If you’re looking for a more efficient way to burn calories, running on a treadmill burns more per minute than riding an exercise bike.

What is a treadmill?

Using a treadmill, you may walk or run on a flat surface without leaving your home. Using a short belt, the device provides a moving platform by feeding it across the top. The speed can be manually adjusted.

The belt platform of a treadmill is typically equipped with handles on both sides. Allows for an even more strenuous workout that mimics sprinting uphill by incinerating the entire platform.

Non-motorized treadmills are becoming increasingly popular. You must manually move the belt to get the correct speed on non-motorized variants, which often have a slightly curved running surface.

Running on a non-powered treadmill has been found to provide a more challenging cardio workout than doing the same thing on a motorised one (1Trusted Source).

Training the walking and running gaits is possible with both motorised and non-powered treadmills.

Treadmill pros

  • provides a safe place to stroll and run indoors
  • customizable speed and incline allow for fine-tuning the intensity of the workout
  • aids in the accurate recording of data
  • enhances workouts by setting up digital experiences like a television.
  • an effective means of restoring balance and other aspects of gait

Treadmill cons

  • When compared to jogging on conventional surfaces, movement patterns are altered.
  • If you don’t use the safety leash, you run the risk of being thrown from the horse.
  • if you run the same distance on a treadmill as you would outside, you may expend more energy.
  • during your workout, you will not be able to enjoy the outdoors and nature

What is an exercise bike?

Exercising on a stationary bike is similar to riding a bicycle because of its seat and pedals. There are a variety of styles to choose from that are tailored to certain training goals.

As an example, a spin bike looks a lot like a normal road bike. As a result, you’ll have an easier time transitioning from indoor training to road cycling.

Reclining exercise bikes, on the other hand, offer a more comfortable, larger seat and pedals that are positioned further forward. This shifts the weight of the rider’s body from the pedals to the seat.

On the other hand, this lessens the exercise’s impact, making it easier on the joints. On the other hand, it also makes it more difficult to reach high intensity levels and is less applicable to outdoor cycling.

Exercise bike pros

  • increases a wide range of fitness metrics
  • low-impact and gentle on the joints
  • can help with balance and gait
  • You’re not constrained by external factors, such as the climate.
  • easy to monitor, measure, and modify the intensity of the light source

Exercise bike cons

  • not as effective as weight-bearing workouts in terms of improving bone mineral density
  • has a negligible effect on muscular growth
  • less enticing to those who enjoy exercising outdoors

Which Burns More Calories?

Many people engage in cardio for the sole purpose of losing weight. For treadmill versus bike calorie burn comparison, you need to take into account the intensity and duration of your workout.

Running on a treadmill burns between 8.18 and 10.78 calories per minute, whereas stationary cycling burns between 7.98 and 10.48 calories per minute (10Trusted Source).

Even while these variations are tiny, they could mount up over the course of a 30-60-minute session. You can still burn more calories on a stationary bike than on a treadmill if you increase the intensity or add a few more minutes of training.

As a point of reference, HIIT on a hydraulic resistance system has been shown to burn between 10.3 and 15 calories per minute (10Trusted Source).

There is a big difference in the amount of calories burned by HIIT-style training and steady-paced running or cycling. Compared to treadmills and cycles, this makes the calorie-burn difference minimal for short workouts.

Even though treadmills and stationary bikes both have somewhat larger calorie burns, this is not your only factor when choosing between the two.

How to Choose Between a Treadmill and Stationary Bike

It’s important to know what you want to accomplish before making a decision.

In order to reap the most general benefits of cardio exercising, you should focus on finding the most pleasurable way. Get excited about the option that most appeals to you.

Using a treadmill or a stationary cycle has little effect on one’s fitness or aerobic capacity. Either way, getting some exercise is preferable to doing none at all.

To help you stay on track in the meantime, you might choose to concentrate on the major mode of competition you’ll be using in your chosen sport.

In order to prepare for a 5K, a combination of outdoor and treadmill jogging is the most effective strategy. If you’re training for a bike race, on the other hand, you should perform both outdoor and sedentary cycling.

Bikes tend to have a tiny advantage over treadmills when it comes to improving your gait and balance. To be sure, additional research is required.

Cycling may be a good option if you have joint problems, especially in your ankles or knees. During rehabilitation or physical treatment, this is especially true.

Before beginning any new physical activity or fitness plan, you should always check with your doctor to be sure it’s safe for you to do so.

The bottom line

Research on exercise science, fitness, and health suggests that the most significant difference between exercise advantages is between being primarily inactive and routinely exercising.

There is no difference in the health advantages of engaging in any form of regular physical activity over sitting around and doing nothing at all. In terms of aerobic training, this may be extremely relevant

For this reason, it’s best to select with the treadmill or stationary bike that you prefer and are more likely to use.

With sports-specific goals in mind or any special injuries, you may prefer the bike over the treadmill or the other way around.

Many scientifically confirmed benefits can be gained from using treadmills and stationary cycles as a kind of exercise.

Always remember that it’s never too late to start exercising.