Stationary Bike Calorie Calculator

How many calories does a stationary bike burn?

A 155 lb person burns about 240 calories in 30 minutes at 101 to 125 watts, a moderate to somewhat hard effort for most adults. At an easy 50 watts the total drops to about 140.

A 30-minute spin class burns about 315.

Watts are the best input you have. Most indoor bikes show them, and the calculator converts them to calories with an equation built on measured oxygen use during stationary cycling.

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Stationary bike calories by watts

The Compendium assigns a MET value to each power band. Each value is a 30-minute total.

The watts equation

Oxygen use (ml/min) = 1.9 × work rate in kgm/min + 3.5 × body weight in kg + 260.

Multiply watts by 6.12 to get kgm/min. Each litre of oxygen burns about 5 kcal.

The first term is the cost of the pedaling work. The second is your resting burn. The 260 covers the cost of moving your legs with no load. Your weight changes the result only through the resting term, so two riders at the same watts burn nearly the same amount.

Worked example: a 160 lb rider (72.6 kg) holds 110 W for 40 minutes. Oxygen use = 1.9 × 673 + 3.5 × 72.6 + 260 = 1,793 ml/min, or 9.0 kcal per minute. Forty minutes burns about 359 kcal at about 7.4 MET.

Latin and colleagues tested the equation in 50 men from 0 to about 147 W and found it more precise than the ACSM cycling equation. In 56 women with obesity it predicted well at 50 and 100 W, with an average error of 58 ml/min against 288 for the ACSM equation. Both equations missed with no load on the pedals.

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How to use this calculator

Read average watts from the console at the end of the ride and enter them in the power field. If your bike has no power display, pick the effort that matches how the ride felt: moderate means you can talk in short sentences, vigorous means only a few words. For a spin or virtual class without power, choose that option. The Compendium rates a spin class at 9.0 MET and interactive rides at 8.8.

Check that the console has your weight. Many bikes use a default, so the calorie number on screen can be far off even when the watts reading is fine.

[1]

How many calories does a spin class burn?

Researchers measured 10 regular gym users through three group classes. The indoor cycling class averaged about 1,880 kJ (about 450 kcal) at 0.58 kJ per kg per minute, with heart rate at 86% of maximum.

A resistance class burned 0.36 kJ per kg per minute at 74% of maximum heart rate.

A 2019 systematic review of 13 indoor cycling studies with 372 participants, most of them women, found improvements in aerobic capacity, blood pressure, blood lipids, and body composition. Few of the studies were randomized trials, and the authors advised pairing indoor cycling with a diet plan for weight loss.

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Stationary bike vs other gym machines

At the same perceived effort, bikes burn less than machines that carry your body weight. In a 1996 study of 13 adults at matched effort levels, the treadmill burned the most, and the rower, stair stepper, and ski machine all burned more than the stationary bike.

A 2024 study of 30 men aged about 42 found the same order: treadmill, stair climber, elliptical, spin bike, upright bike, rower, and recumbent bike. The spin bike beat the upright and recumbent bikes. On a bike you sit and the seat carries your weight, so the same effort produces less total energy use. That also makes it easier on the joints and a good choice for longer sessions.

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Where these numbers can be off

Watts from gym bikes are only as good as their calibration.

Two bikes of the same model can read differently. Smart trainers and bikes with built-in power meters tend to be more consistent.

Heavy riders burn a little more at the same watts because of the resting term, and very efficient riders burn a little less. Neither shift is large. The bigger error comes from standing, hand position, and how steady your effort was, which average watts smooth over.

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How it works

Without watts: calories = MET × body weight (kg) × hours, using 2024 Adult Compendium stationary cycling codes 01200 to 01305. With watts: oxygen use (ml/min) = 1.9 × work rate (kgm/min) + 3.5 × body weight (kg) + 260 (Latin et al. 1993), at 5 kcal per litre of oxygen. Net calories remove 1 kcal per kg per hour of resting burn.

Practical tips

• Enter average watts from the console when you have them.
• Check the bike has your correct weight before you trust its calorie count.
• Set saddle height so your knee stays slightly bent at the bottom.
• Use the same bike when you compare workouts over time.
• Pair riding with a diet plan if weight loss is the goal.

Frequently asked questions

• How many calories does a stationary bike burn in 30 minutes?For a 155 lb (70 kg) rider: about 141 kcal at 50 W, 211 kcal at 90 to 100 W, 239 kcal at 101 to 125 W, 281 kcal at 126 to 150 W, and 362 kcal at 151 to 199 W.
• How many calories does a spin class burn?The 2024 Compendium rates a spin class at 9.0 MET, about 316 kcal per 30 minutes or 630 kcal per hour for a 155 lb rider. In one study of 10 regular gym users, an indoor cycling class averaged about 1,880 kJ (450 kcal) with heart rate at 86% of maximum.
• Is the calorie count on the bike console accurate?The watts reading on a well-calibrated bike is useful. The calorie number is less reliable because many consoles do not ask for your weight. Enter your average watts here to get an estimate that accounts for your body size.
• How many watts is a moderate workout?For most adults, about 90 to 125 W feels moderate to somewhat hard and falls at 6.0 to 6.8 MET. Very fit riders hold 200 W or more for an hour. If you can talk in short sentences, you are in the moderate range.
• Is a stationary bike good for weight loss?Yes, when combined with diet. A systematic review of 13 indoor cycling studies found improvements in aerobic capacity, blood pressure, blood lipids, and body composition. The review found diet plus indoor cycling worked best for weight loss.
• Upright, recumbent, or spin bike: which burns the most?At the same effort they are close. In one study of 30 men riding for 12 minutes at a hard effort, the spin bike burned slightly more than the upright bike, and both burned more than the recumbent bike. Choose the one you are comfortable using for longer.

Related calculators

References

1. Herrmann SD, et al. J Sport Health Sci 2024. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities
2. Latin RW, et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1993. Validation of a cycle ergometry equation for predicting steady-rate VO2
3. Andersen RE, et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1995. Validation of a cycle ergometry equation for predicting steady-rate VO2 in obese women
4. Wickham JB, et al. J Sci Med Sport 2017. Comparison of energy expenditure and heart rate responses between three commercial group fitness classes
5. Chavarrias M, et al. Medicina (Kaunas) 2019. Health benefits of indoor cycling: a systematic review
6. Zeni AI, et al. JAMA 1996. Energy expenditure with indoor exercise machines
7. Prieto-González P, et al. Front Sports Act Living 2024. Energy expenditure, oxygen consumption, and heart rate while exercising on seven different indoor cardio machines at maximum and self-selected submaximal intensity