Strava - how accurate is the calorie counter

[Mike J]

Hi

I'm relatively new to cycling and have recently been using my road bike for commuting.

I currently use Strava and was wondering if anyone has any idea how accurate the calorie calculation is. I don't expect it is precise by any means but how reliable is it? For example surely it won't know if I'm freewheeling or peddling down hills? Please forgive my ignorance or noobishness

 

[MikeW-71]

Absolutely no idea. It will be calculated much like their power figures, so it's probably nowhere near. A rough estimate at best.

 

[vickster]

Not really but far better than garmin

30-40 cals per mile is a decent rule of thumb depending on your physique, speed and terrain

 

[Hip Priest]

It'll just be a rough estimate based on a few calculations.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

I alway work on the assumption that I'm burning between 400-500 calories per hour, and then I remember I'm not actually cycling!

 

[HLaB]

Whist still not 100% accurate, I believe it is slightly more accurate if you have a HR strap/monitor. Never really bothered about it my self but I'm pretty sure that RWGPS, Garmin Connect and Strava all give different results from the gps track.

 

[burndust]

you'll always get better results with an HRM tbh, but in my experience with strava it does over estimate...but like others have said not as much as a garmin with the HRM...those readings are just silly tbh

 

[HorTs]

Again, I'm not sure how accurate it is but it seems realistic. Just make sure you have your profile complete - height, weight, age etc.

 

[Cold]

Are any of them correct I just had a look at my last ride and found the following

Strava - 3hrs 33 mins at 24.5k average was 1925 Calories
Mapmyride -3hrs 33 mins at 24.5k average was 3779 Calories

 

[fossyant]

Don't get tied up about it. Work on 800 or so per hour if you are riding hard.

 

[ianrauk]

Are any of them correct I just had a look at my last ride and found the following

Strava - 3hrs 33 mins at 24.5k average was 1925 Calories
Mapmyride -3hrs 33 mins at 24.5k average was 3779 Calories

None of them are correct. It's all guesswork.

 

[vickster]

Strava might be closer on my 30-40 cals per mile. MMR is nonsense unless you are very heavy and were only climbing hills on a fixie. What was average speed?

 

[Cold]

Strava might be closer on my 30-40 cals per mile. MMR is nonsense unless you are very heavy and were only climbing hills on a fixie. What was average speed?

The average was 24.5 kph I only did one hill and weight 13 st 7 I don't take any notice of the calories but if some one was using them to lose weight they would be useless.

 

[vickster]

Ok misread, I do t work in kms, so how far did you ride in miles, then multiply by 30

 

[Cold]

Ok misread, I do t work in kms, so how far did you ride in miles, then multiply by 30

1640 calories so Strava is not to far out with their calculations.