Calorie Counter/calculator

[ColinJ]

Not sure about the first reply - but I calculate mine by this formula (just paste into Excel)

=(A+B)*0.0138*(X*24*60)*10^(0.0405*Z)

A = your weight in lbs
B = your bike weight
X = time in minutes on the saddle
Z = average speed

Looks pretty accurate to me each time!

That can't possibly be accurate if any significant climbing is done or if there is much wind!

Imagine 3 scenarios:

1. You ride along a 10 mile flat road, no wind. It takes an hour. Average speed = 10 mph
2. You ride along the same 10 mile flat road into a 15 mph headwind. It takes an hour. Average speed = 10 mph
3. You ride up a 9.75 mile monster climb which goes up 2,500 ft and it takes you 59.5 minutes. You cycle off the edge of a precipice and fall back to where you started. That takes 0.5 minutes. Average speed = 10 mph

Don't tell me that they all use up the same number of calories!

 

[Fiona N]

That can't possibly be accurate if any significant climbing is done or if there is much wind!

Imagine 3 scenarios:

...You ride up a 9.75 mile monster climb which goes up 2,500 ft and it takes you 59.5 minutes. You cycle off the edge of a precipice and fall back to where you started. That takes 0.5 minutes. Average speed = 10 mph

This sounds like the sort of mental arithmetic I indulge in while progressing up long hard climbs to take my mind off the pain ...

 

[ColinJ]

This sounds like the sort of mental arithmetic I indulge in while progressing up long hard climbs to take my mind off the pain ...

It's the kind of mental arithmetic I indulge in while sat in front of the computer, avoiding doing long, hard, painful climbs!

 

[Smurfy]

This looks quite interesting, anyone with all the gadgets interested in performing a comparison?

 

[VamP]

That can't possibly be accurate if any significant climbing is done or if there is much wind!

Imagine 3 scenarios:

1. You ride along a 10 mile flat road, no wind. It takes an hour. Average speed = 10 mph
2. You ride along the same 10 mile flat road into a 15 mph headwind. It takes an hour. Average speed = 10 mph
3. You ride up a 9.75 mile monster climb which goes up 2,500 ft and it takes you 59.5 minutes. You cycle off the edge of a precipice and fall back to where you started. That takes 0.5 minutes. Average speed = 10 mph

Don't tell me that they all use up the same number of calories!

I suspect it's not far off TBH. Obviously it will be out for very hilly rides, and allowing for rider (and bike!!) weight is a bit pointless in cycling if you are not measuring hilliness, but then the most important factor in measuring calories burnt is the power output which is primarily a function of duration and average speed. Wind I think can be ignored, as on average you'll cycle as much with as against it. Let's just hope they've got the constant's right...


Pottering off to plug into Excel and eyeball the results...



Edit: Nah that's way out, gives me 1500 Calories burnt in 1 hour at 20 mph. Interestingly if you remove the weight adjustment part of the formula, then it gives 570 Calories, which is about right for me on flattish terrain.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

Get endonmondo for smart phone.it tracks everything, including cals burnt.

Yes it does, but I think you'll find that Endomondo is pretty generous in terms of the calories that it quotes. According to my stats (last 4 weeks):

Total distance: 383.88 km Average speed: 21.59 km/h Average pace: 2m:46s Calories burned: 18330 kcal

And for yesterday's commute home:

Distance: 32.24 km
Duration: 1h:13m:18s
Avg Speed: 26.4 km/h
Max Speed: 59.4km/h
Calories: 1548 kcal

I'm not being funny, but I don't get rid of calories that fast even if I fart them!

 

[VamP]

Yes it does, but I think you'll find that Endomondo is pretty generous in terms of the calories that it quotes. According to my stats (last 4 weeks):

Total distance: 383.88 km Average speed: 21.59 km/h Average pace: 2m:46s Calories burned: 18330 kcal

And for yesterday's commute home:

Distance: 32.24 km
Duration: 1h:13m:18s
Avg Speed: 26.4 km/h
Max Speed: 59.4km/h
Calories: 1548 kcal

I'm not being funny, but I don't get rid of calories that fast even if I fart them!

Yep, that's 2 - 3 times the calories you really burned.