Commuting = ? Calories
01-27-09, 12:11 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 125
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Comparing the costs of owning a car vs. a bike makes sense.
Comparing the costs of maintaining a car vs. a bike makes sense.
But, counting gas for a car in the totals and assuming a riding a bike = $0 fuel isn't accurate.
It takes some form of fuel for cars AND bikes.
For anyone who isn't in this to lose weight and arguing they are burning the same number of calories... Calories burned = calories consumed = calories purchased.
Depending on how far and how hard you ride each day, the increased calories burned can be significant.
Depending on what food choices you make, the increased calories consumed/purchased can be significant.
Here's how it breaks down for me:
Calories Burned
During the 80-90 minutes I ride each day to cover 21 miles, I burn roughly 1000 calories.
During the same time driving a car I would burn about 100 calories and use .8 gallons of gas.
(Yes, driving takes less time, but I would be doing something else at resting heart rate if not riding)
Calories Consumed
1000 calories. I am more or less at a maintenance weight of 160 pounds
Calories Purchased
1000 calories can vary widely depending on what type of food you buy. Since I would burn 100 driving, let's look at the cost of 900 calories of various single foods:
Calories burned varies greatly depending on the individual, the bike, the route, and the speed, so some might easily argue they burn far fewer calories. Valid point. But what foods do you choose?
BTW: I got my numbers from a blog that was based on a Wise Geek article called "What Does 200 Calories Look Like?"
How about a Big Mac Value Meal? That's more than 900 calories, but also more than .8 gallons of gas.
If you eat a fairly healthy diet with lots of extra veggies and nuts, to go along with a healthy bike riding lifestyle, it can cost you a lot more than gas does.
On the flip side, one can argue that if you didn't ride to work, you would do some other form of exercise and that the calories burned would be the same. Or one can argue if they didn't ride to work every day they'd weigh twice as much and consume the same foods, and cheap garbage foods, anyway. Or one can also argue that you're not paying for other exercise costs like health club memberships or driving your bike to club rides in an SUV. All valid. Unless you do those things in addition to commuting. I dropped my Y membership, but I ride by bike to/from my club ride 3 days a week. My 10000+ miles a year burns and costs 4000 calories a day on average.
So... how's it work out for others? How many calories do you burn and how much do they cost?
Comparing the costs of maintaining a car vs. a bike makes sense.
But, counting gas for a car in the totals and assuming a riding a bike = $0 fuel isn't accurate.
It takes some form of fuel for cars AND bikes.
For anyone who isn't in this to lose weight and arguing they are burning the same number of calories... Calories burned = calories consumed = calories purchased.
Depending on how far and how hard you ride each day, the increased calories burned can be significant.
Depending on what food choices you make, the increased calories consumed/purchased can be significant.
Here's how it breaks down for me:
Calories Burned
During the 80-90 minutes I ride each day to cover 21 miles, I burn roughly 1000 calories.
During the same time driving a car I would burn about 100 calories and use .8 gallons of gas.
(Yes, driving takes less time, but I would be doing something else at resting heart rate if not riding)
Calories Consumed
1000 calories. I am more or less at a maintenance weight of 160 pounds
Calories Purchased
1000 calories can vary widely depending on what type of food you buy. Since I would burn 100 driving, let's look at the cost of 900 calories of various single foods:
- Peanut Butter: $0.77
- Pasta: $0.95
- Glazed Donuts: $1.04
- Milk: $1.40
- Pretzels: $1.08
- Doritos or M&Ms: $1.75
- Black Beans: $1.89
- Eggs: $2.25
- Yogurt: $2.61
- Almonds: $5.00
- Power Bars: $6.84
- Carrots: $11.25
- Celery: $13.99
- Peppers: $14.53
Calories burned varies greatly depending on the individual, the bike, the route, and the speed, so some might easily argue they burn far fewer calories. Valid point. But what foods do you choose?
BTW: I got my numbers from a blog that was based on a Wise Geek article called "What Does 200 Calories Look Like?"
How about a Big Mac Value Meal? That's more than 900 calories, but also more than .8 gallons of gas.
If you eat a fairly healthy diet with lots of extra veggies and nuts, to go along with a healthy bike riding lifestyle, it can cost you a lot more than gas does.
On the flip side, one can argue that if you didn't ride to work, you would do some other form of exercise and that the calories burned would be the same. Or one can argue if they didn't ride to work every day they'd weigh twice as much and consume the same foods, and cheap garbage foods, anyway. Or one can also argue that you're not paying for other exercise costs like health club memberships or driving your bike to club rides in an SUV. All valid. Unless you do those things in addition to commuting. I dropped my Y membership, but I ride by bike to/from my club ride 3 days a week. My 10000+ miles a year burns and costs 4000 calories a day on average.
So... how's it work out for others? How many calories do you burn and how much do they cost?
01-27-09, 08:27 AM
#28
Infinite Regress
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 341
Bikes: Dahon Speed Pro TT (2008), Jamis Aurora Cyclocross (2005), Trek WSD 2100 (2007)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I eat about the same whether I bike or drive. A lot of people I know who bike commute don't eat any differently.
01-27-09, 09:04 AM
#29
Freewheelin' Fred
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 742
Bikes: Surly Cross Check
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The total cost of using a car is typically estimated at $0.40 to $0.50 per mile. That would be closer to $8-$10 a day. Where I work you also have to add parking which is going to be a minimum of $5 a day (paid monthly) or $10 a day for a once off park.
I can afford a lot of extra food for $13-$20 a day! And fortunately, since I have some "reserve" calories stored up, I don't need the full amount for maintenance.
I can afford a lot of extra food for $13-$20 a day! And fortunately, since I have some "reserve" calories stored up, I don't need the full amount for maintenance.
01-27-09, 11:04 AM
#30
GATC
01-27-09, 12:06 PM
#31
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
This entire exercise neglects the fact that you Must Eat to survive...you don't have to buy gas to maintain life...it was briefly mentioned about the amount of time spent/saved by working out while you ride your bike compared to passive car driving...many of us here wouldn't have time in the day to get that workout in, so the value of the extra 30 minutes I spend per day riding vs. having to somehow come up with 2 hours to go to the gym for the same calorie burn is beyond value. Especially if you consider that many of us would not get any workout otherwise...
01-27-09, 01:16 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 125
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
01-27-09, 01:45 PM
#33
Non-Spandex Commuter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Olathe, KS
Posts: 1,025
Bikes: Trek Soho S
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
This entire exercise neglects the fact that you Must Eat to survive...you don't have to buy gas to maintain life...it was briefly mentioned about the amount of time spent/saved by working out while you ride your bike compared to passive car driving...many of us here wouldn't have time in the day to get that workout in, so the value of the extra 30 minutes I spend per day riding vs. having to somehow come up with 2 hours to go to the gym for the same calorie burn is beyond value. Especially if you consider that many of us would not get any workout otherwise...
01-27-09, 03:45 PM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,552
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,584 Times
in
2,344 Posts
You ride more ... you eat more ... you eat more ... you spend more ...
01-27-09, 03:57 PM
#35
Non-Spandex Commuter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Olathe, KS
Posts: 1,025
Bikes: Trek Soho S
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Most people eat too much, therefor, for most people they can cover transportation with excess calories they are already consuming. That's why you almost never see a bicycle commuter getting fatter after then start commuting.
01-27-09, 04:04 PM
#36
Freewheelin' Fred
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 742
Bikes: Surly Cross Check
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
01-27-09, 04:27 PM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 248
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yes, any time you calculate any financial figures its important to include the WSQ in your equation, that is, the wife-satisfaction quotient, because if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
01-27-09, 04:29 PM
#38
Freewheelin' Fred
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 742
Bikes: Surly Cross Check
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
01-27-09, 06:35 PM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,552
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,584 Times
in
2,344 Posts
burn fat not muscle
01-27-09, 07:08 PM
#40
Raptobike Rider
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Woodinville, WA
Posts: 399
Bikes: Raptobike Lowracer, Redline Conquest CX, Cruzbike Vendetta
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
There are more than one benefit from commuting to work by bike. If you want to be a completest and measure cost from excess calories consumed you need to accurately measure what that money purchased as well.
For example:
In almost all cases you will see a health benefit from commuting by bike. It is also one of the cheapest ways to get such a benefit. If you want to be so careful to measure every penny in your model you need to measure this.
Of course the easier way to do this is to
For example:
- returning to cycle commuting lowered my BP from levels where my doctor was considering perscribing BP meds to normal
- I have been losing weight (and hence my food costs haven't been rising). I still have 60 lbs to lose to hit my goal.
- My health has improved, my health costs have gone down
In almost all cases you will see a health benefit from commuting by bike. It is also one of the cheapest ways to get such a benefit. If you want to be so careful to measure every penny in your model you need to measure this.
Of course the easier way to do this is to
- commute by bike
- measure food costs
- measure gasoline expenses
- measure car expenses
- measure bike expenses
- measure health expenses
__________________
My stable:
2013 Redline Conquest CX
2010 EasyRacer GRR
2015 Cruzbike Vendetta
2009 Raptobike Lowracer #0067
My blog
My bike pictures
My stable:
2013 Redline Conquest CX
2010 EasyRacer GRR
2015 Cruzbike Vendetta
2009 Raptobike Lowracer #0067
My blog
My bike pictures
01-27-09, 08:51 PM
#41
Non-Spandex Commuter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Olathe, KS
Posts: 1,025
Bikes: Trek Soho S
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
- returning to cycle commuting lowered my BP from levels where my doctor was considering perscribing BP meds to normal
- I have been losing weight (and hence my food costs haven't been rising). I still have 60 lbs to lose to hit my goal.
- My health has improved, my health costs have gone down
on the very visible improvements to your health. The blood pressure reduction must feel awesome (mentally / emotionally, I mean... then again maybe you can also feel a difference physically... I'm hoping I can avoid BP pressure problems later in life)
01-27-09, 09:18 PM
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Marysville, WA
Posts: 463
Bikes: Trek Portland/Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo/LeMond Versailles
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Don't forget that if you commute to an office that has a lot of traditional women around that you have all kinds of free food sitting in the break room every day, so you don't have to buy the extra calories at all.
01-27-09, 09:44 PM
#43
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Conroe, TX
Posts: 1,620
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 47 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 29 Times
in
14 Posts
Yup, where I work we have lunch catered every day. Not that it's always the best food choices, but it's there for the taking.
01-27-09, 11:48 PM
#44
Freewheelin' Fred
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 742
Bikes: Surly Cross Check
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I noticed several years ago that I never got sick when I was on my running program (and I used to run when it was like 10F). Since I started my commute by bike in November I haven't been sick once. Not thinking there's a coincidence here.
01-27-09, 11:51 PM
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Boston
Posts: 4,556
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
It's the maintenance and purchase price that makes driving expensive and not the gas. It's the opposite on a bike: Food is expensive and the bike is pretty cheap.
It's not important though. You need a minimal amount of exercise and food tastes good where gasoline is poisonous. Show me $2.50 a gallon and tantalize my taste buds at the same time!
It's not important though. You need a minimal amount of exercise and food tastes good where gasoline is poisonous. Show me $2.50 a gallon and tantalize my taste buds at the same time!
01-28-09, 05:14 AM
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,552
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,584 Times
in
2,344 Posts
This year two colleagues asked me: "Hey how come you never get sick". That felt good.
Naturally as a cyclist I'm also athletic year round with swimming now; running & weight training year round & I watch my nutrition & supplements; meaning: I take care of myself. This must all keep me healthy huh?
The two colleagues have no children so the smallest thing to them is an excuse to call in sick and take a day off. There's nothing like having children to clear that up right quick. I save my sick days for when my kids are sick. This year, knock on wood, they have only been home for snow days ... LIKE TODAY!
Naturally as a cyclist I'm also athletic year round with swimming now; running & weight training year round & I watch my nutrition & supplements; meaning: I take care of myself. This must all keep me healthy huh?
The two colleagues have no children so the smallest thing to them is an excuse to call in sick and take a day off. There's nothing like having children to clear that up right quick. I save my sick days for when my kids are sick. This year, knock on wood, they have only been home for snow days ... LIKE TODAY!
01-28-09, 06:40 AM
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 8,896
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 196 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
4 Posts
I eat the same whether I'm driving or biking to work. I also try to exercise every day, whether I am able to bike or not. Your argument doesn't hold water.
01-28-09, 08:12 AM
#48
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 125
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
And it ignores that fact that most people (at least in the USA) chronically overeat as well. Combine this with all the health problems of a sedentary lifestyle (which I believe you may be alluding to with the comments about being able to find time to go to the gym). In reality, except for extremely long commutes, it takes basically zero added calories as compared to what said drivers would otherwise consume.
