The 6 most effective peloton rides that burn calories in 2023

Peloton has made a name for itself in the fitness world with its innovative exercise bikes and access to thousands of workouts.

Among these, the most effective calorie-burning rides include Power Zone Endurance, Power Pro Cyclist, HIIT and Hills, Tabata, Climb Rides, and Bike Bootcamp.

Are you ready to elevate your fitness game and torch serious calories?

Start your Peloton experience off right with these instructor-recommended rides and see your body improve with each session.

Does Peloton Burn Calories?

Calories are a measure of the energy expended to perform certain tasks. When you put your body under metabolic stress, it needs to burn more calories to meet the demand you’re placing on it.

A good way to burn calories is by performing compound movements that require a lot of muscle groups to work together to execute the movement correctly.

On the other hand, you can also burn calories as you elevate your heart rate using a rhythmic movement, a type of exercise referred to as cardiovascular exercise or just cardio.

Peloton rides fall into the latter category, which makes them an excellent option for burning calories.

Peloton Rides that Burn a Lot of Calories

There are lots of grueling routines you can do with Peloton, but here are some of the best that will work up a sweat and burn lots of calories:

Some of these exercises, like the Tabata Ride, are performed with nothing but your feet and sheer determination.

Other exercises like the HIIT rides are all about maximizing intensity in a short period of time. In contrast, the Hills routine blends difficulty in different intervals to vary the intensity throughout the exercise.

The key factors to remember in all these exercises are the time spent and the intensity. Doing high-intensity exercise for a short period is generally more effective than long periods of low-intensity exercise.

That’s why interval training is perfect for burning calories. It incorporates that high-intensity climbing challenge while giving you time to rest and catch your breath.

Naturally, as you develop this discipline, you will also grow stronger and have more endurance.

How Many Calories Are Burned Per Ride?

You can expect to burn anywhere from 400-1200 calories in a single Peloton session, although the amount you’ll burn depends greatly on the intensity of the exercise you’re doing.

For example, the Power Pro Cyclist Ride combines breakneck paced pedaling for several minutes with a 10–15-minute rest. While this routine may be shorter than others, it’s still an effective calorie burner.

Here’s a breakdown of the calories you can expect to burn based on the length and intensity of your routine:

It is important to remember that people who weigh more will burn more calories during a workout, and the number of calories you can expect to burn is highly dependent on the intensity of your routine.

What Is the Longest Ride for Peloton Classes?

Most Peloton classes last for 20-45 minutes, but if you’re looking to seriously up your game, then some classes can be up to an hour and a half long.

What Is an Ideal Output for a 30-Minute Peloton Ride?

The output you choose should be based on your current proficiency with the bike, but a good range to give you a balance of endurance and high-intensity exercise is between 180-250 watts.

A half-hour ride is ideal for burning calories and will help you build up a lot of endurance in your body.

How Often Should I Ride My Peloton Bike?

You can ride your peloton bike as often as you’d like, but the optimal routine is to do 20 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise 3 times per week. This gives you the best calorie burn and offers the best recipe for muscle growth.

Low-intensity exercise is good when done for longer periods and is a perfect place to start as a beginner. Aim for 20-30 minutes of moderately paced pedaling before turning up the heat if you’re just getting started.

Peloton Rides: Which Are the Most Challenging Workouts that Burn the Most Calories?

For burning calories, the best peloton workouts are the Power Zone Endurance Ride, Pro Cyclist Ride, and HIIT and Hills Ride.

These last anywhere from 45-90 minutes and are absolutely grueling. These classes are for you if you want to push yourself to improve your aerobic capacity and muscle endurance.

Here’s a breakdown of calories burned with each routine:

Peloton App Calories Burned Accuracy

The peloton app is an accurate resource that you can rely on when evaluating your progress, although like any other calorie counting app, it does rely on some generalities—your age, weight, activity level—to give you your calories burned.

Remember that a calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise 1 kg of water by 1 degree Celsius, so the total calories burned in a workout is just an estimation, not an exact reading.

Why Am I Not Burning Calories on the Peloton?

Low calorie burn on your peloton can be due to a lack of intensity or a lack of time spent.

Cardio isn’t always the best way to burn calories, and if you’re pedaling at a slow speed for a shorter period, you’re not going to get the same level of muscle endurance or aerobic capacity as other forms of exercise.