this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2026
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Video so text summary needed.
The person in the video shows this graph, or a very similar one.
She highlights the different categories between swimmers, fliers, runners and vehicles.
Then, she reveals the "human on a bicycle" entry on the graph and says that humans on a bike are much more efficient than anything else.
Very interesting. I wonder why a horse is so much more efficient than a rodent. Something to do with size and limb mechanics I guess. Would be nice to know what the dot underneath "automobile" is, I'm guessing "bus".
Damn salmon are efficient
And delicious
I think the math checks out for this graph.
If a human on a bicycle consumes 0.15 calories per gram per kilometer, then a 100 kg person would be:
100000g x 0.15 calories = 15,000 calories = 15kcal
I'm guessing these numbers are for a racing bike on a flat stretch of smooth road where you don't need to brake or accelerate.