Cycling calories burned
Quick answer
Cycling at 18 km/h burns about 203 kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person. One hour burns about 406 kcal.
- 30 minutes, 70 kg
- 203 kcal
- 1 hour, 70 kg
- 406 kcal
- MET used
- 6.8
- Effort or pace
- 18 km/h
Outdoor cycling uses your average speed. The rows are for road or leisure riding without drafting behind other riders.
Calories burned by body weight
Estimated kcal at common paces on level ground. The app picks the row from your average pace, so log both the time and the distance.
| Pace | 50 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 km/h5:00 min/km · 4 MET | 75 kcal | 90 kcal | 105 kcal | 120 kcal | 135 kcal | 150 kcal |
| 18 km/h3:20 min/km · 6.8 MET | 145 kcal | 174 kcal | 203 kcal | 232 kcal | 261 kcal | 290 kcal |
| 21 km/h2:51 min/km · 8 MET | 175 kcal | 210 kcal | 245 kcal | 280 kcal | 315 kcal | 350 kcal |
| 24 km/h2:30 min/km · 10 MET | 225 kcal | 270 kcal | 315 kcal | 360 kcal | 405 kcal | 450 kcal |
| 28 km/h2:09 min/km · 12 MET | 275 kcal | 330 kcal | 385 kcal | 440 kcal | 495 kcal | 550 kcal |
| 34 km/h1:46 min/km · 16.8 MET | 395 kcal | 474 kcal | 553 kcal | 632 kcal | 711 kcal | 790 kcal |
| Pace | 50 kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg | 90 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 km/h5:00 min/km · 4 MET | 150 kcal | 180 kcal | 210 kcal | 240 kcal | 270 kcal | 300 kcal |
| 18 km/h3:20 min/km · 6.8 MET | 290 kcal | 348 kcal | 406 kcal | 464 kcal | 522 kcal | 580 kcal |
| 21 km/h2:51 min/km · 8 MET | 350 kcal | 420 kcal | 490 kcal | 560 kcal | 630 kcal | 700 kcal |
| 24 km/h2:30 min/km · 10 MET | 450 kcal | 540 kcal | 630 kcal | 720 kcal | 810 kcal | 900 kcal |
| 28 km/h2:09 min/km · 12 MET | 550 kcal | 660 kcal | 770 kcal | 880 kcal | 990 kcal | 1100 kcal |
| 34 km/h1:46 min/km · 16.8 MET | 790 kcal | 948 kcal | 1106 kcal | 1264 kcal | 1422 kcal | 1580 kcal |
How this is calculated
Calories burned = (MET − 1) × body weight in kg × time in hours
MET compares the energy an activity uses with sitting at rest. Nibbs takes away 1 MET, the energy your body uses at rest (about 1 kcal per kg per hour), so it counts only the extra calories from the activity. The app rounds the result to the nearest whole kcal.
Worked example (18 km/h, 70 kg, 30 minutes): (6.8 − 1) × 70 × 0.5 = 203 kcal.
| Pace | MET | Compendium code |
|---|---|---|
| 12 km/h | 4 | 01010Bicycling, <10 mph, leisure, to work or for pleasure |
| 18 km/h | 6.8 | 01020Bicycling, 10-11.9 mph, leisure, slow, light effort |
| 21 km/h | 8 | 01030Bicycling, 12-13.9 mph, leisure, moderate effort |
| 24 km/h | 10 | 01040Bicycling, 14-15.9 mph, racing or leisure, fast, vigorous effort |
| 28 km/h | 12 | 01050Bicycling, 16-19 mph, racing/not drafting or >19 mph drafting, very fast, racing general |
| 34 km/h | 16.8 | 01060Bicycling, >20 mph, racing, not drafting |
Each pace uses the Compendium row for that speed on level, firm ground. The app picks the row from the average pace of the time and distance you log.
Common questions
How many calories does cycling burn in an hour?
At 18 km/h, about 406 kcal for a 70 kg person. At the same pace, a 50 kg person burns about 290 kcal and a 100 kg person about 580 kcal.
Does a faster pace burn more calories?
Yes. For a 70 kg person, 30 minutes at 12 km/h burns about 105 kcal, and 30 minutes at 34 km/h burns about 553 kcal.
Why are these numbers lower than some other calculators?
Nibbs counts only the calories you burn above your resting rate. It takes away 1 MET, about 1 kcal per kg of body weight per hour, because your body burns that much even when you sit still. Calculators that count total calories include this resting energy, so their numbers are higher.
How do I log cycling in Nibbs?
Add Outdoor Cycling, then enter the time and the distance. Nibbs works out your average pace, picks the matching row and uses the weight in your profile. You can replace the estimate with your own number.
Log cycling in Nibbs and get a calorie estimate automatically
Nibbs has a library of more than 1,200 exercises. Add a workout and Nibbs uses your weight to estimate the calories, next to the meals you log.
Calories burned in related activities
Values are kcal in 30 minutes for a 70 kg person, at the app's default effort level or the pace shown on each page.