How many calories do you burn cycling for 30 minutes?

For a 170-pound person, cycling for 30 minutes burns approximately 240-420 calories depending on speed. At a leisurely 10 mph pace, you'd burn about 240 calories. At a moderate 14 mph pace, you'd burn around 350 calories. At a fast 18 mph pace, you'd burn approximately 450 calories.

How to calculate calories when cycling?

Use the MET formula: Calories = MET value × weight in kg × time in hours. First, determine your MET value based on cycling speed (4 METs for <10 mph, 8 METs for 12-14 mph, 12 METs for 16+ mph). Then convert your weight to kilograms and time to hours, and multiply all three values together.

How many calories does a 200 pound person burn cycling?

A 200-pound person burns approximately 600-1000 calories per hour cycling, depending on speed. At 10 mph (leisurely), they burn about 600 calories/hour. At 14 mph (moderate), they burn around 900 calories/hour. At 18 mph (vigorous), they burn approximately 1000+ calories/hour.

How many hours of cycling burn 1000 calories?

For a 170-pound person, it takes approximately 1.5-2.5 hours to burn 1000 calories cycling. At a vigorous 18 mph pace, it takes about 1.5 hours. At a moderate 14 mph pace, it takes around 2 hours. At a leisurely 10 mph pace, it takes about 2.5 hours.

Cycling Calorie Calculator

Calculate precise calories burned cycling based on your weight, distance, and pace or speed.

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How Cycling Calorie Calculator Works

This calculator uses Metabolic Equivalents (METs) to accurately estimate calories burned during cycling. METs represent how much energy an activity requires compared to sitting at rest, with different cycling speeds having different MET values.

The calculator takes your weight, total distance, and either duration or speed to compute calories burned. For duration input, it calculates your average speed to determine the appropriate MET value. For speed input, it calculates how long your ride would take at that pace.

The formula multiplies your MET value by your body weight in kilograms and the time spent cycling in hours. This gives you a scientifically-backed estimate of your energy expenditure that accounts for both your body size and the intensity of your ride.

The calculator adjusts MET values based on cycling speed: leisurely riding under 10 mph uses 4 METs, moderate speeds of 12-14 mph use 8 METs, and faster speeds of 16+ mph can use 12 METs or higher.

Cycling Calorie Calculator Formula Breakdown

Formula

MET value = Speed-based intensity (4 METs for <10 mph, 6.8 METs for 10-12 mph, 8 METs for 12-14 mph, 10 METs for 14-16 mph, 12 METs for 16+ mph)
Calories burned = MET value × Body weight in kg × Duration in hours

Variables Explained

Your weightYour current body weight in pounds. This is a key factor in calorie calculation since heavier individuals burn more calories performing the same activity. Use your most recent accurate weight measurement.
Total DistanceThe total distance you cycled in miles. This can be measured using a bike computer, smartphone app, or mapped route. More accurate distance measurements lead to better calorie estimates.
DurationThe total time spent actively cycling in minutes. This should include only the time you were pedaling, not rest stops or coasting periods. Used when you know your ride time but not your speed.
SpeedYour average cycling speed in miles per hour. This represents your sustained pace throughout the ride. Used when you know your typical cycling speed but want to calculate calories for different ride durations.

Example Calculation

Given:

Your weight: 171 lb
Total Distance: 6 miles
Duration: 20 minutes

Calculation:

Average speed: 6 miles ÷ (20 minutes ÷ 60) = 18 mph
MET value for 18 mph cycling: 12 METs
Weight in kg: 171 lb ÷ 2.20462 = 77.6 kg
Duration in hours: 20 minutes ÷ 60 = 0.33 hours
Calories burned: 12 × 77.6 × 0.33 = ~310 kcal

Result:

~310 kcal

Explanation

This represents a moderately intense 20-minute ride covering 6 miles at 18 mph pace. This speed puts you in the higher intensity range, resulting in significant calorie burn for the relatively short duration.

Tips for Using Cycling Calorie Calculator

💡Track your rides with a bike computer or smartphone app for more accurate distance and speed measurements, which directly improve calorie estimates.
💡Remember that outdoor cycling typically burns more calories than indoor cycling at the same speed due to wind resistance, terrain changes, and less coasting time.
💡For longer rides over 1 hour, consider that your average speed may decrease due to fatigue, so using actual ride data rather than estimated speeds will give better results.

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