Stationary Bike calories burned

Rouchiha
Rouchiha Posts: 19
in Fitness and Exercise
Does resistance matter when your working out on a stationary bike? For example I went on websites that calculated I'd burn around 350 calories if I rode at a moderate pace for 30 mins after I inputted my weight is this calculation way off if I have no resistance on my stationary bike?

Replies

  • Kr1ptonite
    Kr1ptonite Posts: 789 Member
    Well resistance will make it much harder the more you put on it. So it will make you burn much more then non.
  • slim4health56
    slim4health56 Posts: 439 Member
    Oh, yeah...big difference. It takes more energy with resistance, ergo more energy expended = calories burned. Kinda' like a treadmill set on a 10% incline...watch your heart rate and calorie burn go up, up, up! I just started using my cycling machine again, and I can do 45 minutes of low resistance or about 20 minutes of moderate resistance and expend the same amount of energy. Remember, energy expended = calories burned. The heart rate monitors that many MFP people are using can help you determine calories burned by measuring your heart rate if your exercise equipment doesn't measure that for you. Without resistance, you'd need to spin at a fairly fast rate (around 12-15 mph) to burn 350 calories (depending on your weight and physical condition). I'm slow and keep it at about 7-8 mph. Lots of variables here, so my feedback is based on my age, weight, condition, cycling equipment, resistance setting, et cetera...just a ballpark figure. Keep spinning!
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
    Iv got not the best knees in the world so use a low resistance and cycle as fast as I can ( about 90-100rpm) for 60mins. If I set restance too high even if I go slower my knee joints hurt alot so I dont push it, I can get a good high heart rate cycling as fast as I do so I dont worry too much. If you get a heart rate monitor with strap or your bike has a heart rate monitor built in you will get a better understanding of what works best for you
  • Rouchiha
    Rouchiha Posts: 19
    Thanks everyone I thought resistance made a difference, also does anyone know how accurate the calorie counter on a stationary bike is because on the bike it says I burned 100 calories but on websites I find it says I burned around 200 calories since it is a very large gap I wanted to know if anyone knows which is more accurate
  • slim4health56
    slim4health56 Posts: 439 Member
    Thanks everyone I thought resistance made a difference, also does anyone know how accurate the calorie counter on a stationary bike is because on the bike it says I burned 100 calories but on websites I find it says I burned around 200 calories since it is a very large gap I wanted to know if anyone knows which is more accurate

    It's only a ballpark figure and there's really no way to know. Depends on YOU more than the equipment...I think that's why so many folks are investing in heart rate monitors. I trust my cycling equipment because it measures speed, resistance, time, and my heart rate against my age/weight; nonetheless, my bike might be off, too...all I can do is my best and nudge my time or resistance up each week so I know I'm working a little harder. If you're using the same equipment every day, use what it gives you and push a little more each week to keep your heart rate up. That's the key.:bigsmile:

    Does your bike measure speed or mph? There are different averages for speed and minutes exercised posted on several websites. However, that doesn't change the fact that if I'm out of shape, I can do less and burn more compared to someone else (perhaps you) who is in better shape and doesn't have to work as hard to spin at 10 mph for an hour (as an example). Some equipment would give you the same number for both of us when, in fact, how we burn calories can be vastly different.
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    To the person who is complaining about knee pain:

    You have to build up strength in your quads, hamstrings, and glutes ... you're knees hurt because youren't actually using your muscles properly ... concentrate on using your muscles properly (i.e. correct form) and your joints shouldn't hurt ... Also, make sure your seat is at the proper setting for your leg length ...

    BTW, I don't have the greatest knees in the world either. I was bitten by an infected tick while trail running a few years ago, go Lyme, was treated, but still have some residulal arthritis (all of my joints click and pop, my knees especially when I go up stairs) ... Building up the muscle around the joints really helps take the strain off of them ...

    Edited for typo.

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