What this calculator does
Calories burned on a stationary bike depend mainly on three things: how much you weigh, how long you ride, and how hard you are working. The standard way to estimate this is the MET method, where MET stands for metabolic equivalent, a multiple of the energy your body burns at rest.
Stationary cycling covers a wide range of intensities, from an easy spin to an all-out sprint effort, and the MET value changes a great deal across that range. This calculator offers four intensity levels, light through very vigorous, each with its own MET value, so the estimate reflects the effort actually being put in rather than a single generic cycling figure.
The formula
Calories = MET × 3.5 × weight in kilograms ÷ 200 × minutes. The MET value is a standard multiplier for how much harder the body is working compared with sitting still, and it is looked up from the selected intensity level.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| MET | Metabolic equivalent, a multiple of resting energy expenditure used to estimate calories for a given activity and intensity. |
| Intensity | How hard the session is being ridden, from a light spin to a vigorous or racing effort, each carrying a different MET value. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Riding intensity | Choose the intensity level that best matches the session: light, moderate, vigorous, or very vigorous. |
| Weight (kg) | Body weight in kilograms. |
| Duration (minutes) | Total session length in minutes. |
When to use it
Logging a gym spin class
A vigorous spin class run at a hard, sustained effort sits toward the higher intensity levels here, giving a more realistic calorie estimate than a general cycling figure.
An easy recovery ride
A light, easy-effort session between hard training days burns considerably fewer calories per minute, which the light intensity level reflects.
Comparing effort levels at the same duration
Riding the same 30 minutes at a higher intensity burns noticeably more, useful for deciding how hard to push a session against a calorie target.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How do calories change with session length, at moderate effort?
A 75 kg rider at moderate effort, across a range of session lengths.
| Duration | Calories burned |
|---|---|
| 15 min | 138 kcal |
| 20 min | 184 kcal |
| 30 min | 276 kcal |
| 45 min | 413 kcal |
| 60 min | 551 kcal |
| 90 min | 827 kcal |
How does intensity change the calorie burn for the same session?
The same rider and duration, ridden at each of the four intensity levels.
Questions
How many calories does a stationary bike burn?
It depends heavily on weight, duration and intensity, but a 75 kg rider at a moderate effort for 30 minutes burns roughly 300 kcal. Enter your own weight, duration and intensity for a specific estimate.
Does a stationary bike burn as many calories as outdoor cycling?
The MET-based method used here estimates energy cost from effort level rather than terrain, so a stationary bike ridden at a given intensity burns a similar amount to outdoor cycling at a comparable effort.
Why does intensity matter so much?
MET values roughly triple from a light spin to a very vigorous effort, so intensity has a bigger effect on calories burned than most people expect, often more than duration alone.
Is this estimate exact?
No. MET-based estimates are a standard approximation used widely in fitness tracking, but individual metabolism, fitness level and riding technique all cause the real figure to vary somewhat from the estimate.
For calorie estimates across other activities using the same MET method, see the calories burned calculator.