What is a good W/kg for cycling?

Recreational riders average 2.0-3.0 W/kg. Cat 4 racers: 3.5-4.0. Cat 3: 4.0-4.5. Cat 1/Elite: 5.0+. World Tour pros: 6.0+ W/kg for short climbs. Context matters — these are FTP values.

How is climbing speed calculated?

On climbs, power overcomes gravity (main factor), rolling resistance, and aerodynamic drag. The steeper the gradient, the more gravity dominates and the less aerodynamics matters. This makes W/kg the key metric for climbing.

Is it better to lose weight or gain power?

Both improve W/kg equally in theory. In practice, losing 1kg of body weight is often easier than gaining 3-4 watts of FTP. However, losing too much weight can reduce power. Find the sweet spot for your physiology.

How much does bike weight matter on climbs?

On a 7% gradient, saving 1 kg from bike weight typically gains about 1-2% in climbing speed. At FTP of 250W on a 7% climb, that is roughly 10-15 seconds per kilometre of climbing.

VAM (velocita ascensionale media) is vertical ascent metres per hour. World Tour climbers achieve 1500-1800+ VAM on major climbs. Good amateur climbers: 1000-1300 VAM.

BikeCalcs

Power-to-Weight Calculator — Cycling W/kg Analysis

Analyse your power-to-weight ratio with climbing speed, category comparison and weight savings.

Rider Weight

Weight measurement

Bike Weight

Weight measurement

FTP

Functional Threshold Power in watts

Climbing Gradient

Slope gradient percentage

How We Calculate This

Power-to-Weight Ratio

W/kg = FTP (watts) / Rider Weight (kg)

Climbing Speed

Power must overcome gravity, rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag. On steep climbs (>6%), gravity accounts for over 90% of resistance, making W/kg the dominant factor.

The calculator solves iteratively for the speed where total resistance equals your power output.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify results and consult a professional bike fitter where appropriate.