Mountain biking is a popular form of exercise that offers numerous health benefits, including improved cardio-respiratory fitness, increased strength and muscle tone and better overall body composition. But just how many calories does mountain biking burn?
The answer to this question depends on several factors, including the intensity of your ride, the type of terrain you are riding over, and your body weight. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “a 125-pound person burns about 133 calories per 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling (12–13.9 mph). A 155-pound person burns 164 calories in the same amount of time.”
Studies have found that mountain biking at a moderate intensity can burn between 300-600 calories per hour depending on the terrain, speed and duration of the ride. If you are mountain biking at a high intensity it can burn up to 900 calories per hour.
In addition to calories burned while riding, mountain biking also has an afterburn effect meaning that you continue to burn more calories even after you’ve stopped riding. This afterburn effect is caused by an increase in your body’s metabolism following strenuous exercise.
Conclusion:
How many calories one burns during mountain biking depends on many factors like intensity level, terrain type and body weight. Generally speaking, one can expect to burn anywhere from 300-900 calories per hour depending on how hard they are pushing themselves. Additionally, there is an afterburn effect which further increases the amount of calories burned even after one has stopped riding.
