Calories Burned Biking Calculator
Use this calories burned biking calculator to estimate how many calories you burn on a bike ride from your weight, ride time, and speed or effort.
Updated October 2, 2026
Medical Disclaimer: This calculator provides a general estimate based on established research and is for educational purposes only, not a substitute for medical advice. Individual results can vary based on health conditions, so consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, exercise, or health routine. Read our full Medical Disclaimer.
How Calories Burned Biking Is Calculated
Calories burned biking is the energy your body uses while you ride, including the energy it would use at rest anyway. This calculator estimates it with a MET value, which is a number that says how hard an activity is compared with sitting still. It is made for adults.
What Biking Calories Measure
One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly, defined as 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hour¹. Cycling at 8 METs means you use about 8 times that. This tool does not measure your heart rate, your power, or your oxygen use. It gives an average estimate for a typical adult at your speed or effort.
The Formula
The calculator uses the standard energy formula with MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities² ³:
Calories (kcal) = MET x body weight (kg) x time (hours)
How This Calculator Computes Your Result
Pick Outdoor or Stationary bike, then enter your weight (kg or lb) and ride time (minutes or hours). For an outdoor ride, enter your average speed in mph or km/h and the tool picks the matching speed band. For a stationary bike, pick your effort level. Pounds are converted to kg and km/h to mph before the math, and calories are rounded to the nearest whole number. You also see your net calories above rest, and for outdoor rides, your distance and calories per mile and per km. A table shows what the same ride would burn at every other intensity.
What Your Result Means
Each speed band has its own MET value from the compendium². The table shows what the bands give for a 70 kg (154 lb) adult. Your own table is scaled to your weight.
Outdoor speed | MET | kcal in 30 min | kcal in 60 min |
Under 10 mph (16 km/h), leisure | 4.0 | 140 | 280 |
10 to 11.9 mph (16 to 19 km/h) | 6.8 | 238 | 476 |
12 to 13.9 mph (19 to 22 km/h) | 8.0 | 280 | 560 |
14 to 15.9 mph (23 to 25 km/h) | 10.0 | 350 | 700 |
16 to 19.9 mph (26 to 32 km/h) | 12.0 | 420 | 840 |
20 mph (32 km/h) and over | 16.8 | 588 | 1176 |
Stationary bike levels are based on power in watts, as listed in the compendium². Same 70 kg example:
Stationary effort (watts) | MET | kcal in 30 min | kcal in 60 min |
Light (50 W) | 4.0 | 140 | 280 |
Light to moderate (60 W) | 5.0 | 175 | 350 |
Moderate (70 to 80 W) | 5.8 | 203 | 406 |
Moderate to vigorous (90 to 100 W) | 6.0 | 210 | 420 |
Moderate to hard (101 to 125 W) | 6.8 | 238 | 476 |
Hard (126 to 150 W) | 8.0 | 280 | 560 |
Very hard (151 to 199 W) | 10.3 | 361 | 721 |
Vigorous (200 to 229 W) | 10.8 | 378 | 756 |
Very vigorous (230 to 250 W) | 12.5 | 438 | 875 |
Spin or RPM class | 9.0 | 315 | 630 |
Outdoor vs Indoor Cycling
The two sets of bands are not the same scale. Outdoor bands follow speed, and stationary bands follow power. A relaxed 10 to 11.9 mph ride is 6.8 METs outdoors, which is the same value the compendium gives for a stationary bike at 101 to 125 watts². Do not pick a stationary level just because it sounds like your outdoor speed. If your bike computer or spin bike shows watts, use the matching band.
Wind, Hills and Why Speed Is Only a Guide
Speed stands in for effort, and that link breaks easily. Riding 12 mph into a headwind or up a long climb takes more work than 12 mph on flat, calm ground, but the tool sees the same speed. A tailwind or a descent does the opposite. Stops at lights lower your average speed without lowering the effort you put in while moving. For best results, enter your average moving speed. Cycling research finds that energy use rises in a near straight line with work rate (power)⁵. That is why the stationary bike bands use watts.
How Accurate MET Estimates Are
A MET value is an average from studies of many people, not a measurement of you. In the compendium, 912 of 1114 activity values were measured, and the rest were estimated³. The data come from adults aged 19 to 59, so the numbers are less certain for teens and older adults³. The standard resting baseline of 3.5 mL of oxygen per kg per minute is also an average. In a study of 252 people, standard METs came out 0.51 lower than METs based on each person's own resting rate, and the error was larger for lower fitness, heavier, and older people⁴. Fitness and riding efficiency also change how much energy a given speed costs you.
A Note on Accuracy
This is an estimate for adults, not a measurement. The result is gross calories, meaning it includes the energy you would burn at rest. The "net" line subtracts that resting amount. Real burn can be higher or lower because of wind, hills, drafting, bike type, fitness, and body size. Treat the number as a guide, and compare rides using the same method.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories does biking burn in an hour?
It depends on weight and speed. A 70 kg (154 lb) adult burns about 280 kcal at a leisure pace under 10 mph, about 560 kcal at 12 to 13.9 mph, and about 840 kcal at 16 to 19.9 mph².
How many calories does 30 minutes of cycling burn?
Half the hourly figure. For a 70 kg adult, that is about 140 kcal at leisure pace and about 280 kcal at 12 to 13.9 mph².
Is a stationary bike the same as riding outside for calories?
Not exactly. Outdoor values are based on speed and stationary values on watts, so the same effort can look different on each². Wind and hills also affect outdoor rides but not indoor ones.
How accurate is a biking calorie calculator?
It gives a reasonable average, not a precise number. MET values are group averages, and the standard resting baseline can under-read in some people⁴.
Sources
Bicycling MET values, Compendium of Physical Activities, 2024
2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities, Herrmann et al., 2024
Errors in MET estimates using 3.5 ml/kg/min, Kozey et al., 2010
Efficiency in cycling: a review, Ettema and Loras, 2009