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Jimmy J.
Jimmy J. Sendmail

How True Is This? +

posted over 2 years ago | Report

This is something I've heard a few times since I've been running.

If you cross train on a bike and have a 10-mile run scheduled. You need to ride more than 10-miles to equal the same workout you'll get by running 10-miles. (I guess because there is alot more pounding when you run).

If this is true how much more would I ride. Is there a certain rule you go by, or is this something someone told me and they simply didn't know what they were talking about.

Anyone Know???? Thanks. ( =
God Bless.... +

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9 posts

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  • Chaz H.
    Chaz H. Sendmail

    Jimmy I think there is no question that there is no way 10 miles on a bike is anywhere near the same workout as a 10 mile run. My 8 year old rids 10 miles on his bike with some regularity (he comes on the on with me sometimes) but I know for a fact he couldn't run 10 miles to save his life!

    I don't know what the "conversion factor" is... But I think a tri is supposed to be evenly weighted between run/bike/swim... So going by that it's about a 4.5:1 ratio... And I would guess that's probably not far off.

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Jen L.
    Jen L. Sendmail

    Maybe think of it in time? Its an idea at least.

    10mi run takes 1:40 (10min miles)
    and 1:40 ride should be 25miles (15mph)

    I think those are fairly coordinating speeds for the two sports. As in 10min/mile is about equivalent to 15mph.

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Greg S.
    Greg S. Sendmail

    Doing the math I calculate he will have to ride 22.25 miles to burn the same number of calories. This is calculated for a 165 lb man running at 8 mph and riding at 14 mph.

    You can calculate your values using this link: http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/reload.pl

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Patrick B.
    Patrick B. Sendmail

    Jimmy, I've always heard the standard 4 miles of cycling is equivalent to 1 mile of running, but there are so many variables to consider. For me, I know I felt slightly more drained with my long ride of the summer (54 miles @ 91F, with a decent headwind) than I did with my long run of the summer (11.5 miles @ 67F, with no wind). I have no means to quantify my feelings, but if you average the two and end up with 4.25:1 I would have had to extend my long run by just over a mile, which is assuming I'm equally proficient.

    If you were scheduled for a 10 mile run that would put you right around 40 - 45 miles, which at 15 mph is right around 2:50 minutes of exercise. The answer no doubt varies by individual, but if a constant conversion factor exists it should only be whispered about and should be known as the BST Number (Blood, Sweat and Tears)....which makes the end of this post very "phi-nny".

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Kevin M.
    Kevin M. Sendmail

    My father used to run marathons, and what I was told is that cycling the same distance as a run is only worth 30% of the exercise...or something like that...so if you run 30 miles a week, an equivalent would be 90 miles of cycling.

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Brodie B.
    Brodie B. Sendmail

    I'm sure there is some answer within all of the great answers so far. No way is a 10 mile bike the same as a run. Great answers everyone.

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Peter S.
    Peter S. Sendmail

    Going by heart rate and time is the best way to keep things even.

    Although race targets are often distances, you'll have a fair idea of your time for a specific distance.

    Do the same time, at a similar heart rate, and it should be about even.

    It's quite common to take it too easy when on the bike and I'm often surprised how I have to push to get my heart rate up when riding.

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Srinath S.
    Srinath S. Sendmail

    Hi Jimmy,

    Below is the answer given in Dr.Mirkin's website:

    How Many Miles Cycling Equals Miles Running?

    Gabe Mirkin, M.D.


    During the cold winter months when snow and ice are on the ground, it's too dangerous to ride a bike, so many cyclists run instead. The standard comparison is that one mile of running equals four miles of cycling, but that's lousy science. Although running requires the same amount of energy per mile at any speed (110 calories per mile) , riding is affected by wind resistance so the faster you ride, the more energy you use. So you have to compare running and cycling at different cycling speeds.

    Dr. Edward Coyle of The University of Texas in Austin determined average values of oxygen consumption by cyclists to develop a table to estimate the approximate caloric equivalence between running and cycling. He found that if you ride 20 miles at 15 mph, you burn 620 calories (20 miles X 31 calories per mile = 620 calories). Take the 620 calories and divide them by 110 calories per mile for running and you get 5.63 miles to burn the same number of calories. So riding a bicycle 20 miles at 15 miles per hour is equal to running 5.6 miles at any speed.

    Coyle's derived conversion figures are for an average-size adult (approximately 155 pounds). A larger cyclist would divide by a slightly higher number; a smaller cyclist, by a slightly lower one. Wind and hills are not accounted for in the table; nor is drafting, which can reduce your energy expenditure by up to one-third.

    The number of miles ridden divided by the conversion factor for the speed of riding equals the number of miles running to use the same amount of energy. Here's the conversion table:

    MPH:Calories per mile:Conversion factor
    10: 26: 4.2
    15: 31: 3.5
    20: 38: 2.9
    25: 47: 2.3
    30: 59: 1.9

    How to use the table: For riding 20 miles at 10 miles per hour, divide 20 miles by the conversion factor of 4.2 to get 4.8 miles running. For riding at 20 miles at 20 miles per hour, divide 20 miles distance by 2.9 conversion factor to get 6.9 miles running. For riding 20 miles at 25 miles per hour, divide 20 miles by 2.3 to get 8.7 miles running. For riding 20 miles at 30 miles per hour, divide 20 miles by 1.9 to get 10.5 miles running.

    posted over 2 years ago

  • Travis P.PRO
    Travis P. Sendmail

    ya, i can ride 10 miles no problem, but i would literally drop dead if i ran 10 miles. LOL i would guess you would have to bike atleast twice as many miles to equal running.... or maybe bike 10 miles uphill with a singlespeed bike.......

    posted almost 2 years ago

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