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Date: 21 Aug 2007 18:06:32
From: Duke of Hazard
Subject: Bicycle calorie calculator?
Can anyone recommend a good online calculator that takes the following
factors into account:

Distance
Terrain ( i.e paved , gravel, etc )
Vertical rise/drop
Time
Your total bike weight

I'd be glad to make one myself if I knew what formulas to use?





 
Date: 21 Aug 2007 22:50:45
From: Mike Jacoubowsky
Subject: Re: Bicycle calorie calculator?
> Can anyone recommend a good online calculator that takes the following
> factors into account:
>
> Distance
> Terrain ( i.e paved , gravel, etc )
> Vertical rise/drop
> Time
> Your total bike weight
>
> I'd be glad to make one myself if I knew what formulas to use?

There's unfortunately more to it than that; individual metabolisms vary
greatly. We've done metabolic/anaerobic threshold/V02Max testing at our
shop, and it's surprising the differences you see from person to person.
Some are just more efficient than others (which sucks in terms of losing
weight, because it means they burn fewer calories for the same output). But
if the purpose is to compare your efforts on one ride vs another, that's not
such a big problem. Generally it's done with heart rate monitors, which make
assumptions about your effort based upon your heart rate, weight and sex.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com




  
Date: 22 Aug 2007 15:14:57
From: smn
Subject: Re: Bicycle calorie calculator?

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <mikej1@ix.netcom.com > wrote in message
news:W8Qyi.735$YQ.485@nlpi061.nbdc.sbc.com...
>> Can anyone recommend a good online calculator that takes the following
>> factors into account:
>>
>> Distance
>> Terrain ( i.e paved , gravel, etc )
>> Vertical rise/drop
>> Time
>> Your total bike weight
>>
>> I'd be glad to make one myself if I knew what formulas to use?
>
> There's unfortunately more to it than that; individual metabolisms vary
> greatly. We've done metabolic/anaerobic threshold/V02Max testing at our
> shop, and it's surprising the differences you see from person to person.
> Some are just more efficient than others (which sucks in terms of losing
> weight, because it means they burn fewer calories for the same output).
> But if the purpose is to compare your efforts on one ride vs another,
> that's not such a big problem. Generally it's done with heart rate
> monitors, which make assumptions about your effort based upon your heart
> rate, weight and sex.
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
HR is good to watch your improvement and it depends also on your fitness
level to begin with.
Comparing it to anothers HR is not going to compare your fitness level or
how you would do against each other in a race. Hard effort 2 or 3 times a
week and what you eat, how you sleep for eg will keep you healthier than
just HR on its own.