stationary exercise bikes

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Just a quick question....

I always understood that heavier people burn more calories while exercising because their muscles are having to do more work (carrying around an extra 100lbs of weight) but what is the situation with exercise bikes?

I only ask because I used one today and it didn't ask for my weight. Are the calories burned on a stationary bike the same, regardless of weight, because you aren't actually carrying your own weight?

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  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    yes
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    I woudn't say so. At the gyms I use, the bikes always ask for my age and weight and figure the target heart rate and calorie burn. I would assume it's because different weight people burn a different number of calories. For instance, if OP (who has 100 lbs. to lose) got on the bike next to me (I'm 120 lbs.), the bones, muscle, fat, and other tissue in her legs alone would still take more energy to move than mine. I guess a fair comparison would be for two people of different weights getting on two bikes for the same length of time, using the same program, and see if the calorie counts are different.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    No
    Calories burned cycling or riding a bike is influenced by body weight, intensity of exercise, conditioning level and metabolism.
  • aubreyjordan
    aubreyjordan Posts: 276 Member
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    Some of the machines at my gym do not ask, but you can input it under "information." See if that is an option on yours (mine have touch screen monitors on them).