Energy cost of movement by various means
This is Table 4.6 on page 166 of Bicycling Science (3d ed) by David Gordon Wilson.
| Speed | Energy consumption per person¹ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mile/h | m/sec | kcal/km | mile/gal² | km/l | |
Bicycle (roadster) + rider |
4 | 1.79 | 8.4 | 2440 | 1037 |
| 10 | 4.47 | 15.6 | 1310 | 557 | |
| 15 | 6.70 | 4.4 | 840 | 357 | |
Walker |
4 | 1.79 | 55.3 | 370 | 157 |
Runner |
10 | 4.47 | 68.3 | 300 | 127 |
Swimmer |
1.5 | 0.67 | 269.6 | 76.0 | 32.3 |
Horse + rider |
10 | 4.47 | 245.4 | 83.5 | 35.5 |
Moped + rider |
20 | 8.74 | 88.3 | 232 | 98.6 |
Auto + 5 riders |
30 | 13.4 | 120.5 | 170 | 72.3 |
| 60 | 26.8 | 183.0 | 112 | 47.6 | |
Auto + 1 rider |
30 | 13.4 | 539 | 28 | 16.2 |
| 60 | 26.8 | 820 | 25 | 10.6 | |
Diesel commuter train + riders |
30 | 13.4 | 112 | 183 | 77.8 |
¹ For the metabolic energies, these figure give the incremental consumption above the resting level.
² Equivalent miles per U.S. gallon of 33,000-kcal/gal fuel (gasoline per person, calculated as follows: mile/gal = 33,000 × 0.621 /kcal-km. ³
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³ Since it's unlikely for a person to be powered by gasoline, the ratio of gasoline to whiskey is approx 1:3 for 100° whiskey. (E.g. three gallons of 100° whiskey provides 31,488 kcal.) No one said these miles had to be in a straight line. Other ratios follow:
3 gallons of ... provides ... kcal:
- 80° : 24,576
- 86° : 26,496
- 90° : 28,032
- 94° : 29,184
- 100° : 31,488
Or you could get your 33,000 kcal by consuming:
- 20 gallons of beer (but not that light stuff)
- 18.5 gallons of A&W root beer
- 56.8 Big Macs (with cheese)
- 673 Heads of iceberg lettuce
- 6 pounds of Cap'n Crunch with Crunchberries