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

Dr. Edward Coyle of the University of Texas in Austin determined average values for oxygen consumption by cyclists to develop a standard for assessing the approximate caloric equivalence between running and cycling. He found that if you walk 20 miles at 15 kmh, 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 walking 5.63 miles and you get the same number of calories burned. So cycling 20miles at 15 miles / h is equal to 5.6 miles running at all speeds.

Coyle's derived conversion figures are for an average adult size (about £ 155). A larger cyclist would share with a slightly higher number, a smaller cyclist, with a slightly lower. Wind and hills are not included in the table, or the preparation, which can reduce your energy consumption by up to one third.

The number of miles driven divided by the conversion factor for the speed drive is equalthe number of miles running to use the same amount of energy. Here is 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 the table: For riding 20 miles at 10 miles per hour, divide 20 miles by using the conversion factor from 4.2 to 4.8 miles running. For riding 20 miles to 20 miles in Timen divide 20 miles distance of 2.9 conversion factor to get 6.9 mileswalk. For driving 20 miles or 25 miles per hour, divide 20 miles by 2.3 to 8.7 miles running. For riding 20 miles at 30 miles per hour, divide 20 miles by 1.9 to 10.5 miles run.

cycling?, Running