Calories Burned Cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) at 75 kg — 600 kcal per Hour
Cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) at 75 kg (165 lb) burns about 600 kcal per hour. That figure comes from the activity's MET value of 8 in the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities, multiplied by body weight: 8 x 75 kg x 1 hour = 600 kcal. This page works the numbers out in full - for 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 minutes, across all four weight bands, and against four comparable activities at the same weight - so you can plan sessions with real figures instead of guessing.
Cycling at a moderate effort means riding at 12-13.9 mph (19-22 km/h) — a proper workout pace, where your breathing is deep, your legs are working hard, and talking takes real effort. The Compendium rates it at 8.0 METs, the same as a basketball game or a game of tennis singles. It is the pace of a fit weekend rider on a flat road, or a club rider on an easy group ride.
Moderate-effort cycling suits regular riders, club cyclists, and commuters who want their ride to count as training. The headline number to remember is 600 kcal per hour at 75 kg, or about 300 kcal for a 30-minute ride. Everything below is an estimate: MET values are population averages, and your own burn will vary with fitness, hills, wind and the bike you ride. Treat the figures as a planning tool, not a personal measurement.
Calculate your own numbers
Use the calorie calculator to work out your own burn for cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) at your exact weight and session length. Enter your weight, pick the activity and set the duration, and the tool applies the same MET formula shown below. You can also try the maintenance calorie calculator to see how this session fits into your total daily energy use.
Related pages in this section:
Calories Burned Cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) at 55 kg — 440 kcal per Hour
Calories Burned Cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) at 65 kg — 520 kcal per Hour
Calories Burned Cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) at 85 kg — 680 kcal per Hour
The formula, shown and cited
The standard way to estimate the energy cost of an activity is the MET formula from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2011; 43(8): 1575-1581):
Calories (kcal) = MET x body weight (kg) x duration (hours)
One MET is the energy you use sitting quietly at rest - about 1 kcal per kilogram of body weight per hour. An activity rated at 8 METs therefore uses 8 times as much energy as resting. The Compendium's MET values come from published studies that measured oxygen use during each activity, so they are measured averages, not guesses. The value used here, 8, is the one recorded for cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) in the FitCalc activity data.
Worked through for this page:
- MET for cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph): 8
- Body weight: 75 kg (the midpoint of the 70-80 kg band, 165 lb)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Calculation: 8 x 75 x 1 = 600 kcal
For a 30-minute session the same calculation is 8 x 75 x 0.5 = 300 kcal. Nothing else is hidden in the maths - if your weight or duration changes, only those two numbers change.
Your numbers at 75 kg
| Duration | Calculation | Calories burned |
|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 8 x 75 x 0.25 | 150 kcal |
| 30 minutes | 8 x 75 x 0.5 | 300 kcal |
| 45 minutes | 8 x 75 x 0.75 | 450 kcal |
| 60 minutes | 8 x 75 x 1 | 600 kcal |
| 90 minutes | 8 x 75 x 1.5 | 900 kcal |
That is about 10.0 kcal per minute of cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) at this weight. A short session still counts: even 15 minutes burns 150 kcal, and three 15-minute sessions across a day add up to the same 450 kcal as one 45-minute session.
How the burn changes with body weight
The MET value stays the same - it describes the activity, not the person - but the calorie total scales with weight, because a heavier body costs more energy to move:
| Body weight | Calories per hour | Calories per 30 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 440 kcal | 220 kcal |
| 65 kg | 520 kcal | 260 kcal |
| 75 kg | 600 kcal | 300 kcal |
| 85 kg | 680 kcal | 340 kcal |
Two people doing the same activity for the same time can therefore burn quite different amounts, and that is expected - it is physics, not a mistake in the formula. If your weight sits between two rows, your figure sits between the two values.
How cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) compares
Here is cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) against four other activities at the same 75 kg, all using the same MET formula:
| Activity | MET | Calories per hour at 75 kg |
|---|---|---|
| cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) | 8 | 600 kcal |
| cycling at a light effort (10-11.9 mph) | 6.8 | 510 kcal |
| cycling at a vigorous effort (14-15.9 mph) | 10 | 750 kcal |
| mountain biking | 8.5 | 638 kcal |
| running at 6 mph | 9.8 | 735 kcal |
Use this table to choose, not to judge. A higher number means a harder session, not a better one: the activity you enjoy and repeat three times a week beats the activity that burns more per hour but that you quit after a fortnight. Mixing intensities across the week - one harder session, two easier ones - is usually more sustainable than doing the hardest activity every time.
Fitting cycling at a moderate effort (12-13.9 mph) into your week
| Sessions per week | 30 minutes each | 60 minutes each |
|---|---|---|
| 2 sessions | 600 kcal | 1200 kcal |
| 3 sessions | 900 kcal | 1800 kcal |
| 5 sessions | 1500 kcal | 3000 kcal |
At 8.0 METs, cycling at a moderate effort is vigorous-intensity activity, so it counts double toward the widely used adult activity target: 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week is the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate activity. Three 30-minute rides a week give you 90 vigorous minutes and burn about 900 kcal a week at 75 kg. That is more than enough to meet the activity target from cycling alone.
How to use the result
Ride in the drops or on the hoods with a slight bend in your elbows, and keep your cadence at 80-95 revolutions per minute — spinning a lighter gear fast is more efficient than grinding a heavy gear slowly. Use this pace for 45-90 minute rides, and add a longer weekend ride as your fitness builds. Eat a small snack before a ride over an hour, and carry water and a spare tube. Vary your week: one moderate ride, one easier ride, and one harder session, rather than the same effort every day. If you are tracking food as well, add the ride's calories to your total daily energy expenditure for that day, and remember that the figure is an estimate with roughly 10-20% uncertainty. Do not eat back every calorie the calculator shows. If you are aiming to lose weight, keep the deficit modest - 300-500 kcal a day is a common, sustainable range - and keep your total intake above the safety floors of 1,200 kcal a day for women and 1,500 kcal a day for men unless a healthcare professional advises otherwise.
What the number does NOT tell you
The MET formula assumes steady cycling on level ground at 12-13.9 mph, so it does not account for hills, headwinds, traffic stops, or the type of bike: aerodynamics matter more as speed rises, so your position on the bike changes the real figure. It does not account for your fitness or body composition, it does not include the afterburn that follows exercise, and it says nothing about the fitness or mood benefits of cycling. It also cannot tell you whether cycling is safe for you: if you have a heart condition, joint problems or any other health concern, check with a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise routine. Use the calorie figure as a planning estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do I burn cycling at a moderate effort for 30 minutes at 75 kg?
About 300 kcal. The maths is 8.0 METs x 75 kg x 0.5 hours = 300 kcal. That is an estimate from the Compendium average — hills, wind and your riding position will change the real figure.
How fast is a moderate cycling effort in km/h?
12-13.9 mph is 19-22 km/h. At the 13 mph midpoint, a mile takes about 4 minutes 37 seconds and a kilometre takes about 2 minutes 52 seconds. That is a strong pace for a fit recreational rider on flat ground.
How many calories do I burn cycling at a moderate effort per mile?
About 46 kcal per mile at 75 kg, at the 13 mph midpoint. The per-hour figure of 600 kcal is more useful for planning, because your speed will vary with hills, wind and traffic.
How does moderate cycling compare with running?
At 75 kg, an hour of moderate cycling burns about 600 kcal, against 735 kcal for running at 6 mph. Cycling burns less per hour at the same effort level, but most people can cycle for much longer than they can run, so a two-hour ride can burn more in total than a one-hour run — and with far less impact on the joints.
Can moderate cycling help with weight loss?
It can help, but only as part of an overall calorie deficit. At 75 kg, an hour burns about 600 kcal, and three 30-minute rides a week burn about 900 kcal. Weight loss still comes from the total balance of food and activity across the week. Aim for a gradual loss of 0.5-1% of body weight per week, and never drop below 1,200 kcal a day (women) or 1,500 kcal a day (men) without medical supervision.
Estimates only, not medical advice. Minimum safe intakes: 1,200 kcal/day women, 1,500 kcal/day men - consult a healthcare professional before a very-low-calorie diet.