To climb faster, you need to raise your watts per kilo (W/kg): the power you can hold divided by your body weight in kilograms. On a long climb, almost all your energy goes into lifting yourself and your bike, so air resistance barely matters and that ratio decides everything. Of the two ways to improve it, adding watts usually pays off more than losing pounds: on the Alto del Naranco, 15 W more saves about twice as much time as 7 lb less.
Below are the numbers for each lever (power, body weight, bike weight, cadence and pacing), how to train for 8-12 weeks, and the mistakes that cost the most time.
What matters more: watts, pounds or the bike
We calculated the time up the Alto del Naranco (Oviedo, Spain: 4.2 miles, or 6.8 km, at a 6.2% average grade) with the physics model behind our climb time calculator (Martin et al., 1998). The starting rider weighs 165 lb (75 kg), rides a 20 lb (9 kg) bike including bottles, and climbs at 200 W (2.67 W/kg):
| Change | W/kg | Time | Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting point (165 lb, 200 W) | 2.67 | 33 min 20 s | — |
| 2 lb (0.9 kg) lighter bike | 2.67 | 33 min 02 s | 19 s |
| 7 lb (3.2 kg) less body weight | 2.78 | 32 min 15 s | 1 min 06 s |
| 10 W more | 2.80 | 31 min 53 s | 1 min 27 s |
| 15 W more | 2.87 | 31 min 13 s | 2 min 07 s |
| 20 W more | 2.93 | 30 min 35 s | 2 min 46 s |
| 7 lb less and 15 W more | 2.99 | 30 min 13 s | 3 min 08 s |
Three takeaways:
- 15 W more is worth about twice as much as 7 lb less. And adding 15 W to your FTP (going from 200 to 215 W, 7.5%) is realistic for anyone who trains with structure for a few months.
- A lighter bike is the most expensive lever. Shaving 2 lb off a mid-range road bike means pricey parts, and it saves about 20 seconds over a half-hour climb. If you’re curious about frame materials, we compare them in carbon vs. aluminum.
- Losing weight only helps if you keep your power. Aggressive diets usually cost watts and health. If you have weight to lose, lose it slowly and away from your hardest training blocks.
To see how long other climbs would take you at your level, check the chart of climb times by W/kg and each climb’s page in Climbs.
Where you stand: W/kg levels
To find your starting point, divide your FTP (the power you can hold for about an hour; see how to measure it in what is FTP) by your weight in kilograms (pounds ÷ 2.205). The watts per kilo calculator gives you your level on the Allen and Coggan scale:
| Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Fair | from 2.23 W/kg | from 1.90 W/kg |
| Good | from 2.79 W/kg | from 2.36 W/kg |
| Excellent | from 3.93 W/kg | from 3.33 W/kg |
| Superior | from 5.05 W/kg | from 4.30 W/kg |
On the Naranco, at 165 lb (75 kg), that means 43 min 35 s at 2 W/kg, 35 min 23 s at 2.5, 29 min 58 s at 3, 26 min 09 s at 3.5 and 23 min 19 s at 4 W/kg. You’ll find the watts for each body weight at every level in the chart of watts per kilo by level.
How to train to climb better
To push more watts uphill, you need to work on two things: your threshold (what you can hold for 20-60 minutes) and your VO2 max (the ceiling of your aerobic engine). And you build both on a base of lots of easy hours.
The base: most of your hours, easy
In endurance athletes, about 80% of sessions are low intensity (Seiler, 2010). For someone riding 6-8 hours a week, that means one or two interval sessions and the rest in zone 2 (56-75% of FTP). With an FTP of 210 W, zone 2 runs from 118 to 158 W. All the zones are in our guide to training zones.
Threshold blocks
These are the most productive intervals for long climbs, because they look a lot like the real effort:
- 3 × 10-12 minutes at 88-94% of FTP (the so-called sweet spot), with 5 easy minutes between blocks. With a 210 W FTP: 185-197 W.
- When they start to feel comfortable, move up to 2 × 20 minutes or to blocks at 95-100% of FTP (zone 4: 191-221 W with a 210 W FTP).
- Do them uphill if you have a climb of 10 minutes or more nearby, or on an indoor trainer. You pedal differently on a climb than on the flat: more torque per pedal stroke and less momentum.
VO2 max intervals
Efforts of 30 seconds to 5 minutes at 106-120% of FTP (zone 5: 223-252 W with a 210 W FTP). A study by Bent Rønnestad on trained cyclists compared short intervals with long intervals over 10 weeks, with the same total work: VO2 max rose 8.7% with the short ones versus 2.6% with the long ones, and the short-interval group also improved more in 5-minute and 40-minute tests.
One VO2 max session a week (for example, 3 sets of short intervals or 4-5 × 4 minutes) plus one threshold session is enough for almost any amateur.
Strength training in the gym
The review by Rønnestad and Iñigo Mujika (2014) concludes that heavy strength training (few reps with heavy loads: squats, leg press, deadlifts) added to your riding improves cycling economy and performance. Two sessions a week in winter and one maintenance session during the season is the most common setup. If you’ve never lifted, learn the technique from a qualified coach before adding weight.
A typical week
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Threshold: 3 × 12 min at 88-94% of FTP |
| Thursday | VO2 max: short intervals or 4-5 × 4 min at 106-120% |
| Saturday or Sunday | Long easy ride (2.5-4 h) with 2-3 climbs at a steady pace |
| Other days | Rest, easy spin or gym |
Do three weeks of load and one recovery week with 30-40% fewer hours. Retest your FTP every 6-8 weeks to update your zones.
Technique: cadence, gearing and pacing
What you build in training can be lost on the climb with bad decisions.
- A cadence of 70-75 rpm or higher. Grand Tour pros climb at about 71 rpm on average (Lucía et al., 2001), and they do it with far more power than you. Below 60-65 rpm, every pedal stroke becomes a strength effort that tires you out sooner.
- Gearing that lets you do it. A 165 lb (75 kg) rider at 200 W on an 8% grade goes 6.1 mph (9.9 km/h): with a 34×28 that’s 64 rpm; with a 34×32, 73 rpm; with a 34×34, 78 rpm. You’ll find the math for every grade in what gearing you need for climbing.
- Steady pacing. Hold the effort, not the speed. Going out hard in the first couple of miles is the mistake that costs the most time; we break it down with numbers in how to prepare for your first big climb.
- Stay seated most of the time. Standing helps on short, steep ramps or to change position, but it costs more energy. Use it for moments, not as your way of climbing.
- Breathe and relax your upper body. Loose hands on the bars, shoulders down. Tension in your arms and neck won’t make you climb any faster.
Common mistakes
- Riding every ride all-out. Without easy days there’s no recovery, and without recovery there’s no improvement. The 80/20 rule exists for a reason.
- Training only on the flat. If your goal is climbing, do at least some of your intervals uphill.
- Obsessing over bike weight. It’s the change that saves the least time per dollar spent.
- Running pro gearing. At 200 W and 165 lb, a 34×28 on a 10% grade leaves you at 53 rpm. There’s nothing wrong with a 34×34 or a gravel crankset.
- Not measuring. Without a power meter or a test, you won’t know whether you’re improving. At the very least, time yourself every month on the same climb in similar conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to lose weight or gain power for climbing on a bike?
Gaining power usually pays off more. For a 165 lb (75 kg) rider at 200 W on the Naranco, 15 W more saves 2 min 07 s, while 7 lb (3.2 kg) less saves 1 min 06 s. Losing weight only helps if you don't lose power along the way.
What is a good W/kg for climbing?
On the Allen and Coggan scale, an FTP of 2.8 W/kg (watts per kilogram of body weight) is already "good" for men and 3.9 W/kg is "excellent"; for women, 2.4 and 3.3 W/kg. At 3 W/kg, a 6.2-mile (10 km) climb at 6% takes about 43 minutes.
What intervals make you a better climber?
Combine long blocks near threshold (for example 3 × 10-12 min at 88-94% of FTP) with short VO2 max intervals (106-120% of FTP). One or two hard sessions a week is enough; keep the rest easy.
What cadence should I climb at?
Try not to drop below 70-75 rpm on long climbs. If you can't, the problem is usually your gearing: at 200 W on an 8% grade, a 34×28 leaves you at 64 rpm and a 34×34 at 78 rpm.
Does strength training help cycling climbing?
Yes. The review by Rønnestad and Mujika (2014) concludes that heavy strength training combined with riding improves cycling economy and performance in trained cyclists, without meaningful weight gain if it's programmed well.
Sources
- Martin J. C. et al., "Validation of a mathematical model for road cycling power," J Appl Biomech 14(3) (1998)
- Rønnestad B. R. et al., "Short intervals induce superior training adaptations compared with long intervals in cyclists," Scand J Med Sci Sports 25(2) (2015)
- Rønnestad B. R., Mujika I., "Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: a review," Scand J Med Sci Sports 24(4) (2014)
- Seiler S., "What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes?," IJSPP 5(3) (2010)
- Lucía A., Hoyos J., Chicharro J. L., "Preferred pedalling cadence in professional cycling," Med Sci Sports Exerc 33(8) (2001)
- TrainingPeaks, "Power training levels" (Andrew Coggan's levels)
