Cycling Calorie Calculator
Fuel Your Ride, Track Your Burn.
Precisely estimate the calories you burn on a bike ride. Our calculator uses advanced metrics to help you achieve your weight goals and optimize performance.
1 About You
2 Your Ride Details
Hours
Minutes
3 Elevation Gain (Optional)
For outdoor rides, adding elevation gain provides a more accurate calorie count.
Understand and Use Your Results
Turn your calorie data into actionable insights for weight management, performance fuelling, and smarter training.
Aligning Calories with Your Cycling Goals
Knowing your energy expenditure is the key to any fitness plan. Here’s how to use the data from our cycling calorie calculator.
Weight Loss
To lose fat, you need a **calorie deficit**. This tool helps you accurately track your burn, so you can create a sustainable deficit without starving yourself or losing muscle.
Maintenance
For peak performance, match your intake to your output. On heavy training days, you'll need more fuel. This calculator ensures you're eating enough to stay energized and healthy.
Weight Gain
If you're looking to build muscle, you must eat more calories than you burn. Use this data to ensure your long rides don't sabotage your gains by creating an unintended deficit.
Pre-fuelling and Recovery
Optimal performance hinges on smart nutrition. Your calorie burn is the first step in building a solid fuelling plan.
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Intra-Ride Fuelling: For rides over 90 minutes, aim for 30-60g of carbs per hour to maintain energy. This could be an energy gel, a large banana, or a sports drink.
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Post-Ride Recovery: Consume a mix of protein and carbs (e.g., a recovery shake or chocolate milk) within 60 minutes post-ride to repair muscle and replenish energy stores.
The Science Behind the Numbers
What is a MET? A MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) measures an activity's intensity. 1 MET is the energy used while sitting still. An activity of 8 METs (like moderate cycling) burns 8 times more energy than rest.
Formula 1: Base Calorie Burn
Kcal = METs × Weight (kg) × Time (hr)
- METs: Selected intensity of your ride.
- Weight: Your body weight in kilograms.
- Time: Duration of your ride in hours.
Formula 2: Elevation Burn
Energy = Mass × Gravity × Height
- Mass: Your weight + bike's weight.
- Gravity: Earth's gravitational constant.
- Height: The total elevation you climbed.
The Impact of Variables: Examples
This table highlights how minor changes to **Weight** and **Elevation** significantly affect the calorie burn for a consistent 10 km (6.2 mile) ride at 15 mph. Note the large difference between a mixed-terrain ride (Ride 3) and an uphill-only ride (Ride 4).
| Metric | Ride 1 (Base) | Ride 2 (Heavier) | Ride 3 (Climb) | Ride 4 (Uphill Only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (lbs) | 140 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Elevation (metres) | 0 | 0 | 500 | 500 |
| Uphill only? | No | No | No | Yes |
| Kcal Burn | 263 | 376 | 633 | 890 |
| Fat Burn (lbs) | 0.08 | 0.11 | 0.18 | 0.25 |
Factors That Also Affect Your Burn
This calculator provides a strong estimate, but real-world calorie burn is also influenced by these factors:
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Wind Resistance: Cycling into a headwind requires significantly more effort (and calories) than riding with a tailwind.
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Drafting: Riding behind another cyclist can reduce wind resistance by up to 30%, saving a significant amount of energy.
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Bike Type & Terrain: A heavy mountain bike on a gravel path will burn more calories than a lightweight road bike on smooth asphalt over the same distance.