Keeping active has been shown to increase life expectancy, strengthen your body, decrease the risk of depression and provide other benefits. Cycling is a great way to keep moving and is often more fun than other activities. So if you can ride for two-hours, go for it.
Cycling is most often a mixed-intensity activity so we can estimate something like 2-4 hours of cycling per week to hit the recommendations from WHO. This should be enough to enjoy the basic cardiovascular and metabolic benefits that aerobic exercise offers.
Biking can help you lose weight, but it depends on how much you do. Cycling at a moderate pace for 30 minutes every day will burn around 300 calories. To lose 10kg, you would need to cycle for about 3 hours every day.
There is no definitive mileage or time when determining how far you should ride in a day. 20 miles per day is perfectly healthy for some cyclists, while others may find riding 5 miles a challenge or impossible. This is when you need to listen to your body and make a judgment.
The faster you make your bike go, the more calories you burn. A light ride of 10 to 11.9 mph burns 844 calories for a 155-pound person. Go at a vigorous 14- to 15.9-mph pace and burn 1,408 calories. When you are racing at paces of 16 to 19 mph, expect to sizzle 1,688 calories in two hours.
As we know, 1 hour of normal cycling burns 350 calories and 700 calories for two hours. It will take 11 to 12 days to burn 8,000 calories. But as you increase the cycling intensity you burn more calories in the same period of time.
While cyclists need training stress to promote physical adaptations, too much of it can have the opposite effect. A prolonged period of insufficient recovery and excess training stress can lead to non-functional overreaching, and ultimately to overtraining syndrome.
Headaches. A weakened immune system. Higher propensity to injury. A drop in cycling performance.
Despite these benefits, cycling commonly leads to injury, with up to 85% of all recreational cyclists citing an overuse injury.
For a person of reasonably average size and weight, research suggests you need to cycle 54 hours a month to lose 10 pounds (5kg). This would be close to 2 hours per day.
So, since cycling is typically a mixed-intensity activity, 3-5 hours a week is a good starting point for recreational cyclists looking to achieve the basic cardiovascular and metabolic benefits of aerobic exercise.
Consistency and developing a habit of cycling are important for seeing results in fat reduction. Cycling can reduce thigh and belly fat as well as benefiting the circulation of blood around the body, strengthening the heart and other muscles and increasing the metabolism.
Eating during your ride
It'll vary according to the individual and the intensity at which you're riding, but aim for around 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour – and it is all about carbs when you're on the bike. Some people advise 0.5-1g of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight per hour.
Plan to get on your bike and ride for 30-60 minutes, 3-5 days a week. Start every ride with a warm-up. Pedal at a slow, easy pace for 5-10 minutes. Then boost your speed so you start to sweat.
Cycling Boosts Heart Health
Several studies suggest that cycling for 15 to 20 minutes each day can be beneficial for heart health. One study compared two groups using an indoor bike. Group one did a two-minute warm-up, a 20-second sprint, and then a slower two-minute ride and repeated it for 10-minutes.
Recreational riders and women going to indoor cycling classes may find that they develop a leaner body shape—depending, of course, on calorie intake, ride intensity and time spent on the bike.
Benefits of Daily Cycling or Spinning
All forms of cardiovascular activity are beneficial for overall health and mental wellbeing. Getting in some cardio every day is a great choice, as long as you alternate between more gentle and more intense forms each day.
Cycling every day brings a range of positive results for your mind and body. Riding a bike is for every one. No matter your fitness or skill level, pedaling two wheels offers a solid way to get and stay healthy.
Deciding How Much To Train
Pro cyclists often ride 20-30 hours a week. Riders training for ultramarathon events may log even more. Recreational racers (category 3, 4, 5 and masters) usually put in about 10 weekly hours, although some get by on 5 or 7 quality hours if their events are short.
Your Heart Rate Seriously Changes
The bottom line, he says, is that you should track your heart rate when you're feeling good so you have a baseline. If you see a big change—either faster or slower while at rest—it could be a sign that you need a break.
Will Cycling Give You Abs? Cycling won't give you rock-hard abs but that doesn't mean that your core won't benefit from it. And building a stronger core will make you a better cyclist, too. In cycling, you use your abs for stabilisation; your core keeps you steady and stable in the saddle.
In a nutshell, the average cyclist will lose 2 pounds (1kg) per week from cycling 20 miles a day. This is at a relatively slow average speed of 20km per hour. The average rider would burn somewhere between 450 and 1500 calories per hour while cycling.