Logging Bicycle Commute

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initialsdeebee
initialsdeebee Posts: 83 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I work a mostly "lightly active" job. Often moving on my feet, sometimes lifting boxes, sometimes standing, sometimes sitting. So I usually add my bike or foot commute as added exercise, depending on the commute. I get stumped trying to guess how to log a city commute though. Today my distance was about 5 miles. It was mostly up hill, and it took me about 40 minutes. However, there are a few bits of downhill or flat. Add to that waiting at stoplights, and it's tricky to figure what I did. Usually I'll subtract about 5 minutes to account for traffic light time and mark it as "moderate" since it's a combination of fairly intense climbing and some easy coasting. I'm not into wearing monitors or "fit bits" or whatever. Just interested to hear what works for you other bike commuters and from anyone with expertise in cycling fitness about what works for you.

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  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Log it as the least vigorous option MFP has.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    II suspect that your average speed was below the minimum for MFP, so as above log it as that.

    Your other option is use a smartphone app; Endomondo, Runkeeper etc
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    I wouldn't log it at all.
    it's part of your daily activity.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Download a free tracking app (Strava or Runkeeper), make sure autostop option is selected. That will give you a better idea of your moving average speed and a very rough calorie estimate.

    If this commute is very regular then it's easier to average it out and just add to your base calories. If more sporadic then daily logging may be better. Depends what degree of accuracy you are aiming for.

    When I was losing weight I did it daily so that I didn't credit myself with exercise on days when I worked from home or got a lift. At maintenance it's just averaged out into my base calories.
  • ROBJ3411
    ROBJ3411 Posts: 72 Member
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    Well I commute by bike almost every day. it is 6.5 miles if I go the most direct route, however I routinely turn the morning ride into 10,12,15 miles depending on how much time I have....I've used both my mountain bike and road bike. I ride generally pretty hard (cycling clothes, shoes and such) and the direct route has about 150 feet of ascent on the "to work"route and 387ft of ascent on the way back.... I wear my HRM and burn about 400-500 cals each way....That's just me...If you are riding hard then I would count your ride as such, if you are wearing work clothes and piddling along that I would count it as such. I would only count the time you are riding and not the waiting.... I disagree with the posters above, The speed aspect of the calorie counter is really geared towards a road bike vs a mountain or Commuter, 15 MPH on a mountain bike is quite a bit different output then 15MPH on a road bike... if you don't have a better way to measure your calories, then i would use the adjectives (light moderate, vigorous) vs the MPH.... if you aren't breathing hard and sweating you are probably in the light/leisurely category, JMHO....
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    ROBJ3411 wrote: »
    I disagree with the posters above, The speed aspect of the calorie counter is really geared towards a road bike vs a mountain or Commuter, 15 MPH on a mountain bike is quite a bit different output then 15MPH on a road bike... if you don't have a better way to measure your calories, then i would use the adjectives (light moderate, vigorous) vs the MPH....

    So use the least vigorous setting that MFP has then...

    There is little point in getting overly complex about commuting, given the changes in pace, waiting at lights etc.

  • ROBJ3411
    ROBJ3411 Posts: 72 Member
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    As I said, it depends on you level of effort, Commuting for me just takes me from my home to my workplace, I use it as an exercise session and ride accordingly....If you ride hard, log it as such, if you are riding in a shirt and tie and trying to get from one place to another at a leisurely pace log it as such.... He did indicate in his initial post "fairly intense climbing"
  • Roza42
    Roza42 Posts: 246 Member
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    I log on cyclemeter on my iPhone.
  • initialsdeebee
    initialsdeebee Posts: 83 Member
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    Yeah I don't commute to that location everyday. I work at about 5-6 different places in the city that I commute to. Some are 2-3 miles flat so I don't get too worried about logging those. This is 5 miles each way. I think it's fair to log the way there (the way back is nearly all coasting) since it is, for me, a workout and I do end up sweating and breathing pretty hard during that ride. I don't wear clips or jerseys etc, just my street clothes, but I'm still working pretty hard on my road bike. It's just not like running or walking where it's consistent, and this site has no option for uphill biking. Anyway I'll look onto the apps. Maybe those will account for hills etc? Otherwise I think my estimations are reasonable, just wanted to see if I was way way off since sometimes the calories burned seems high according to MFp, hence my reducing the duration when logging.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited June 2015
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    ROBJ3411 wrote: »
    ...15 MPH on a mountain bike is quite a bit different output then 15MPH on a road bike...

    Yes, it is. I use bikecalculator.com as my gold standard, and it allows differentiation. Strava does, as well.

    But OP is nowhere near those speeds on whatever bike they're using.

    OP - the fact that you're sweating etc means nothing with respect to calorie burns, unfortunately. It's not the work we feel we're doing that matters, it's the mechanical work we actually perform that matters (this much weight, that far, etc).
  • initialsdeebee
    initialsdeebee Posts: 83 Member
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    Right, I don't think I'm actually burning what MFP says I am if I log a full 45 minute moderate ride, that's why I reduce the time. However, I do believe a "leisurely" pace on an assumed flat surface is different from pumping uphill for nearly 5 miles. I'm going much slower than 15mph, yes, but I'm also going uphill. Not sure the elevation gain, but I think the fact that I'm sweating and breathing hard means I'm doing more than a leisurely flat ride. Anyway whatever I'm not that worried about it. I've not been at this that long, but have lost a little weight so I must be doing ok. Just curious what others did or know. I might check out a couple of those apps y'all mentioned just out of curiosity/fun.
  • kohrscj
    kohrscj Posts: 1 Member
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    I use the map my ride app. It allows for some customization to give you your calories burned, speed ect
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
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    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    I wouldn't log it at all.
    it's part of your daily activity.

    ^^^ this. For the few hundred calories a day round-trip it's not worth puzzling over. Consider it part of your lightly-active day.
  • initialsdeebee
    initialsdeebee Posts: 83 Member
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    My daily activity is "lightly active". Standing, walking around a classroom, lifting boxes of books, standing at a customer service desk and moving stack of books and carts around. I did the math (cause I wanted to) and the 5 mile commute has about a cummulative 560 foot elevation gain. I don't do that commute everyday, maybe once or twice a week, and ride in such a way to as to make it a workout. I log it because it's more than "lightly active" and I need to not feel drained and hungry all the time if I'm gonna be a happy, healthy camper here. A few hundred calories for me could be a whole other meal. I've made the mistake in the past too many times of not making up for my activity in extra food and then failing to stick to a healthy eating balance. Thanks all for the suggestions of online tacking apps. and ideas about what works for you. Just interested sometimes to get an idea how other folks approach the vague options for biking on MFP.
  • jvs125
    jvs125 Posts: 223 Member
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    I have a 13 miles ride, that takes me about 47 minutes (counting only the time I'm actually pedalling, not the stop lights). I always remove a few minutes and only log it as "moderate" even though according to MFP, my speed would put me at "vigourous" or even higher.

    I always put the lowest calorie burn for any physical activity, and for my food, put the highest calorie option or overestimate my portions a little bit, just to stay on the safe side.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    I'd say you have three options.

    1: Don't count this as exercise. Include it in your activity level that you selected with MFP. Perhaps lightly active or active would be a good fit for your current level of activity.

    2: Use an app on your smart phone. I prefer mapmyride because it tracks where i'm going, the elevation, and syncs with mfp.

    3: Buy a specific activity tracker.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
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    All this over 200 - 250 calories? Ok, even if you were to double it to 400. A couple of times a week? It isn't worth the effort to worry about. Every day? Ok then log 'em.

    A basic rule of thumb? If dressed in work clothes for a short ride, don't bother logging them.

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