Working out calorific output...?

[RedStork]

Hi, anyone know any equation for working out calorific output when cycling?

I can imagine it'll be a lot more complicated than the equation for running due to the sheer number of extra variables.

 

[HJ]

A number of the mapping sites offer an estimate of calories burnt when you plot a route, not sure how accurate they are though, also some HRM offer to calculate calories burnt... It is that any help?

 

[TVC]

This is an old chestnut and depends many factors, though a resonable ballpark for a 12st man is 50cals/mile +1cal for every metre of climb. The thing falls down of course if you're doing a lot of climbing and freewheel down the other side.

A good HRM will make for a good training aid, particularly if you're trying to maximise fat burn.

 

[jay clock]

It depends on weight and speed amongst others. I used this http://www.bikejournal.com/calories_calc.asp and I think it is very accurate. You need to estimate your average speed quite accurately because the calories to do 20mph are much more than double those to do 10mph

 

[jimboalee]

Do you want the long story or the even longer story?

 

[yello]

I knew this was a thread made for jimbo!

I was actually thinking about this yesterday when I noticed my hrm said 9157 calories burned. I wondered how accurate this figure could possibly be since there were so many variables. It has to be a ballpark at best!

My ride was at an average of 23.1kph with 2391m climbing. It'd be interesting to work that back to derive a mileage figure!

 

[jimboalee]

Yello,

On an up-and-down hilly route, your heart rate will remain elevated on the downhills ( due to excitement or FEAR, rather than physical exertion ) , giving a false indication to the HRM that "You are doing work".

Was it a 300km ride?

 

[jimboalee]

It depends on weight and speed amongst others. I used this http://www.bikejournal.com/calories_calc.asp and I think it is very accurate. You need to estimate your average speed quite accurately because the calories to do 20mph are much more than double those to do 10mph

That's all well and good if you know how the research was conducted to formulate the equations.

What was the ambient air temperature, and how many layers of long-sleeve jersey were you wearing?

I've run it through several times and its WAY out.

 

[4F]

My ride was at an average of 23.1kph with 2391m climbing. It'd be interesting to work that back to derive a mileage figure!

Yello, my scientific studies calculate your distance to have been 194 miles. I regret I cannot tell you how I came to this figure as it is a trade secret.

 

[jimboalee]

Confusion arises when :-

On a long ride, when you ride fast with long stops, the cals used are different ( less ) than riding slow with short stops.

 

[jimboalee]

There is only ONE 'trade secret' here.

It took me a long time to weedle the information out of DuPont.

FYI, its the Thermo Conductivity of Lycra.


Now you can believe this, or make an educated judgement I am winding you up.

 

[yello]

Yello, my scientific studies calculate your distance to have been 194 miles. I regret I cannot tell you how I came to this figure as it is a trade secret.

But... how??.... you're a genius!

 

[4F]

There is only ONE 'trade secret' here.

It took me a long time to weedle the information out of DuPont.

FYI, its the Thermo Conductivity of Lycra.


Now you can believe this, or make an educated judgement I am winding you up.

Jimbo, as soon as I saw this thread I thought of you

 

[garrilla]

It depends on weight and speed amongst others. I used this http://www.bikejournal.com/calories_calc.asp and I think it is very accurate. You need to estimate your average speed quite accurately because the calories to do 20mph are much more than double those to do 10mph

I used that Calc with the data from my commute this morning...

calorie calc = 1,108

We can compare this with the estimate from my polar cs200 with the HRM etc

cs200 = 853

 

[yello]

...and using it to calculate my yesterday's ride gave 8099 calories, compared to the 9157 that my hrm said. Not a million miles apart I guess but I reckon these things can only ever be a ballpark... unless you have some fiendishly complex calculation, one that no doubt would include things like the "Thermo Conductivity of Lycra".

Forgetaboutit, imho!