How this calculator works
A Dutch study of about 50,000 people estimated that regular cyclists live roughly half a year longer, and that the gain is close to one hour of extra life for every hour spent cycling. The WHO Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) uses a similar approach: the risk reduction from cycling is applied to a life table, with benefits levelling off at about 450 minutes per week. This page multiplies your riding hours by the one-to-one ratio and caps the weekly time at that plateau. It is a population average, not a promise, and it does not model crashes, air pollution or changes in riding habits.
Formula
Weekly cycling = minutes per day x days per week, capped at 450 minutes. Weeks per year = months x 52 / 12. Total hours = capped weekly minutes x weeks per year x years / 60. Estimated life gained = total cycling hours, using the one-to-one ratio. Days = hours / 24 and years = days / 365.25.
Worked example
Cycling 30 minutes on 5 days a week for 12 months a year is 150 minutes a week, below the cap. Over the 40 years from age 30 to 70 that is 150 x 52 x 40 = 312,000 minutes, or 5,200 hours. Applying the one-to-one ratio gives about 5,200 hours of life, which is 217 days or 0.59 years.
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Frequently asked questions
Where does the one-to-one ratio come from?
A 2015 study of Dutch cyclists, published in the American Journal of Public Health, estimated that cycling gains about an hour of life for each hour cycled. The WHO HEAT approach produces gains of the same order of magnitude from mortality risk reductions.
Why cap the weekly riding time?
The WHO HEAT model applies a benefit that plateaus at about 450 minutes of cycling a week. Beyond that point the evidence does not support adding more life in proportion to more riding.
Does this include the risk of crashes?
No. The estimate is based on all-cause mortality among regular cyclists and does not subtract an individual crash risk. Injury risk depends heavily on route, traffic and experience, so do not read the result as a safety calculation.
Can I use this for walking or running?
The page is specific to cycling. Other activities have different dose-response evidence, so applying the same ratio to them would not be supported by the source.