Cycling Watts Per Kilogram (W/kg)
Calculate your cycling power-to-weight ratio. See how your watts per kg compare to professional cyclists.
Understanding Watts Per Kilogram
Power-to-weight ratio is the single most important metric in cycling performance, especially for climbing. W/kg = Functional Threshold Power (FTP) ÷ body weight in kg. A 170-lb rider with 220W FTP: 220 ÷ 77.1 = 2.85 W/kg. Increasing either power or decreasing weight improves the ratio.
W/kg Benchmarks
1.5-2.5: Recreational cyclist. 2.5-3.5: Intermediate/club rider. 3.5-4.5: Advanced/Cat 3-4 racer. 4.5-5.5: Elite/Cat 1-2. 5.5-6.0: Domestic professional. 6.0+: World Tour professional. The best climbers in the Tour de France sustain 6.0-6.5 W/kg for 30-60 minutes uphill.
Losing 1 kg of body weight at the same power output has the same effect on climbing as gaining approximately 3-4 watts. For a 75 kg rider at 300W, losing 1 kg improves climbing speed by about 1.3%. This is why pro cyclists are obsessive about weight during Grand Tours.
