Computer calorie counter

flying_scotsman

Hi there, I have just bought a new Boardman cycling computer which has features a calorie counter and fat grams you've burnt. How accurate is this ? I usually average about 19 mile an hour for a couple of hours session and the computers saying I've burnt around 1200 calories. I know it cant be totally accurate but its sounds an awful lot. Any ideas?

SteveR_100Milers

probably only useful as a comparison between rides rather than an actual measurement, as its a general calculation of HR x time. Its easire anc cheaper to simply calc HR x time is a more comparable approximation to training volume (or energy expended). Best of all is a power meter, which is a perfect absolute measurement of effort. It's failry easy to calculate calories burnt from power measurments

TechnoBuddhist

1200 calories! That seems reasonable, maybe a little, low at least for me it would! Maybe you're a bit fitter than me.

My polar hrm, which uses age, weight, sex, level of activity, max hrm, etc, tells me I usually average 650 an hour and I'm up to about 18mph at 75% MHR(150), my power output is about 205 watts.

So not too far out.