To evaluate wheelchair activity in reference to a more familiar mode of locomotion, metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses to wheelchair ergometer (WERG) and bicycle ergometer (BERG) exercise were compared. Eighteen able-bodies subjects were tested on a combination wheelchair-bicycle ergometer. Oxygen uptake (VO2), respiratory exchange ratio (R), pulmonary ventilation (VE), ventilatory equivalent (VE/VO2), percent net mechanical efficiency (ME), and heart rate (HR) were determined at power output (PO) levels of 30, 90, and 150 kpm/min on each ergometer. For WERG and BERG exercise, VO2, VE, and HR increased linearly with PO. Generally, VO2, R, VE, VE/VO2, and HR responses were higher (P less than 0.05) during WERG than BERG exercise at each PO. Blood lactate was determined after 150 kpm/min, and found to be higher (P less than 0.05) during WERG than BERG exercise. ME increased with PO and was lower (P less than 0.05) for WERG than BERG exercise at each PO level. The greater metabolic and cardiopulmonary responses observed during WERG exercise may be due to inefficient biomechanics and the relatively small upper body musculature used for propulsion.