hr for 75kg person
Per km:
Running (10 km/hr): ~60–70 cal/km
Cycling (19 km/hr): ~32 cal/km
To burn the same calories: cycle roughly twice the distance of running.
Why Cycling Calorie Counters Are Often Wrong
Most fitness watches and cycling computers overestimate cycling calorie burn by 15–30%. They often don't account for the fact that cycling is partially supported by the saddle, or that the aerodynamic position at speed reduces the energy cost compared to their estimates. Power meter data (measuring actual watts at the pedals) is the only truly accurate method — the MET formula is a reliable approximation for training planning.