Originally Posted by
Scummer
But for 50 calories per mile you need to put some serious effort into pedaling or be climbing a significant hill.
If your legs don't hurt at least a bit and you're just sweating a little you have not put in a serious effort.
For my 20 mile rides at 17mph avg I normally calculate about 850 cal. And I'm absolutely drenched in sweat when I get home.
remember that I am talking about a 30 pound mountain bike with knobby tires. Not a 15 pound road bike on slicks. I am usually averaging about 13~14 mph. at that time...
also sweat isn't a measure of calories burned, just a measure of how much water you lost.