Bike Riding

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LuvORR
LuvORR Posts: 36
in Fitness and Exercise
I am new to bike riding-

I bought a cruiser and went on an eight mile ride on Friday. It felt so good and was too fun to be considered exercise. I bough a speedometer today to really calculate my speed. However, MFP told me I burned many calories even at a slow pace. Is this for real?
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  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    I am new to bike riding-

    I bought a cruiser and went on an eight mile ride on Friday. It felt so good and was too fun to be considered exercise. I bough a speedometer today to really calculate my speed. However, MFP told me I burned many calories even at a slow pace. Is this for real?

    I dunno. Did you spend 100% of the time pedaling, or did you coast?

    Speed is a bad indicator anyway. Riding a hybrid @ 14 mph is a lot more work than a road bike @ 16...
  • DesireeAshley90
    DesireeAshley90 Posts: 137 Member
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    I have a BMF armband that calculates calories burned and well it doesn't register a WHOLE lot unless I'm going uphills and sweating my butt off then it's considered vigorous and I get a good exercise in. I would under calculate slightly if the ride was easy for you.
  • CatShelton
    CatShelton Posts: 147 Member
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    Buy a Heart Rate monitor if you want a more accurate estimate. MFP is notorious for over estimating your calorie burn. Even with a HRM you still have a estimate, albeit, a much more accurate estimate.
  • cyclist_44060
    cyclist_44060 Posts: 86 Member
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    You can burn a surprising amount of calories riding a bike. I burn about 800 calories an hour of riding.
  • LuvORR
    LuvORR Posts: 36
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    I pedaled the entire time and did sweat enough, but its still did not seem difficult to me.
  • cyclist_44060
    cyclist_44060 Posts: 86 Member
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    How fast and how long did you ride?
  • katinachaos
    katinachaos Posts: 90 Member
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    I got a 7 speed cruiser a few weeks ago, I've ridden it to work (2.5 miles) with my heart rate monitor. I generally go by the heart rate monitor's calorie count, which is about 30% or more LESS than any of the entries on MFP. Add to that the fact that HRM's are usually off anywhere from 7 to 20% and I almost feel like I'm GAINING by working out, lol.

    I'd suggest either knocking 30% off the MFP entries or getting a monitor so you're not overeating if you're eating back your calories. Even when I casually ride I can get my heart rate into the target without feeling like I'm overexerting myself, just pedal the whole time.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Only a heart rate monitor will tell you for sure, but the MFP estimates are usually in the ballpark. The database has entries for three or four speed ranges - as a beginner, you are probably on the low end so log it as pleasure <10 mph.
  • mdstamand
    mdstamand Posts: 169 Member
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    I find that MFP typically over estimates my caloric burn during my bike rides, often by nearly 1/3. I always manually edit the entry. I use a Garmin bike computer that calculates calories by monitoring my heart rate and using my current fitness level. This is more accurate but still, I believe, over estimates my calories. I have a spreadsheet with a formula taken from a fitness experts web site which calculates my calories based on average heart rate, age, sex, fitness level etc. The number derived typically comes in at about 85% of the number given by my Garmin.

    Now, I will say that I was also shocked by the number of calories I burned on a bike when I first started riding. I was having too much fun for this to be real exercise and yet the weight kept coming off. Once at my target weight I could ride a nice long bike ride and enjoy a nice post ride pizza dinner and a beer knowing I still wasn't eating as much as I had burned.

    Keep enjoying your bicycle.
  • LuvORR
    LuvORR Posts: 36
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    So I did eight miles in an hour and a half. Slow pace- Nothing too extreme since I am new to this lol

    I usually do not eat back most of my calories. I can stay within my calorie goal all week. I do need the extra calories on the weekends. But I am going to stop my cheat days on weekends since I have only dropped 9 pounds in 45 days.

    I figured I could start doing other exercises like bike riding since sometimes making it to the gym is hard.
  • Hoosier_Kat
    Hoosier_Kat Posts: 20 Member
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    Granted these numbers are averages and not necessarily what an individual will burn. The only way to know your specific burn is with a HRM, but it is an interesting comparison.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/229356-calories-burned-running-vs-biking/
  • LuvORR
    LuvORR Posts: 36
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    :drinker:
  • cyclist_44060
    cyclist_44060 Posts: 86 Member
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    Based on the formula I use and some estimates, for 90 mins I bet you burned about 500 - 600 cals at a easy pace
  • LuvORR
    LuvORR Posts: 36
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    Based on the formula I use and some estimates, for 90 mins I bet you burned about 500 - 600 cals at a easy pace

    It actually told me I burned 481 :)

    It sounded a bit extreme since I walk on Saturdays for about 2 hours and I burn about that much doing so. However, many bike riders encouraged me to ride and told me how beneficial it was.
  • cyclist_44060
    cyclist_44060 Posts: 86 Member
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    481 sounds reasonable to me...calorie burn is all about heart rate and time heart rate is at a certain level. That is why all are recommending a heart rate monitor for accurate calculation.
  • TravisBikes
    TravisBikes Posts: 674 Member
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    I love bikes.

    And agree for the HRM.
  • LuvORR
    LuvORR Posts: 36
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    481 sounds reasonable to me...calorie burn is all about heart rate and time heart rate is at a certain level. That is why all are recommending a heart rate monitor for accurate calculation.

    I will have to invest in one for sure.
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
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    I am new to bike riding-

    I bought a cruiser and went on an eight mile ride on Friday. It felt so good and was too fun to be considered exercise. I bough a speedometer today to really calculate my speed. However, MFP told me I burned many calories even at a slow pace. Is this for real?

    The most accurate way to calc cals burned for any kind of activity is by a HRM. Once you really get into biking you will most likely get into either trail riding (mountain or hybrid bike) or road biking. The cruiser is fun here and there but IMO the road or trail riding is more exciting and pleasurable. Welcome to the club. :smile:
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    25-30 calories per mile is a good rule of thumb.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
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    Doesn't sound that far off. About 5 calories per minute.

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