Calories burned?

rarriola said:

Is there an approximation as to the number of calories that are burned in a mile? Of course it [censored] depend on speed, wind, and any present hills, but are any semi-accurate numbers out there?

No, there are too many variables, (of which you have listed a number). The best rough estimates are time based:
easy ride aprox. 450 calories per hour
hard group ride aprox. 700 cal per hour
Racing as hard as you can go for 1 hour, up to 1000 cal per hour

Also be aware that as the intensity increases, your calories are derived from different sources. I.e., low intensity mostly fat based to highest intensity which will be largely carbohydrate, (glycogen stores) based.

If your interested in losing weight, try moderate intensities which you can sustain for 4+ hours. This will give you the most bang for your buck. Ride lots of centuries and quit eating junk/processed foods. Eat vegetables and quality protein. Spread you daily cal deficiet out to aprox neg 3000 per week

rarriola said:

Is there an approximation as to the number of calories that are burned in a mile? Of course it [censored] depend on speed, wind, and any present hills, but are any semi-accurate numbers out there?

I would consider getting a heart rate monitor. This should tell you how many calories are burned. There are too many other variables to just guesstimate how many calories are burned in a mile. Age, weight, speed, metabolic rate etc. When I started riding and was much heavier, the number of calories burned was higher; now that I am more fit. I don't burn as much.

Hope this helps.

Borg-MX5 said:

I would consider getting a heart rate monitor. This should tell you how many calories are burned. There are too many other variables to just guesstimate how many calories are burned in a mile. Age, weight, speed, metabolic rate etc. When I started riding and was much heavier, the number of calories burned was higher; now that I am more fit. I don't burn as much.

Hope this helps.

To clarify, you cannot calculate or know very accurately energy expended via a HRM. The HRM are just taking a 'guess'.

To calculate energy expenditure exactly, you need to be in a lab measuring expired respiratory gases, and from these data you can calculate expenditure and substrate use.

the easiest way to calculate it outside of a lab on a bike on mixed terrain is with a power meter such as the Power Tap, or SRM. as average power x time = energy expended, and because efficiency is within a narrow(ish) range for all cyclists a good ball park estimate can be made this way

the numbers presented in one of the posts above are *very* approximate. for e.g., one of the riders i coach expends ~ 1500 kj (or kcal - due to efficiency and 4.18 cancelling) per hour

ric

ric_stern/RST said:

To clarify, you cannot calculate or know very accurately energy expended via a HRM. The HRM are just taking a 'guess'.

To calculate energy expenditure exactly, you need to be in a lab measuring expired respiratory gases, and from these data you can calculate expenditure and substrate use.

the easiest way to calculate it outside of a lab on a bike on mixed terrain is with a power meter such as the Power Tap, or SRM. as average power x time = energy expended, and because efficiency is within a narrow(ish) range for all cyclists a good ball park estimate can be made this way

the numbers presented in one of the posts above are *very* approximate. for e.g., one of the riders i coach expends ~ 1500 kj (or kcal - due to efficiency and 4.18 cancelling) per hour

ric

I do agree with Ric. The numbers generated by a HRM especially, in terms of calories are not accurate. I apologize for not being clear on this point.

Also, yes, the most accurate numbers are going to come out of a lab.

The way I use my HRM is as a basis to calculate more accurate personal numbers. I factor in the HR numbers with personal characteristics such as RMR, age, weight, etc., to come up with a picture of calorie burn during my rides and workouts. Again all these factors are variable for each indvidual, I would not even presume to apply my formulas to anyone else. The HRM is just a starting point for some of those numbers.
For myself, the "calorie" numbers generated by my HRM (and yes, the numbers could be different using a different HRM), are recalculated to about 72% of their total. These resulting numbers seem to be accurate for me and only me.
I don't know what the best way to do this is. This is just the way I do it.

Again I apologize for any confusion.

Borg-MX5 said:

I do agree with Ric. The numbers generated by a HRM especially, in terms of calories are not accurate. I apologize for not being clear on this point.

Also, yes, the most accurate numbers are going to come out of a lab.

The way I use my HRM is as a basis to calculate more accurate personal numbers. I factor in the HR numbers with personal characteristics such as RMR, age, weight, etc., to come up with a picture of calorie burn during my rides and workouts. Again all these factors are variable for each indvidual, I would not even presume to apply my formulas to anyone else. The HRM is just a starting point for some of those numbers.
For myself, the "calorie" numbers generated by my HRM (and yes, the numbers could be different using a different HRM), are recalculated to about 72% of their total. These resulting numbers seem to be accurate for me and only me.
I don't know what the best way to do this is. This is just the way I do it.

Again I apologize for any confusion.

no need whatsoever to apologise

ric

The reason I was asking is to know how much to consume afterwards. I weigh 142 at 5'10- there isn't much to lose! It was just a matter of refueling afterwards.

See you on the roads.

rarriola said:

The reason I was asking is to know how much to consume afterwards. I weigh 142 at 5'10- there isn't much to lose! It was just a matter of refueling afterwards.

See you on the roads.

if you're maintaining you're weight then you're eating the correct amount (whether it's the 'correct' type of food or at the right time are different matters)

ric

ric_stern/RST said:

if you're maintaining you're weight then you're eating the correct amount (whether it's the 'correct' type of food or at the right time are different matters)

ric

Ric: I'm impressed with a rider training at 1500 kcal/hr.....believe that converts to 417 watts average power output. That's a high-level racer, correct?

I've always guessed my club rides at 600-800 kcals/hour, but of course have no way of knowing really how accurate that estimate is.

dhk said:

Ric: I'm impressed with a rider training at 1500 kcal/hr.....believe that converts to 417 watts average power output. That's a high-level racer, correct?

he's actually slightly above that (but i rounded the energy down for illustration and a round number!)

Quoted post said:

I've always guessed my club rides at 600-800 kcals/hour, but of course have no way of knowing really how accurate that estimate is.

i've no idea of your mass and height, but mine are ~ 400 - 500 kj or kcal per hour. which is one reason whi rarely ride them (i'm 1.75 m and 68 - 70 kg)

ric

ric_stern/RST said:

he's actually slightly above that (but i rounded the energy down for illustration and a round number!)

i've no idea of your mass and height, but mine are ~ 400 - 500 kj or kcal per hour. which is one reason whi rarely ride them (i'm 1.75 m and 68 - 70 kg)

ric

I'm 1.83m and 78 kg, but likely don't average as much power output as you do so I'm probably overstating the calorie burn. Many of the rides here have 300m or more of climbing per hour; would guess that bumps up the total power output a bit even while knocking down avg speed for the ride.

dhk said:

I'm 1.83m and 78 kg, but likely don't average as much power output as you do so I'm probably overstating the calorie burn. Many of the rides here have 300m or more of climbing per hour; would guess that bumps up the total power output a bit even while knocking down avg speed for the ride.

i tend to find pan flat rides have the highest avg power/energy expenditure, simply because you aren't freewheeling on descent for a fair proportion of the ride. i've never estimated the vertical gain per hour (or ride) but anyone who know Wales, know's it's very steep and hilly (e.g., i live on the summit of a 1-km 16% avg grade climb with 2 switchbacks in. within 3 or 4 km from my house i have climbs with grades of up to ~ 30 %).

ric

rarriola said:

Is there an approximation as to the number of calories that are burned in a mile? Of course it [censored] depend on speed, wind, and any present hills, but are any semi-accurate numbers out there?

Just as a rough, rule-of-thumb quick and dirty estimate, I figure 40 Kcal/mile for road rides, and 800/hour for mountain bike rides.