For many people, achieving a lower weight is a major objective. There are several techniques to accomplish it. Some individuals choose to diet while others prefer to exercise. However, combining both is the most effective approach for losing weight. Experts advocate that you combine a regular exercise regimen with a balanced diet in order to lose weight effectively.
Cycling is an excellent method to lose weight because it is low-impact, which means it doesn’t strain your joints and can be done at any fitness level. Indoor spinning, outdoor road riding, and mountain biking are just a few ways to cycle.
Regardless of the bicycle you choose, they all result in comparable weight reduction and enhanced cardiovascular fitness. Cycling is a fantastic workout since it targets large muscle groups like your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. You burn a lot of calories when you work these muscles because they are among the biggest in your body.
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How Much Cycling to Lose 5kg of Body Weight?
On average, if you cycle your bike at a moderate pace (12mph/19kph) you would burn approximately 688 calories each hour. Therefore, you would need to complete 55 hours of cycling to burn 5kg of weight. It would be an average of 2 hours 20 minutes of cycling for 30 days.
You need to burn around 38,500 calories to lose 5kg of body weight. If you want to lose weight using cycling without dieting or eating fewer calories, then you will need to ride for 55 hours hours to achieve this goal.
Burning 38,500 calories with cycling should be done over multiple sessions and intensity levels to avoid burnout, injury and major fatigue. If you where to ride your bike for 1 hour every day then it would take you around 55 days to lose 5kg. Alternatively, you could ride your bike for 1 hour 5 days a week and have 2 rest days. That way it would take you around 11 weeks to lose 5kg.
I would consider this a healthier and more stainable goal because it will be easier to maintain and you will have the motivation to continue after weeks of cycling. Similarly, you can combine your cycling with a mixture of indoor and outdoor cycling. If your short on time reduce the minutes cycling and make the hours up on a longer ride once or twice a week.
Body Weight: 160-180lbs (72-81kg)
On average, if you weigh between 160-180lbs (72-81kg) and cycle for 1 hour at a moderate pace, you would need to cycle 62 hours to burn 5kg of body weight.
| Intensity Level | Calories Burned (per hour) | Hours to lose 5kg |
| Light | 462 | 83 |
| Moderate | 616 | 62 |
| Vigorous | 770 | 50 |
Body Weight: 180-200lbs (81-90kg)
On average, if you weigh between 180-200lbs (81-90kg) and cycle for 1 hour at a moderate pace, you would need to cycle 55 hours to burn 5kg of body weight.
| Intensity Level | Calories Burned | Hours to lose 5kg |
| Light | 516 | 74 |
| Moderate | 688 | 55 |
| Vigorous | 860 | 44 |
Body Weight: 200-220lbs (90-99kg)
On average, if you weigh between 200-220lbs (90-99kg) and cycle for 1 hour at a moderate pace, you would need to cycle 50 hours to burn 5kg of body weight.
| Intensity Level | Calories Burned | Hours to lose 5kg |
| Light | 570 | 67 |
| Moderate | 760 | 50 |
| Vigorous | 950 | 40 |
Body Weight: 220-240lbs (99-108kg)
On average, if you weigh between 220-240lbs (99-108kg) and cycle for 1 hour at a moderate pace, you would need to cycle 45 hours to burn 5kg of body weight.
| Intensity Level | Calories Burned | Hours to lose 5kg |
| Light | 630 | 61 |
| Moderate | 840 | 45 |
| Vigorous | 1050 | 36 |
Body Weight: 240-260lbs (108-117kg)
On average, if you weigh between 240-260lbs (108-117kg) and cycle for 1 hour at a moderate pace, you would need to cycle 42 hours to burn 5kg of body weight.
| Intensity Level | Calories Burned | Hours to lose 5kg |
| Light | 684 | 56 |
| Moderate | 912 | 42 |
| Vigorous | 1140 | 33 |
Body Weight: 260-280lbs (117-127kg)
On average, if you weigh between 260-280lbs (117-127kg) and cycle for 1 hour at a moderate pace, you would need to cycle 40 hours to burn 5kg of body weight.
| Intensity Level | Calories Burned | Hours to lose 5kg |
| Light | 738 | 52 |
| Moderate | 948 | 40 |
| Vigorous | 1230 | 31 |
Other Cycling Articles you Might Find Helpful
How Much Cycling to Lose 5kg in a Week?
We need to burn 38,500 calories to lose 5kg of body weight through cycling. On average, if you cycle a bike at a moderate pace of (12mph/19kph), you can expect to burn 688 calories each hour. Suggesting that you would need to cycle 55 hours or 8 hours every day to burn 5kg.
This is simply unrealistic because its far too much for your body to maintain every day without being a elite endurance athlete. Furthermore, it is very time consuming and dangerous for your health. Even the Tour de France riders don’t ride 8 hours everyday and they are professional cyclist.
Best Way to Lose 5kg From Cycling
1. Ride a Maximum of 1 Hour a Day
This way, you won’t overstress your body, and you’ll be able to maintain the intensity and avoid injury. Riding for one hour 5 times a week for 11 weeks will give you the result you desire without putting too much stress on your body. A cycling routine like this can be done by beginners and individuals that are overweight and gives the best results.
2. Calorie Deficit Diet
This will help you lose weight faster while still being able to maintain your workout intensity. If you want to lose 5kg, then you need to create a calorie deficit of around 500 calories a day. This means you don’t have to cycle for 55 hours and half your time on the bike to around 27 hours. However, don’t recuse your calories by more than 500 calories every day, or you won’t have the energy to complete your bike ride.
3. Increase your Intensity
The faster you go, the more calories you will burn, is the theory. You won’t ride at a heart rate of around 135bpm – 165bpm, sometimes increasing it to your max heart rate. Riding at a low heart rate of 135bpm means you will take longer to burn calories. However, it can be challenging to maintain a high speed for long distances and multiple days. So listen to your body and don’t overtrain.
4. Ride Uphill
If your bike is outdoors, don’t avoid hills. Embrace them because they will help to increase your heart rate and burn more calories. It will increase your calorie expenditure by 25% or more, depending on how steep the hill is. I always include hills in my cycling sessions, usually in the middle of the ride. If you feel fatigued, then ride on the flats.
5. Use intervals Training
Alternate between high and low-intensity periods to increase your heart rate and burn more calories. Interval training has been proven to burn 40% more calories than steady-state cycling. But only use interval training three times a week with a day of rest in-between. I find HITT training is easier on an indoor exercise bike or spin bike. When you ride outside, it’s not always possible to do intervals successfully.
6. Add resistance
If you are riding on a stationary bike, add resistance to make it more challenging and get your legs and heart working. Resistance is the thing that increases your workout rate and burns calories. By adding resistance, you are making it harder for your legs to move the pedals. If you don’t have enough resistance, then your workout will be easy, and you won’t burn as many calories.
7. Increase your Time Weekly
Once you get into regular cycling, you will very quickly be able to increase your time on the bike. Suppose you have a busy home and work schedule. Plan to have a long bike ride at the weekend. This will increase your time on the bike and calories burned. A great long-distance bike ride is between 1 and 2 hours. Similarly, add 5 minutes to daily rides every week, and by week 6, you will be cycling 1 hour 25 minutes, getting you closer to your goal.
