Watts per kilo calculator
Enter your FTP and your weight. You get your power-to-weight ratio and a rough idea of where it sits.
Your W/kg
3.33W/kg
Club rider
Fit and consistent. Holds their own on a fast club ride and climbs well.
Rough W/kg bands
- Getting startedunder 2.5 W/kg
- Recreational2.5–3.2 W/kg
- Club rider3.2–4 W/kg
- Racing4–5 W/kg
- Elite5 and up W/kg
Watt4 keeps these numbers up to date from every ride and plans your week around them. Free. Try Watt4
What W/kg tells you
Watts per kilo is your power divided by your body weight. On a climb, gravity is most of what you are fighting, so W/kg decides how fast you go up: a 60 kg rider at 240 W climbs about as fast as an 80 kg rider at 320 W, both at 4.0 W/kg.
On the flat it matters much less. There, absolute watts and aerodynamics count for more than weight.
How to use it
Use your FTP for the most useful comparison, and weigh yourself the same way each time, ideally in the morning. W/kg is a good way to follow your own progress, and a poor way to judge yourself against others: two riders with the same number can ride very differently.
Rough W/kg bands
These bands are rough. They are loosely based on the power profile tables in Training and Racing with a Power Meter by Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan, simplified to five steps. Those tables are for men; women's equivalents sit somewhat lower. Age, experience and the kind of riding you do all shift the picture.
Questions
What is a good W/kg for a cyclist?
It depends on who is asking. Around 2.5 to 3.2 W/kg is typical for regular recreational riders, 3.2 to 4 for fit club riders, and amateur racers usually sit above 4. Professional climbers reach 6 W/kg and more at threshold.
Should I lose weight or gain power?
For most riders, gain power. More training raises your W/kg without the risk of under-fuelling, which costs more performance than a few kilos ever will.
Is W/kg worked out from FTP?
Usually, and that is what this calculator uses. You can also work out W/kg for shorter efforts, such as 5 minutes or 1 minute; those numbers are higher and the bands here do not apply.
How do I convert pounds to kilos?
Divide by 2.2046. The calculator does it for you when you pick lb.