Mountain biking is a great way to exercise and enjoy the great outdoors.
It can be a challenging workout, but also a lot of fun. And one of the best things about mountain biking is that it burns many calories.
But how many calories do you burn mountain biking? We did some research to find out.
- How Many Calories Do You Burn Mountain Biking?
- MTB Calorie Burn Chart
- Can Mountain Biking Help You Lose Weight?
- How To Calculate Your Calorie Burn Rate
- Tools To Calculate Your Calorie Burn When Riding
- Factors Affecting Calorie Burn During Mountain Biking
- Ways To Increase Calorie Burn When Mountain Biking
- Final Thoughts
How Many Calories Do You Burn Mountain Biking?
The number of calories you burn on mountain biking depends on a few factors, including weight, the intensity of your ride, and the terrain.
We will give examples of how many calories you might burn mountain biking based on different factors.
Per Hour
Mountain biking generally burns more calories than riding on level ground. This is because you are constantly pedaling uphill and battling against gravity.
Pedaling uphill is more challenging and requires more effort. So, if you want to burn more calories mountain biking, include some big hills in your ride.
The intensity of your mountain bike ride will also affect the number of calories you burn. If you are riding at a leisurely pace, you will burn fewer calories than if you are riding at a strenuous pace.
To give you an idea,
A 155-pound person will burn approximately 590 calories per hour mountain biking at a moderate pace.
If that same person rides at a vigorous pace, they can expect to burn 885 calories per hour.
Per Weight
According to Harvard Health, a 155-pound person will burn approximately 298 calories in 30 minutes of mountain biking at a moderate pace.
But if you go full-out, you could burn up to 372 calories in that same amount of time.
Of course, how many calories you burn will also depend on your weight.
A 205-pound person will burn around 372 calories in 30 minutes of moderate mountain biking and up to 463 calories if they go all-out.
MTB Calorie Burn Chart
Here is a chart that shows how many calories a person of different weights will burn in 30 minutes of mountain biking at different intensities. We applied the formulas from Harvard Health to make this chart.
| Weight | Calories Burned (Moderate) | Calories Burned (Vigorous) |
|---|---|---|
| 120 lbs. | 238 | 346 |
| 140 lbs. | 272 | 385 |
| 160 lbs. | 298 | 422 |
| 180 lbs. | 323 | 463 |
| 200 lbs. | 348 | 500 |
Keep in mind that these are just estimates. The number of calories you burn on mountain biking will depend on your physiology and other factors.
Learn things to consider before converting your bike into a fat tire bike
Can Mountain Biking Help You Lose Weight?
Mountain biking burns so many calories because it’s a vigorous activity.
You’re constantly pedaling and using your upper body to steer, which means working multiple muscle groups.
If you’re looking to lose weight, mountain biking is a great activity to add to your exercise routine.
Just 30 minutes of moderate mountain biking can burn almost 300 calories, and if you go all-out, you can burn even more.
Of course, you must maintain a calorie deficit to see weight-loss results. This means you need to burn more calories than you’re taking in. You can do this by eating healthy portions and exercising regularly.
If you’re mountain biking to lose weight, make sure to pair it with other healthy lifestyle choices.
Related post: Find out what muscle groups mountain biking works
How To Calculate Your Calorie Burn Rate
There are a few ways to calculate your calorie burn rate while mountain biking. You have to consider your weight, the intensity of your ride, and how long you rode.
You also need to take METs into account. This is a unit of measurement that estimates the amount of energy you expend while doing an activity. For example, mountain biking has a MET of 8.
This means that, on average, you expend eight times more energy mountain biking than you would if you were resting. And on a vigorous ride, you could expend even more.
You can use the following formula to calculate your calorie burn rate:
Calories burned per hour = (MET x weight in kg)
For example, if you weigh 160 pounds (72.6 kg) and mountain bike for two hours at a moderate pace (MET of 8), you will burn the following number of calories:
Calories burned per hour = (8 x 72.6)
Calories burned per hour = 580.8
This means you would burn approximately 1,161 calories in two hours of mountain biking.
To use this calculator, you’ll need to input your weight, the duration, and the intensity of your ride. The intensity can be either moderate or vigorous. Once you have all this information, the calculator will estimate the number of calories you’ve burned.
Another way to calculate your calorie burn rate is by calculating your BMR. This is your Basal Metabolic Rate or the number of calories you burn at rest. To calculate your BMR, you can use the Harris-Benedict equation.
Suggested post: Can I use mountain bike on road?
Tools To Calculate Your Calorie Burn When Riding
We want to help you find out how many calories you burn when riding your bike, so we’ve put together a list of tools to help you calculate your calorie burn rate.
Apps
Several apps like Strava, Komoot or Cyclemeter can help you calculate your calorie burn. All you need to do is input your weight, height, age, and gender, and the app will give you an estimate of how many calories you’re burning.
Smartwatch
If you have a smartwatch, it can also be a great tool for calculating your calorie burn. Most smartwatches have built-in sensors that can track your heart rate and use this information to estimate your calorie burn.
MTB Calorie Burn Calculator
Another way is to use an online calorie burn calculator specifically for mountain biking. These calculators consider factors such as your weight, the terrain you’re riding on, and the length of your ride.
Once you’ve selected a tool, all you need to do is input your information. The app or calculator will do the rest!
These are great tools that consider your weight, height, age, gender, and the intensity of your ride to estimate how many calories you burn.
Related post: Effect of Cycling on Body Shape
Factors Affecting Calorie Burn During Mountain Biking
Many factors affect how many calories you burn while mountain biking. Here are some of the most important ones:
Weight
The weight of the rider is perhaps the most important factor in calorie burn. Heavier riders will burn more calories than lighter riders, all else equal.
That is because it takes more energy to move a heavier object. So, if you weigh more, you will burn more calories mountain biking.
Speed
The speed at which you ride also affects calorie burn. The faster you go, the more calories you will burn.
It takes more energy to move at higher speeds. So, if you want to burn more calories, ride faster.
Related post: Cycling Speed by Age
Distance
The distance you ride also affects calorie burn. The longer the distance, the more calories you will burn as well.
It takes more energy to cover a longer distance. So, if you want to burn more calories, ride further.
Terrain
The terrain you ride on also makes a difference in calorie burn. Riding on flat ground will require less energy than riding up and down hills.
It takes more energy to overcome gravity when climbing hills. So, if you want to burn more calories, ride on more challenging terrain.
Related post: Benefits of Mountain Biking
Ways To Increase Calorie Burn When Mountain Biking
If you want to burn more calories when mountain biking, there are a few things you can do:
Carry A Heavier Load
If you want to burn more calories, carry a heavier load.
That could mean carrying a backpack filled with gear or water. The extra weight will make your ride more challenging and cause you to burn more calories.
Ride At a Higher Intensity
Another way to burn more calories is to ride at a higher intensity. You can do this by riding faster or by choosing routes with more hills. The extra effort will make your ride more challenging and cause you to burn more calories.
Ride With A Group
Riding with a group can also help you burn more calories. That’s because you’ll likely ride faster, harder or even longer with other people.
Interval Training
Interval training is a great way to burn more calories. It involves alternating between periods of high and low intensity.
For example, you might ride hard for 1 minute and then ease up for 2 minutes. You can repeat this cycle for as long as you want.
The high-intensity intervals will allow you time to catch your breath while keeping your heart rate up. This type of training is very effective for burning calories.
Related post: Is Mountain Biking Dangerous?
Final Thoughts
So, how many calories do you burn mountain biking? It depends on your weight, the intensity of your ride, and the terrain. But you can expect to burn anywhere from 298 to 463 calories in 30 minutes of mountain biking. So, get out there and enjoy the trails!
Happy pedaling!
