Mountain biking, or MTB, has remained one of the most popular outdoor physical activities for many years.

Mountain bikers love paths that take them through adrenaline-pumping environments like mountains, deserts, sand, grass, pavements, and gravel.

The long and difficult off-road trails challenge your entire body!

Endurance, speed, balance, coordination, stability, and technical skills are just a few of the qualities you need to possess before venturing into difficult terrain.

Before going off-road, it's vital to find the right trail for your mountain bike abilities and aptitude.

Some people just look at mountain biking as a sport, but if you're interested in doing it as a workout, let's explore how effective it can be.

What Factors Determine How Many Calories You Burn When Mountain Biking?

Let's start with a definition of a calorie. A calorie is a unit of energy that humans can obtain from food and drink, and the energy they expend during physical activity.

In the United States, the average man requires 2,700 kcal per day, while the average woman requires only 2,200 kcal per day.

However, because people have varied metabolisms and lifestyles, each person's calorie intake varies.

Mountain biking burns more calories than other forms of exercise such as walking and jogging since it needs so much energy.

When it comes to calculating how many calories are burned when riding a mountain bike, there are several factors to consider:

  • Type of your mountain bike
  • Size of your bike
  • Cycling cadence
  • Tire pressure
  • Suspension
  • Type of terrain
  • Gender
  • Bodyweight of the rider
  • Time and Speed
  • Distance
  • Intensity of the bike ride

What is The Calorie Burn Rate of Mountain Biking?

Considering the aforementioned criteria, a person weighing 70 kg to 85 kg can burn 691 kcal on average during a 60-minute regular mountain biking trip.

Furthermore, a person weighing 70 kg to 85 kg may burn 1139 kcal on average in 60 minutes of uphill mountain biking.

Meanwhile, a person weighing 70 kg to 85 kg can burn an average of 1302 kcal in 60 minutes of competitive mountain riding.  

On the other hand, under 60 minutes of regular mountain biking activity, an individual with a bodyweight of 85 kg to 100 kg can burn an average of 825 kcal. A person with a bodyweight of 85 kg to 100 kg can burn 1360 kcal on average in 60 minutes of uphill mountain riding.

Finally, a person weighing 85 kg to 100 kg may burn 1554 kcal on average during a 60-minute competitive mountain bike trip.

Since everyone’s metabolic rate is different, it is difficult to determine the exact number of calories burned when mountain biking.

However, you can use these figures to give you a helpful estimate!

Replenishing Your Energy

Even if you’re going out on your bike and hitting the trails to burn calories, you still need to replenish your energy while riding.  

Protein bars are some of the best options for a quick calorie hit while riding your mountain bike. They’re portable, easily digestible, and perfect for a short snack.

You should pair your protein bars with high-electrolyte drinks to make sure that you stay hydrated.

If you want to skip commercial sports drinks since they can contain lots of sugar, you can opt for electrolyte packets.

Simply mix the contents of the electrolyte packet with water and you’ve got a good energy and hydration booster!

Conclusion

The best thing about mountain biking is that you'll be busy enjoying the beauty of your surroundings and the thrill of the ride.

You might not even pay attention to the calories you are burning!  

Whether you’re going out biking as your main source of exercise or you simply enjoy going on rides with friends, mountain biking is a great way to strengthen your body, improve your cardio, and increase your endurance.

In the end, you’ll not only burn calories, but you will end up having fun and making memories with every ride.

What are you waiting for? Get on your bike and ride today!