How many calories does cycling, moderate effort burn?

At 8 METs, a 70 kg person uses about 280 kcal in thirty minutes. Energy use scales with body weight, so a 90 kg person uses roughly a third more for the same session.

What is the MET value for cycling, moderate effort?

8 METs, listed under Compendium code 01030. A MET is a multiple of resting metabolic rate.

Should I subtract my resting metabolism?

If you are adding this to a maintenance figure that already includes rest, yes. The net figure removes the roughly one MET-hour per hour your body would have spent anyway, which for cycling, moderate effort leaves about 88 per cent of the gross total.

Why does body weight change the answer?

A MET value is energy per kilogram of body mass, so the same activity costs more for a heavier body. That is why weight is an input rather than an assumption, and why generic calories-burned figures without a weight are close to meaningless.

How accurate is this figure?

It is an estimate from a population average. Published comparisons against indirect calorimetry find individual discrepancies of twenty to thirty per cent, so use it to compare activities rather than as a ledger to eat back.

Calories burned cycling, moderate effort

This page turns the published MET value for cycling, moderate effort into an energy figure for your body weight. Heavier bodies use more for the same activity, which is why weight is an input rather than an assumption.

Result

These are estimates from population-level equations, not a measurement of you and not medical advice. Individual results vary widely. Talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to how you eat or train.

The MET value and where it comes from

MET value: 8
Compendium code: 01030
Listed as: Bicycling, 12 13.9 mph, leisure, moderate effort
Category: Cycling

Metabolic equivalents express energy cost relative to rest. Cycling, moderate effort sits at 8, which places it in the vigorous band on the range the Compendium covers.

kcal = MET × kg × h
     = 8 × weight × hours

net of resting:
kcal = (8 − 1) × weight × hours

Source: Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. "2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities." Journal of Sport and Health Science 13(1), 2024, pp. 6–12. MET values are population averages; roughly 18% of Compendium entries are estimated rather than measured.

If you already chose an activity multiplier that assumes you train, adding this figure on top counts cycling, moderate effort twice. Use the net figure, or set your activity level to sedentary and add sessions separately.

This figure is an estimate built on an average. Two people doing cycling, moderate effort at the same nominal intensity can differ by twenty per cent or more, and no equation using only weight and time can see that.

Calories burned by body weight and duration

Gross energy in kilocalories. Read across from your weight and down from your duration. A 70 kg person uses about 560 kcal an hour, of which roughly 490 is above what resting would have cost.

Calories burned by body weight and duration
Body weight	15 min	20 min	30 min	45 min	60 min	90 min
55 kg	110	147	220	330	440	660
65 kg	130	173	260	390	520	780
75 kg	150	200	300	450	600	900
85 kg	170	227	340	510	680	1,020
95 kg	190	253	380	570	760	1,140
110 kg	220	293	440	660	880	1,320

Compared with related activities

Energy used per thirty minutes at 70 kg, so the activities are directly comparable.

Comparison with related activities
Activity	METs	kcal / 30 min
Cycling, moderate effort	8	280
Cycling, vigorous effort	10	350
Leisure cycling	4	140
Stationary cycling	6.8	238
Jogging	7.5	263
Rowing machine	7.3	256

Questions

How many calories does cycling, moderate effort burn?: At 8 METs, a 70 kg person uses about 280 kcal in thirty minutes. Energy use scales with body weight, so a 90 kg person uses roughly a third more for the same session.
What is the MET value for cycling, moderate effort?: 8 METs, listed under Compendium code 01030. A MET is a multiple of resting metabolic rate.
Should I subtract my resting metabolism?: If you are adding this to a maintenance figure that already includes rest, yes. The net figure removes the roughly one MET-hour per hour your body would have spent anyway, which for cycling, moderate effort leaves about 88 per cent of the gross total.
Why does body weight change the answer?: A MET value is energy per kilogram of body mass, so the same activity costs more for a heavier body. That is why weight is an input rather than an assumption, and why generic calories-burned figures without a weight are close to meaningless.
How accurate is this figure?: It is an estimate from a population average. Published comparisons against indirect calorimetry find individual discrepancies of twenty to thirty per cent, so use it to compare activities rather than as a ledger to eat back.