Last updated: March 2, 2026 by Dr. David Park

Calories Burned While Cycling

Formula

Cycling calorie burn is calculated using Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) values, which represent the energy cost of physical activities as multiples of resting metabolic rate.

Light cycling (under 16 km/h) has a MET of about 4, moderate cycling (16-22 km/h) about 8, vigorous cycling (22-30 km/h) about 12, and racing above 30 km/h about 16.

Common use cases:

  • Planning cycling workouts for weight loss
  • Comparing calorie burn across intensities
  • Nutrition planning for long rides

Frequently Asked Questions

DD

Dr. David Park

Applied Mathematician, PhD Mathematics

David holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics from MIT. He has published research on numerical methods and computational algorithms used in engineering and scientific calculators.

Share & Embed

Was this calculator helpful?

Related Calculators