Watts per kg calculator
This watts per kg calculator divides your cycling power by your body weight to give the power-to-weight ratio that predicts climbing and racing performance better than raw watts alone. Enter your power and weight, pick your sex, and see exactly where you land on the six-step rider category ladder, from untrained all the way up to professional, a quick way to benchmark yourself against typical riders at each level.
Power-to-weight
3.57W/kg
Trained
Rider category
How it works
W/kg is simply power in watts divided by body weight in kilograms. Because gravity scales with mass, a heavier rider needs proportionally more power just to match a lighter rider's climbing speed, which is why W/kg, not absolute watts, decides who reaches the top of a climb first.
The category boundaries come from Andrew Coggan's power profiling, a widely cited chart mapping sustained W/kg at FTP to rider level, with separate scales for men and women reflecting typical differences in body composition and muscle mass.
These bands describe FTP-level W/kg specifically. The same power entered here at a shorter, harder effort will land in a higher category than it represents for sustained threshold power.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good watts per kg for cycling?
Around 3 to 4 W/kg at FTP is a solid recreational-to-trained level for most adult riders, while competitive amateur racers often sit near 4 to 5 W/kg and professional climbers can exceed 6 W/kg. Sex, event and rider weight all shift what counts as strong.
How can I improve my watts per kg?
Either raise your FTP through structured training, or lose body weight without losing power, since both routes raise the ratio. Most riders get the biggest and most durable gains from building FTP rather than cutting weight aggressively, which can also cost you power.
Is watts per kg different for climbing than for flat racing?
Yes. On flat ground aerodynamic drag dominates and absolute power matters more, while on climbs gravity dominates and W/kg becomes the better predictor. A powerful, heavier rider often excels on flats and time trials but loses ground on sustained climbs.
Related tools
- FTP zones calculatorCalculate your cycling FTP from a known value or a 20-minute power, free, with the seven Coggan training zones in watts.
- Speed to power calculatorEstimate the power needed to hold a cycling speed, free, with gravity, rolling and aero components and a full speed table.
- Climb time calculatorPredict climb time, speed and VAM from length, elevation gain and power, free, with a table across a range of power outputs.
- Bike gear calculatorList every chainring and cassette combination sorted by development, free, with ratio, gear inches and speed at your cadence.
Overload shows your power curve and W/kg
Overload builds your power curve from every ride and shows your W/kg at every duration, so you can see exactly where you stand. Free on iOS and Android.