Cycling Calorie Calculator

Cycling burns 240-1,000+ calories per hour depending on intensity and body weight. A 150 lb person burns approximately: 240 calories/hour at leisure pace (< 10 mph), 408 calories/hour at light pace (10-12 mph), 480 calories/hour at moderate pace (12-14 mph), 600 calories/hour at vigorous pace (14-16 mph), 720 calories/hour racing (16-19 mph), and 948 calories/hour at professional speeds (20+ mph). Heavier riders burn more calories, and terrain significantly impacts burn rate - hills can increase calorie burn by 30-60%.

Yes, cycling is excellent for weight loss. A 30-minute moderate cycling session burns 240-400 calories, and cycling 5 times per week can create a deficit of 1,200-2,000 calories weekly (0.3-0.6 lbs of fat loss). Cycling is low-impact, so it is sustainable for daily exercise unlike high-impact activities. For best weight loss results: cycle 45-60 minutes at moderate intensity (12-14 mph), incorporate hills or intervals, combine with calorie tracking (aim for 500 calorie daily deficit), and strength train 2-3x weekly to preserve muscle mass.

Yes, cycling on hills burns 30-60% more calories than flat terrain. Hills increase MET value from 8.0 (moderate flat) to 10.4-12.8 (hilly/mountain). A 170 lb person cycling moderately for 30 minutes burns 340 calories on flat roads, 442 calories on hilly terrain (30% more), and 544 calories on mountain climbs (60% more). Uphill cycling engages more muscle groups, increases heart rate, and requires greater power output. Even gentle rolling hills add significant calorie burn compared to flat riding.

Cycling intensity dramatically affects calorie burn through MET values: Leisure (4.0 METs), Light (6.8 METs), Moderate (8.0 METs), Vigorous (10.0 METs), Racing (12.0 METs), Professional (15.8 METs). For a 160 lb person cycling 1 hour: Leisure burns 291 calories, Moderate burns 582 calories (2x more), and Racing burns 872 calories (3x more). However, moderate intensity (12-14 mph) burns the highest percentage of fat calories (35% vs 25% at high intensity) and is sustainable for longer durations, often resulting in greater total calorie burn.