The Numbers Most Runners Don't Want to Hear
Cycling at moderate intensity burns between 400 and 600 calories an hour, roughly the same as running at a comfortable pace. A 2017 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association tracked cardiovascular outcomes across 263,450 participants in the UK Biobank cohort and found that commuter cycling was associated with a 46 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to non-active commuting. The reduction held even after adjusting for age, diet, and smoking. That figure is not for competitive cyclists. It is for people who rode to work.
