Without a power meter, the go-to reference is the Compendium of Physical Activities (2024 edition), which gives every activity a MET value: how many times more energy it burns than sitting at rest. One MET is roughly 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour, so calories per hour are METs × weight in kg. These are the values our cycling calorie calculator uses in its “by activity” mode. The Compendium gives its speed brackets in miles per hour, so they appear here exactly as published, with km/h alongside.
Calories burned per hour by average speed and weight
| Average speed on the flat | MET | 120 lb (54 kg) | 140 lb (64 kg) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 220 lb (100 kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 mph (under 16 km/h), leisurely | 4.0 | 218 kcal | 254 kcal | 290 kcal | 327 kcal | 363 kcal | 399 kcal |
| 10-11.9 mph (16-19 km/h) | 6.8 | 370 kcal | 432 kcal | 494 kcal | 555 kcal | 617 kcal | 679 kcal |
| 12-13.9 mph (19-22 km/h) | 8.0 | 435 kcal | 508 kcal | 581 kcal | 653 kcal | 726 kcal | 798 kcal |
| 14-15.9 mph (23-26 km/h) | 10.0 | 544 kcal | 635 kcal | 726 kcal | 816 kcal | 907 kcal | 998 kcal |
| 16-19.9 mph (26-32 km/h) | 12.0 | 653 kcal | 762 kcal | 871 kcal | 980 kcal | 1,089 kcal | 1,197 kcal |
| 20 mph or faster (32+ km/h), no drafting | 16.8 | 914 kcal | 1,067 kcal | 1,219 kcal | 1,372 kcal | 1,524 kcal | 1,676 kcal |
Other kinds of rides
| Type of ride | MET | 120 lb (54 kg) | 140 lb (64 kg) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 220 lb (100 kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt road, moderate pace | 5.8 | 316 kcal | 368 kcal | 421 kcal | 474 kcal | 526 kcal | 579 kcal |
| Commuting at your own pace | 6.8 | 370 kcal | 432 kcal | 494 kcal | 555 kcal | 617 kcal | 679 kcal |
| Mountain biking, general | 8.5 | 463 kcal | 540 kcal | 617 kcal | 694 kcal | 771 kcal | 848 kcal |
| Mountain biking, hard climbing | 14.0 | 762 kcal | 889 kcal | 1,016 kcal | 1,143 kcal | 1,270 kcal | 1,397 kcal |
| E-bike, low assist | 6.0 | 327 kcal | 381 kcal | 435 kcal | 490 kcal | 544 kcal | 599 kcal |
| E-bike, high assist | 4.0 | 218 kcal | 254 kcal | 290 kcal | 327 kcal | 363 kcal | 399 kcal |
| Smart trainer, virtual ride | 8.8 | 479 kcal | 559 kcal | 639 kcal | 718 kcal | 798 kcal | 878 kcal |
With a power meter: kJ to kcal
A power meter measures work at the pedals in kilojoules (kJ): watts × seconds ÷ 1,000. To turn that into what your body burns, divide by 4.184 (kJ per kcal) and by gross efficiency, 24 % in our calculator. The two almost cancel each other out, hence the rule of thumb 1 kJ ≈ 1 kcal.
| Average power | Work in 1 hour | kcal/h (24 % efficiency) | If you are very efficient (25 %) | If you are less efficient (20 %) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 W | 360 kJ | 359 kcal | 344 kcal | 430 kcal |
| 125 W | 450 kJ | 448 kcal | 430 kcal | 538 kcal |
| 150 W | 540 kJ | 538 kcal | 516 kcal | 645 kcal |
| 175 W | 630 kJ | 627 kcal | 602 kcal | 753 kcal |
| 200 W | 720 kJ | 717 kcal | 688 kcal | 860 kcal |
| 225 W | 810 kJ | 807 kcal | 774 kcal | 968 kcal |
| 250 W | 900 kJ | 896 kcal | 860 kcal | 1,076 kcal |
| 275 W | 990 kJ | 986 kcal | 946 kcal | 1,183 kcal |
| 300 W | 1,080 kJ | 1,076 kcal | 1,033 kcal | 1,291 kcal |
How to read the charts
- If you have a power meter, trust the watts. They measure what you actually did. The speed chart doesn’t know whether there was wind, whether you were drafting or what bike you were on: on a road bike, on the flat and with no wind, 15 mph (24 km/h) takes about 87 W, or roughly 310 kcal an hour, well below what the METs give for a 165 lb rider. You can check it in the watts needed by speed chart.
- Use your average moving speed, not the one that includes stops, and only for rides without big climbs: going uphill your speed drops while your energy use goes up.
- METs include what you’d burn at rest (1 MET). If you only want what the ride adds, subtract your weight in kg as kcal for every hour: at 165 lb (75 kg), 75 kcal less.
- The numbers are averages. Two people of the same weight can burn 10-20 % differently depending on fitness and technique.
How much of that energy to replace on the bike (carbs, water and sodium per hour) is covered in our guide to what to eat on a ride. To train by intensity rather than calories, see the power zones chart or the heart rate zones by age chart.
Frequently asked questions
How many more calories do I burn if I weigh 10 lb more?
With the Compendium METs, every 10 lb adds about 36 kcal per hour at 12-13.9 mph (8 METs) and about 45 kcal at 14-15.9 mph (10 METs). At 12.5 mph, a 140 lb rider burns about 510 kcal an hour; a 190 lb rider, about 690.
Is one kJ on my power meter equal to one calorie?
Close enough. Your body turns only 20 to 25 % of the energy it burns into work at the pedals, and that inefficiency almost exactly cancels out the 4.184 kJ per kcal conversion. That's why 1 kJ ≈ 1 kcal: 1,000 kJ on a ride is about 1,000 kcal.
Why does my power meter show fewer calories than this chart?
Because METs are averages for people riding at that speed, with no idea whether there was wind or you were drafting. A power meter measures your actual work: on the flat with no wind, on the hoods, 12.5 mph (20 km/h) takes about 57 W, roughly 200 kcal an hour, while the chart gives about 600 for 165 lb. If you have watts, trust them.