Bicycle Calorie Calculator
Estimate the energy you burn on a ride using the metabolic-equivalent (MET) method behind most fitness trackers.
Speed sets the intensity
Faster riding means a higher MET value, so calories climb steeply as you pick up the pace.
It is an estimate
Wind, hills, drafting, and your own efficiency all shift the real burn — treat the number as a guide.
How many calories does cycling burn?
Energy cost from weight, speed, and time
Cycling is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories at low joint impact, which is why it is a staple of both everyday fitness and endurance training. The amount you burn depends mainly on three things: how much you weigh, how fast you ride, and how long you are out. According to the Compendium of Physical Activities, the research catalogue that assigns an energy cost to hundreds of activities, cycling ranges from about 4 METs for a gentle roll to over 12 METs for fast road riding — and that intensity, multiplied by your weight and time, is what this calculator turns into a calorie figure.
This calculator uses the MET (metabolic equivalent of task) method, the standard way exercise science compares the energy cost of activities.
calories = MET × body mass (kg) × time (hours)One MET is the energy you use sitting still — roughly one kilocalorie per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated at 8 METs therefore costs about eight times that. Because riding faster pushes you into a higher MET band, the calorie cost rises more than proportionally with speed: most of the extra effort goes into overcoming air resistance, which grows sharply as you accelerate. Research shows the MET approach gives a reliable population-level estimate of energy expenditure, which is why fitness apps and guidelines lean on it, even though any single rider will vary around the average.
A 75 kg rider cycles for 45 minutes at a steady 20 km/h.
Pick the MET for the speed
20 km/h falls in the 19–22 km/h band, worth about 8 METs.Find the hourly rate
8 × 75 = 600 kcal per hour at that intensity.Scale to the ride length
45 minutes is 0.75 hours, so 600 × 0.75 = 450 kcal.Check the distance
20 km/h for 0.75 hours covers 15 km, a useful sense check on the effort.
Three inputs dominate the result, so they are the ones worth getting right.
Speed and intensity
Moving up a speed band lifts the MET value, and because drag rises with speed, fast riding burns far more per minute than cruising.
Body weight
Heavier riders burn more at the same speed, since the MET method scales directly with mass.
Time in the saddle
Total burn is the hourly rate times the hours ridden, so a longer ride adds calories in direct proportion.
If you want to compare cycling with other activities, our calories burned calculator covers dozens of exercises by MET value, and our BMI calculator puts your body weight in context. Together they help you see where a ride fits in a weekly plan.
The headline figure is the total calories for the ride; the hourly rate and the MET value show the intensity behind it, and the distance is a quick reality check on the effort. Use the number to plan fuelling and recovery rather than as a precise measurement: real burn shifts with wind, gradient, road surface, riding position, whether you draft behind others, and your own pedalling economy. As a rough guide, the MET figure tells you the band you are in — under about 6 METs is easy aerobic riding, while sustained efforts above 10 METs are vigorous. According to general physical-activity guidance, building volume and intensity gradually is the safest way to raise your burn over time.
The method is solid; your body is individual.
An estimate, not medical advice
The MET method estimates energy expenditure from average values and does not capture wind, hills, drafting, bike type, cadence, or your individual metabolism and efficiency, so your real burn will vary — often by 10–20%. It also assumes a steady effort at the speed you enter. This calculator is for general fitness and educational purposes and is not medical advice. Before starting or significantly increasing a cycling program — especially if you have heart, joint, or blood-pressure concerns — consult a doctor or healthcare provider, and build up distance and intensity gradually.