Watts per kilogram (W/kg) is your FTP divided by your body weight in kilograms: the number that matters when the road tilts up. It’s always calculated per kilo, even in the US, so the weights below show pounds with kilograms alongside. The levels are the bands Garmin uses on its bike computers, taken from Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan’s chart (Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 2010), and they’re the same ones the watts per kg calculator applies. FTP is the power you can hold for about an hour.
FTP levels in W/kg
| Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Untrained | under 2.23 W/kg | under 1.90 W/kg |
| Fair | 2.23-2.78 W/kg | 1.90-2.35 W/kg |
| Good | 2.79-3.92 W/kg | 2.36-3.32 W/kg |
| Excellent | 3.93-5.04 W/kg | 3.33-4.29 W/kg |
| Superior | 5.05 W/kg or more | 4.30 W/kg or more |
| World class (reference) | 6.6 W/kg | 5.7 W/kg |
FTP watts for each level by weight: men
Each cell is the minimum FTP, rounded up, to reach that level.
| Weight | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb (49.9 kg) | 112 W | 140 W | 197 W | 252 W |
| 120 lb (54.4 kg) | 122 W | 152 W | 214 W | 275 W |
| 130 lb (59.0 kg) | 132 W | 165 W | 232 W | 298 W |
| 140 lb (63.5 kg) | 142 W | 178 W | 250 W | 321 W |
| 150 lb (68.0 kg) | 152 W | 190 W | 268 W | 344 W |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | 162 W | 203 W | 286 W | 367 W |
| 170 lb (77.1 kg) | 172 W | 216 W | 304 W | 390 W |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | 183 W | 228 W | 321 W | 413 W |
| 190 lb (86.2 kg) | 193 W | 241 W | 339 W | 436 W |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 203 W | 254 W | 357 W | 459 W |
| 210 lb (95.3 kg) | 213 W | 266 W | 375 W | 482 W |
| 220 lb (99.8 kg) | 223 W | 279 W | 393 W | 504 W |
| 230 lb (104.3 kg) | 233 W | 292 W | 411 W | 527 W |
FTP watts for each level by weight: women
| Weight | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb (49.9 kg) | 95 W | 118 W | 167 W | 215 W |
| 120 lb (54.4 kg) | 104 W | 129 W | 182 W | 235 W |
| 130 lb (59.0 kg) | 113 W | 140 W | 197 W | 254 W |
| 140 lb (63.5 kg) | 121 W | 150 W | 212 W | 274 W |
| 150 lb (68.0 kg) | 130 W | 161 W | 227 W | 293 W |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | 138 W | 172 W | 242 W | 313 W |
| 170 lb (77.1 kg) | 147 W | 182 W | 257 W | 332 W |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | 156 W | 193 W | 272 W | 352 W |
| 190 lb (86.2 kg) | 164 W | 204 W | 287 W | 371 W |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 173 W | 215 W | 303 W | 391 W |
| 210 lb (95.3 kg) | 181 W | 225 W | 318 W | 410 W |
| 220 lb (99.8 kg) | 190 W | 236 W | 333 W | 430 W |
| 230 lb (104.3 kg) | 199 W | 247 W | 348 W | 449 W |
Your W/kg from FTP and weight
If you already know your FTP, cross its row with your weight.
| FTP | 120 lb (54 kg) | 140 lb (64 kg) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 220 lb (100 kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 W | 2.76 | 2.36 | 2.07 | 1.84 | 1.65 | 1.50 |
| 175 W | 3.22 | 2.76 | 2.41 | 2.14 | 1.93 | 1.75 |
| 200 W | 3.67 | 3.15 | 2.76 | 2.45 | 2.20 | 2.00 |
| 225 W | 4.13 | 3.54 | 3.10 | 2.76 | 2.48 | 2.25 |
| 250 W | 4.59 | 3.94 | 3.44 | 3.06 | 2.76 | 2.51 |
| 275 W | 5.05 | 4.33 | 3.79 | 3.37 | 3.03 | 2.76 |
| 300 W | 5.51 | 4.72 | 4.13 | 3.67 | 3.31 | 3.01 |
| 325 W | 5.97 | 5.12 | 4.48 | 3.98 | 3.58 | 3.26 |
| 350 W | 6.43 | 5.51 | 4.82 | 4.29 | 3.86 | 3.51 |
| 375 W | 6.89 | 5.91 | 5.17 | 4.59 | 4.13 | 3.76 |
| 400 W | 7.35 | 6.30 | 5.51 | 4.90 | 4.41 | 4.01 |
How to read the chart
- Weigh yourself as you’d head out for a ride, without the bike: W/kg uses the rider’s weight only. The bike comes in later, when you work out climbing times.
- The levels compare you with yourself and with the average; they’re not a test. “Good” for men (from 2.79 W/kg) is the level of someone who trains consistently a few hours a week.
- On the flat, absolute watts win. A 198 lb (90 kg) rider with 300 W (3.33 W/kg) is faster on flat roads than a 132 lb (60 kg) rider with 240 W (4 W/kg), even though the lighter rider will take minutes out of them on a climb.
- If your weight falls between two rows, convert it to kilograms and multiply by the level’s W/kg: 150 lb is 68 kg, and 68 × 3.93 = 268 W for excellent in men.
To see what those W/kg mean in minutes, check the climb times by W/kg chart for famous climbs. If you don’t have your FTP yet, the FTP calculator works it out from a test, and the FTP guide shows how to do it right. To move up a level, by training or losing weight, see how to climb faster.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good watts per kg for cycling?
For men, an FTP of 2.79 W/kg already counts as good and 3.93 W/kg as excellent; for women, 2.36 and 3.33 W/kg. A 165 lb (75 kg) male rider needs 209 W for good and 295 W for excellent.
How many watts do I need for 4 W/kg?
Multiply your weight in kilograms by 4 (divide pounds by 2.2046 first): at 143 lb (65 kg), 260 W; at 165 lb (75 kg), 300 W; at 187 lb (85 kg), 340 W. An FTP of 4 W/kg is excellent for men and superior for women.
What W/kg does a pro cyclist have?
The best in the world are around 6.6 W/kg at FTP for men and 5.7 W/kg for women, according to Allen and Coggan's power profile chart. A 154 lb (70 kg) rider at 6.6 W/kg holds 462 W for nearly an hour.