Calories burned during cycling
Cycling at a moderate pace burns roughly 220–295 kcal in half an hour for a 70 kg rider — a range, because effort, wind and gradient matter more than the odometer. A leisurely ride to work sits lower; a vigorous or hilly ride pushes the top. Enter your weight and time for your own estimate below.
Enter your weight and how long you moved — the estimate comes back as a range, the same way our diary does it.
| Weight | 15 min | 30 min | 45 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 78–106 | 156–211 | 234–317 | 312–423 |
| 60 kg | 94–127 | 187–254 | 281–380 | 375–507 |
| 70 kg | 109–148 | 219–296 | 328–444 | 437–592 |
| 80 kg | 125–169 | 250–338 | 375–507 | 500–676 |
| 90 kg | 141–190 | 281–380 | 422–571 | 562–761 |
| 100 kg | 156–211 | 312–423 | 469–634 | 625–845 |
| 110 kg | 172–232 | 344–465 | 515–697 | 687–930 |
Each cell is a range (±15%). Read down for your weight, across for your time. These are population estimates, not a measurement of you.
| Intensity | 30 min | 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| Cycling, leisure / to work · 4 MET | 125–169 | 250–338 |
| Cycling, moderate pace · 7 MET | 219–296 | 437–592 |
| Cycling, vigorous pace · 9 MET | 281–380 | 562–761 |
| Stationary bike, vigorous · 10.8 MET | 337–456 | 675–913 |
A 30-minute session at 70 kg — the pace changes the cost far more than a few kilos do.
Energy cost from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities (Herrmann, Willis, Ainsworth et al.). kcal = MET × 3.5 × weight(kg) ÷ 200 × minutes; we show it as a band because a MET is a population average. Why a range, not one number →
How many calories does cycling burn?
It depends on your weight, how long you keep it up and — a lot — your pace and fitness, so there is no single true number. The table and the calculator give a range for your weight and time. Two people of the same weight can differ by 15–25% at the same activity.
Why show a range instead of one number?
Because a MET value is a population average. Your real burn shifts with fitness, technique, terrain and how hard you actually went. A single "347 kcal" reads as precise when it isn't — the honest answer is a band, and that is what we show.
Do calories burned mean I can eat that much back?
No. This is an estimate of energy spent, not calories you have to "earn" or a licence to eat more. Movement is worth doing for its own sake. If you track a day's balance, use the range — never treat the top of it as exact.
Where do the numbers come from?
MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, a public reference cited by researchers. We apply the standard MET formula and widen it into a ±15% band (±25% for strength work, which a MET barely captures).