Excessive Calorie Burn

jordanweeks

Hi Folks,

I have a quick question regarding calories I burn during a cycle ride.

I recently read that it was normal to burn around 300 calories per hour on a bike ride.

However, I use two types of heart rate monitors, a polar f5 and also a garmin edge 305 (I dont use them at the same time)

My calories burnt during a ride are always in the region of 800 +/- per hour. This seems a little excessive..?!

Is this normal, or do HRM's have a tendancy to over estimate calories burnt?

STATS:
I am reasonably fit and think nothing of rides in the 50 mile region.
6' 3"
175lb
Male

I hope someone can help me...

Thanks

cervelorider

IME with power meters and HRM's that measure calories, +/-800 is a better estimation.
It is dependent upon the intensity of the ride though.

a_n_t

1000 calories per hour on a hilly ride is very common for me! six three as well and 13 stone.

DaveyL

I read on the cyclingnews.com fitness Q&A page a whole ago that it was approx. 12 cal per hour per kg of body weight for a ride at about 16-18 mph. Obviously terrain is key here, as a ride of that speed on the flat would burn far fewer calories than a very hilly ride averaging the same speed. But it seems a good ballpark figure to me.

Alex_Simmons/RST

The search engine is your friend.

Try a search for the recent thread using the words "garmin calorie" for a discussion on this.

ut_och_cykla

500-1000 kcal depending on speed & fitness. I manage 500 - 600 at best - almost 50, lardy girly. 1000 would be unusual I think!

cougie

I cant see how just a HRM can accurately work out calorie burn.

1000 seems very high - and 500 low - so prob 750 would be not too far wide of the mark.

Alex_Simmons/RST

cougie wrote:

I cant see how just a HRM can accurately work out calorie burn.

It can't.

You need a power meter or a lab gas analysis to measure calories with any reasonable accuracy.