Does bicycling really burn that many calories?!

I've been riding pretty much every day for a while, and I just came back to use CC after a half a year or so of absence.  Logging my 2 hour bike ride at 13 mph, (my average speed is 16mph), I burn around 1400 calories?!  Is that right?  

While away from CC, I was eating a large quantity of food, but I didn't loose or gain inches (still fit into the same pants)... So, if I want to loose weight (which I do), should I ignore this number, or eat around 2000 calories, to have a deficit of 1000 calories a day?

The easy answer in my case is yes!!!  I average 6-700 calories an hour depending on the layout of my ride.  Hills vs flat land ect.  I use my F6 Heart rate monitor to determine calories burned.  as far as the deficit, you'd need to use the tools to figure your calories needed ect.  In my case I'm 5'4" weigh 180 and am 46 years old and I consider my self sedentary and then add my exercise each day.

I am sorry, but I have to disagree. At those speeds, unless it's all up hill, you are not burning 1400 Calories. For reference my 2h 10 minute ride today averaging 19 something on rolling terrain burned around 1350 Calories.

UD

the calories burned would depend on the weight of the individual, yes?     about 1/3 of my ride is usually uphill.... but definately not at 16 mph (I wish!!! I want to be a better climber, it's not fair!!!-so im trying to loose weight)

 i also use  http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?units=0&mi leage=17.9693&lastLeg=0.0213&legDraw= bike&weight=150&calories=2038.4362983 924348

to calculate my miles gone, and then when i use that to find my calories burned... it is waaay off, according to this calorie calculator (which obviously would be more accurate)

It depends on the intensity of the ride, your conditioning. With hills the weigh certainly effects speed/intensity since it takes more energy to move a heavier object up the hill. Then of course there is down hill... Bottom line online calculators are not all that accurate, next step in accuracy is HR which measures the intensity and guesstimates calories burned indirectly through HR. The most accurate way is a power meter, which measures power you produce directly.

UD

Original Post by umneydurak:

 it takes more energy to move a heavier object up the hill.

haha... true.

I took a spin class at my gym, they have the rpm and distance and such computers on each bike, it is sooo cool, I want one

I really doubt you burned that many calories on your bike. I think the CC website tells me I burn 800 or 900 calories per hour, but I measured this using my Polar HRM and my bodybugg on 2 separate occassions and both confirm its more realistically around 450-500 per hour at a rigorous effort.

How does the calorie count change on a stationary bike? I ride 13 mi. in an hour. According to CC it's "moderate," about 500 calories. Since this is the only exercise I do, I start as sedentary and add the exercise.

Is that right?

BTW, I have lost 17 pounds since June 15. I am now 168 pounds.

To answer the other part of your post, a calorie deficit of 1000 is too large.  Try to keep the deficit between 500 and 700 calories.  Then you'll see results quickly (about a pound a week) without feeling famished all the time.

Biking will also make your legs tone up and look great. But if you REALLY want to burn some calories and get rid of every ounce of stress you have, try going to a spin class at your gym - commit to going twice a week for two weeks in a row (even though the seat takes getting used to and you will feel like you're too out of shape to do it - stick with it and you'll see - spin classes are super aerobic - you burn a gazillion calories and strengthen your entire body while doing it. It's amazing. Don't forget to stretch! I got hooked 3 years ago and I still crave going. It can seem intimidating to go in the room and get on the bike with all those other people - but spin is the great equalizer. It's hard for everybody and it's always a fantastic workout. NOTHING else in the gym competes for aerobic workout with calorie burn.

If you want an online calorie-burn exercise calculator that offers the low-end for calories burned, go to fitday.  Fitday, in every activity that I compared it to for calories burned, has always given a lower number.

WOW! Where are you people riding the bikes to make it last two hours? I'm in Los Angeles. Everything's too urban or filled with bumpy roads to ride a bike that steadily or for that length of time/distance.

corvusorax:

It seems that the calories burned being off, that kinda messes with the deficit calculation.... time to get a heartrate monitor and rpm and avg. mph computer on my bike!  Thank goodness christmas is coming ....christmas is soon, right?  

example being... Right now, i have eaten 1700 calories, but my burn estimate, after the 3hr 20 minute ride today is at 5000.  ?!  meaning i have a deficit of 3300 calories?!

Starsfall:

the bumpy roads are part of the excitement of riding!  My ride to school and back (3 hr. 15 minutes total...) half of it was basically trying to avoid the potholes without swerving... riding in a straight determined path, so the drivers know you are a confident rider...

I can't imagine riding in LA!  Maybe get a bike rack and drive to an 'un-urbanized' safe spot to ride?

amyalisonb:

Spin class is good for really working on your form and pushing yourself real hard, and sweating out a million pounds of water! there is no air to blow in your face :(   But if you have a really nice bike, it's hard to lock it up outside the gym to ride another, not so nice bike.