Biking 10 Miles: Calories Burn as You Pedal

Are you someone who wants to get in shape but dreads working out? If this describes you, biking could become your thing.  Going on a bike ride is an exhilarating experience, especially when you know you are burning calories while making the regular commute.

Also, biking is eco-friendly, so you are losing weight and reducing your carbon footprint, which is equally rewarding. Whether you are new to biking or are a seasoned cyclist, when biking 10 miles, calories burned are far more effective than many other exercises (6).

Before we learn about the number of calories spent for biking 10 miles, let’s explore the various factors that influence the calorie-burning potential of biking.

Factors Influencing Biking 10 Miles Calories Burned

It doesn’t matter if you are riding a stationary bike or cycling outdoors; various factors influence the calories you burn while doing the activity.

Terrain

The most obvious factor is the route you take biking. If you are cycling on mountainous terrain with bumps, you tend to burn more calories than biking on a smooth road. To lose weight, you must pursue a challenging route to enhance the amount of calories burnt.

Read More: Is Cycling Better Than Running? The Answer Depends On A Few Factors

Body Weight

The second most important factor is an individual’s body weight.

A 100-pound person might burn calories differently than a 200-pound person.

To understand the number of calories that can be burnt by biking, let’s analyze the data shared by CDC. In the US, an average male weighs 199.8 pounds, and an average female 170.8 pounds (1). This means that, on average, a 200-pound person might lose 340 calories when biking for 10 miles (2).

Fitness Level

Your fitness level also influences the number of calories you burn. If you are new to working out, you might lose more calories than the ones who have been working out for some time at the same intensity. This happens when our bodies become accustomed to working out (12).

Speed

The speed at which you bike heavily influences your calorie-burning potential. The higher the rate, the more calories burned.

Let’s analyze the two common speeds and see whether you burn more calories at a high or moderate pace. Pace is indicated by the distance you cover in an hour.

Average Pace: Your heart rate and breathing indicate a moderate pace. If you can continue a conversation while biking for some time, you are going at a moderate pace. Harvard University states that a moderate pace is usually around 12-14 miles per hour (3).

If you bike at a moderate pace, you may lose (4):

• 210-240 calories for a person weighing 125 pounds.
• 260-298 calories for a person weighing 155 pounds.
• 311-355 calories for a person weighing 185 pounds.

Fast Pace: If you are unable to carry on a conversation and run out of breath while biking, it means you are riding at a fast pace. A fast pace will be a high intensity effort and could result in losingsignificantly more calories since your body has to work a lot harder which in turn, expends more energy.

If you bike faster, you may lose (4):

• 300–495 calories for a person weighing 125 pounds.
• 372–614 calories for a person weighing 155 pounds.
• 444–733 calories for a person weighing 185 pounds.

Type of Biking

A person loses calories whether biking indoors or outdoors. The amount of calories lost may vary. Stationary biking burns fewer calories than outdoor biking. Generally, when riding a stationary bike 10 miles calorie reduction is slower than outdoor biking.

An individual weighing 155 pounds riding a stationary bike at a moderate pace for 30 minutes can burn around 252 calories, while biking at high speed can burn 272 calories, according to Harvard University (3). Regarding outdoor biking, an individual weighing 155 pounds riding the outdoor bike at a moderate pace for 30 minutes can burn around 288 calories, while biking at a fast pace (>20mph) could burn around 594 calories.

Can You Lose Weight Biking 10 Miles A Day?

For those who bike ride 10 miles, calories loss may massively impact their weight. Biking for longer distances burns fat and sheds weight. Now that you have learned about the various factors, let’s examine how biking for 10 miles impacts calories.

Biking is a form of low-impact cardio provides a suitable option for individuals with joint issues. Cycling can also increase blood circulation, and provide an effective workout for your heart, lungs and muscles, which in turn, support good heart health. Cardio is good for cardiovascular health, and biking helps people achieve that. A bike ride of 10 miles calories is a good standard if you want to lose weight fast.

That depends on your fitness level, calories burned riding bike 1 mile, and the overall cycling experience. On average, you can achieve the 10-mile benchmark within 45 minutes (5). The key is to start slow and gradually increase the pace. As you get used to biking, you will easily pass the 10-mile mark in less than 30 minutes.  However, if you have never exercised before, it is recommended to start at a comfortable amount, to gradually build over time.

Read More: Is Biking Aerobic Or Anaerobic? Yes, You CAN Cycle Your Way To Weight Loss

How Many Calories Do 10 Miles of Biking Burn?

Biking 10 miles calories depends on your weight and fitness level (6). At 12-14mph:

• An individual weighing 150 pounds could lose 476 calories biking 10 miles.
• An individual weighing 175 pounds could lose 556 calories biking 10 miles.
• An individual weighing 200 pounds could lose 635 calories biking 10 miles.
• An individual weighing 225 pounds could  lose 714 calories biking 10 miles.
• An individual weighing 250 pounds could  lose 794 calories biking 10 miles.

Other Factors Influencing Calories Burned

While longer distances burn more calories, the time you spend biking also plays a crucial role (6).

As we can see from this table, the calories burned biking 10 miles in 1 hour is 572 for an individual weighing 150 pounds, 667 for an individual weighing 175 pounds, 762 for an individual weighing 200 pounds, 857 for an individual weighing 225 pounds, and 953 for an individual weighing 250 pounds.

Let’s look at the calories burned biking at different speeds (6):

We can see from the table that the calories burnt biking 10 miles at 15 mph are 857 for an individual weighing 150 pounds, 1000 for an individual weighing 175 pounds, 1143 for an individual weighing 200 pounds, 1286 for an individual weighing 225 pounds, and 1429 for an individual weighing 250 pounds.

Check out the calories burned when biking at different distances when riding at a pace of 12mph (7):

We can see from the table that the calories burned riding a bike 1 mile is 48 for an individual weighing 150 pounds, 56 for an individual weighing 175 pounds, 64 for an individual weighing 200 pounds, 71 for an individual weighing 225 pounds, and 79 for an individual weighing 250 pounds.

How Much Cycling is needed for 1,000 Calories?

Losing up to 1000 calories depends on your body weight, fitness level, and experience. On average, if you weigh around 150 pounds, you need to bike for 2 hours at 15 mph and cover a distance of 30 miles.

If you weigh around 250 pounds, then you need to bike for around 1-1.5 hours at 12-14 mph and cover a distance of 15 miles.

Does Cycling Burn Belly Fat?

Belly fat is the number one concern of people worldwide. While seeming unsightly, belly fat also poses risks for several heart diseases, type II diabetes, and more.

Cycling is an effective way of combating belly fat. While it specifically doesn’t target the abdomen, it improves metabolism and fat-burning tendencies that targets your weight overall. As you have learned that high-intensity biking burns more calories, you must bike at a moderate-fast speed to target your belly area. Here’s what you can do daily to lose belly fat:

1. Warm up for 10 minutes.
2. Hop on your stationary bike and bike at a fast pace (breathe hard but don’t gasp) for 1 minute.
3. Slow down and cycle at a slow pace for 1 minute.
4. Increase your speed again and do it 3-4 times.
5. Cool down for 3-4 minutes.

There are certain preventive tips you should consider to avoid backlash.

• Avoid overdoing: While you may be prompted to bike fast initially, don’t overwork your body. Going hard for a long time stresses your body and could lead to over-training, which can hinder results and performance. Bike for the fast pace and then shift to a slow pace to balance.
• Include interval training in your sessions, where you alternate between periods of low-intensity activity and short bursts of higher-intensity effort. This approach can help improve fitness, enhance speed, power, and overall energy levels. (9).

The following tips to lose belly fat with indoor cycling (10):

Fasted Cycling

You can also do fasted cycling, i.e., biking on an empty stomach. For example, doing a stationary bike for 10 miles in the morning. 

Hop Out Of the Bike

You do not need to keep seated constantly. Take a few breaks in between. Incorporating bodyweight exercises like squats or lunges can support and develop lower body strength as well as add variety into your sessions.

Take a Healthy Diet

If your goal is to lose weight, maintaining a well-balanced, nutritious diet is key. Cycling alone won’t sustain your fitness goals if you are not being mindful of what you are consuming. Here are some examples of key foods to include regularly:

• Whole-grains such as brown rice, oats, quinoa, wheat, and barley.
• Lean proteins such as fish, chicken, turkey, lean cuts of meat, eggs, legumes, tofu, low far dairy.
• Vegetables, such as dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, and legumes (beans and peas)
• Fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, berries, and melons.
• Dairy or Dairy Alternatives: Dairy such as milk, yogurt, and cheese or fortified non-dairy milk alternatives such as soy, almond, or oat milk.
• Healthy Fats: such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish.
• You  should consider reducing consumption of sugary foods, processed food, alcohol, sodas, and artificial fruit juices.

Join a Spin Class

Working out in groups could help enhance yourweight loss goals. Joining a spin class can help you connect with like-minded individuals, motivates you to keep going, and encourages you to exert more. You might lose more calories in a spin class than cycling at home alone.

What Are the Health Benefits of Biking 10 Miles?

Biking for 10 miles can promote many health benefits for our physical and mental health.

Improves Your Mental Well-being

Biking is a fun activity. Since it is a low-impact activity, many individuals may prefer biking. Also, it allows you to spend time outdoors, which can support and promote positive mental health. Exercising like cycling can elicit the production of serotonin, a feel-good brain chemical released in response to excitement or happiness. This can help lower levels of stress and support mental well-being.

Boosts Metabolism

Cardio, like running or cycling, can help boost metabolism, which can help increase the amount of calories burnt, as well as support fat loss. For optimal weight loss, a combination of strength training and cardio has shown to be most effective. Consider regularly including both training methods as part of your overall workout routine.

Improves Sleep Quality

When you expend energy biking, your brain produces endorphins. These chemicals can promote many favourable factors such as helping you sleep better.

Lowers Risk of Diseases

Since cardio is good for health, cycling can support and promote your cardiovascular health and and in turn, lower your risk of chronic diseases like cancer or hypertension.

Regulates Cholesterol

Cycling is beneficial in improving your cholesterol levels. Healthy cholesterol levels are important for heart health and can lower the risk of stroke and heart attacks.

A study found that indoor cycling has a positive impact on cholesterol. It can increase HDL cholesterol levels, which is the good type of cholesterol, while decreasing LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and triglycerides.

Cycling can help improve your overall cholesterol profile, which is good news for cardiovascular well-being (12).

Improves Balance

Cycling helps you stay upright and focus on balancing your body while biking. This enables you to coordinate your movements and can help improve balance in other activities. As we age, our balance and coordination can decrease. Biking regularly can play an important role in keeping fit, healthy and furthermnore, support important factors such as balance and coordination.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does biking build muscle?

Biking can help build muscle. It can enhance the capacity of your lower body and strengthen your leg muscles without putting excessive strain on your joints.

The resistance involved in cycling works various muscles, especially in your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves, which can help develop your lower body strength and endurance.

How many miles should I bike a day to lose weight?

Your weight loss depends on your body weight and fitness levels. Generally, if you are completely new to exercise, it is recommended to start at a comfortable level and build over time.

Weight loss can certainly be supported by participating in biking regularly. It’s important to make sure you also maintain a nutrient-dense diet, as well as meet other important factors such as hydration and sleep.

Does biking 4 miles a day help you lose weight?

Yes, 4 miles is enough distance to lose weight. Note that there could be many factors that may impact your calorie reduction. Hence, you should consider them all and consult your physician for better assistance.

The Bottom Line

When biking 10 miles, calories you burn could be higher than other exercise regimes. It is crucial to take things one step at a time and gradually build your distance, duration and intensity.. We have evaluated how different factors come into play when trying to lose weight through biking. One should consider all these factors and then curate a biking plan.

Consult your physician if you have poor eyesight or balance and coordination issues before considering cycling. In such scenarios, you could always opt for an indoor stationary bike.