This type of cardio is just as good as running for weight loss

Depending on the consistency and intensity, yes, this popular workout can certainly support your weight loss efforts. On average, women who cycle for an hour and a half per week tend to have a lower body weight (about two pounds less) than non-cyclers, according to a 2018 study in the European Journal of Obesity. Weight, BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage also decrease the more you bike—and combining your weekly cycling workouts with two and a half hours of walking per week may be even more beneficial for weight loss, the study found.

If you’re trying to lose weight, cycling at varying levels of intensity throughout the week may be a solid strategy. People who combined moderate-intensity workouts and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) over the course of 24 weeks lost six pounds more than the group that only completed only moderate-intensity workouts, according to a 2021 study in Obesity. So if you’re going for a leisurely bike ride in the park one day, followed by a HIIT-style spin class the next, you may be more likely to see weight loss benefits in the long run.

Additionally, cycling can kick your metabolism into high gear and may help you continue burning more calories throughout the day, says Dr. Seltzer. That said, if you’re trying to lose weight, spin shouldn’t be the only thing you’re doing to achieve that goal. ‘You have to make sure you don’t use your morning cycling class as an excuse to do less during the rest of the day,’ Dr. Seltzer says.

Ideally, you should complement your cycling workouts with strength and resistance training, Lampa says. Strength training can help you build muscle, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, she says.

Yoga can also be a helpful activity to tack on for injury prevention and flexibility. ‘After cycling three or four times a week, the body gets stuck in that seated position while hunched over,’ Lampa says. ‘It’s really important to stretch out the muscles to decrease possible injuries.’

The exact number of calories you burn while biking is highly individual, but in general, cycling can burn between 400 and 1,000 calories an hour, says Lampa. Ideally, three or four indoor cycling classes per week works best, she says, and based on that cadence, in theory, you could burn anywhere from 1,200 to 4,000 calories per week.

That said, if three to four classes per week isn’t realistic for you, totally understandable—and it’s better to focus on what you can get done, Dr. Seltzer says.

How many calories you burn cycling may also depend on whether or not you’re in a calorie deficit—meaning that you’re consuming fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your weight. But if you’re already biking and working out pretty regularly, remember that you still need to take in enough calories to fuel your workouts.

FYI: Adult women require a minimum of 1,600-2,400 calories per day, and adult males from 2,200-3,000, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Like any form of exercise, it’s best to check in with your doctor before starting a cycling routine, especially if you’re concerned about your health, an injury, or a specific condition you’re dealing with, Dr. Seltzer says. If you’re generally healthy and don’t have major concerns, you’re probably in the clear. However, if you tend to experience pain or discomfort from sitting for long periods of time, cycling simply may not be a good fit for you, he says.

Although cycling on a stationary bike tends to be low-impact and easier on the joints than other workouts, there are still risks associated with aerobic exercise that you should keep in mind, like dehydration, muscle cramps, trouble sleeping, low energy, and risk of injury from overtraining. To stay safe, always stretch before and after a workout and prioritise rest and recovery equally as much as your workout itself. Taking at least one day off from your workout a week is recommended, per UCLA Health, but feel free to take more if you need.

If you’re biking outside, be sure to abide by the bike laws in your area and stay aware of your surroundings. Like any outdoor exercise, there is always a risk of collision—although, interestingly, there is a statistically significant lower risk of mortality associated with cycling, according to a 2023 review in Frontiers in sports and active living. Specifically, participation in approximately 100 minutes of cycling per week was associated with a 17 percent lower risk of mortality compared with no cycling participation, the study found. Even so, it pays off to be alert, so wear your helmet and eyes up!

Ultimately, the best exercise for weight loss is the one you enjoy. ‘If you’re spinning because you think it’s going to help you burn body fat but you actually hate it, then spinning is not going to work for you in the long run,’ Dr. Seltzer says. ‘It’s not like it’s way more effective than other kinds of cardio or your only option for losing weight.’

Additional reporting by Tianna Soto.

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Sarah Bradley is a freelancer writer from Connecticut, where she lives with her husband and three sons. Her reported features and personal essays on parenting and women’s health have appeared at On Parenting from The Washington Post, Real Simple, Women’s Health, The Writer, Today’s Parent, and Romper, among others. In her so-called “free time,” Sarah is an amateur baker, homeschooler, and aspiring novelist.

Bridie is Fitness Director at Women’s Health UK. She spends her days sweating over new workouts, fitness launches and the best home gym kit so you have all that you need to get fit done. Her work has been published in Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan and more. She’s also a part-time yoga teacher with a habit of nodding off mid savasana (not when she’s teaching, promise).