Power to Weight Ratio Calculator (W/kg)
Watts per kg for cyclists, with your Coggan level by sex, and a general mode for cars and any vehicle.
Power to weight ratio is your power output divided by your body weight, expressed in watts per kilogram (W/kg). A cyclist producing 280 W at 70 kg has a ratio of 4.0 W/kg. Enter your FTP, weight and sex to see your W/kg and your level on the Coggan scale, or switch to the general mode to compare any power and mass, in W, kW or hp.
Calculate your power to weight ratio
You can type the unit: 250 W, 3 hp, 300 PS, 72.5 kg, 160 lb, 1.5 t.
W/kg by level and sex (Coggan chart)
FTP power to weight bands of the Coggan power profile (Allen and Coggan). Your level is highlighted once calculated.
| Level | Men (W/kg) | Women (W/kg) | Typical Rider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Untrained | <2.51 | <2.08 | New to structured training |
| Fair | 2.51-3.08 | 2.08-2.58 | Recreational rider |
| Moderate | 3.08-3.65 | 2.58-3.09 | Regular, fit amateur |
| Good | 3.65-4.22 | 3.09-3.59 | Competitive amateur (Cat 4-3) |
| Very Good | 4.22-4.79 | 3.59-4.10 | Strong club racer (Cat 3-2) |
| Excellent | 4.79-5.36 | 4.10-4.60 | Elite amateur (Cat 2-1) |
| Exceptional | 5.36-5.93 | 4.60-5.10 | Domestic elite / Continental |
| World Class | >5.93 | >5.10 | WorldTour professional |
Good to know
The Coggan scale classifies your FTP (about one hour of power) relative to your body weight. It is a guide, not a verdict: test conditions, power meter calibration and the time of day can change your FTP by a few percent.
What is power to weight ratio (W/kg)?
Power to weight ratio (W/kg) is power output divided by body weight. It predicts climbing and acceleration better than absolute watts, because on a climb most of your power goes into lifting your own mass against gravity. For TrainingZones.io, it is the number to use when you compare riders of different sizes.
How to calculate watts per kg
Power to weight ratio (W/kg) = FTP in watts ÷ body weight in kilograms. Example: a 75 kg rider with an FTP of 260 W has 260 ÷ 75 = 3.47 W/kg. In pounds, divide by your weight in lb to get W/lb, or multiply W/lb by 2.2046 to get W/kg.
What is a good power to weight ratio for cycling?
For cycling, about 3 W/kg at FTP is a solid recreational rider, about 4 W/kg a competitive amateur (Cat 3), about 5 W/kg a strong Cat 1 or 2 racer, and WorldTour professionals hold 5.5 to 6.5 W/kg or more. On the Coggan scale, the women's bands sit 0.4 to 0.8 W/kg below the men's, depending on the level.
What W/kg do pro cyclists have?
WorldTour professionals sustain 5.5 to 6.5 W/kg or more at FTP. Tour de France climbers reach about 6.0 to 6.5 W/kg on the decisive climbs, and Tadej Pogačar is estimated at around 6.4 W/kg on key climbs. These figures are estimates from climbing times, not published power files.
How to improve your power to weight ratio
There are two levers: raise your FTP or reduce your body weight. Once calculated, the result shows both for your next level: the extra watts at the same weight, and the weight to reach at the same FTP.
- Build your FTP with threshold and sweet spot sessions in your power zones.
- Lose fat mass slowly, never muscle: a fast cut also lowers your watts.
- Test your FTP again every 6 to 8 weeks to follow the real number.
- Weigh yourself at the same time of day: body weight moves by 1 to 2 kg within a day.
W/kg or absolute power: which matters more?
W/kg matters most on climbs, where gravity scales with mass. On flat roads and in sprints, absolute power and aerodynamics dominate, so a heavier rider with more watts is often faster there (Padilla et al., 1999).
Power to weight ratio for cars and other vehicles
The same ratio describes cars and motorbikes: power divided by mass, often given in horsepower per tonne, or inverted as kilograms per horsepower. A 150 hp car weighing 1300 kg has 115.4 hp/t, or 8.67 kg/hp. Switch to the general mode to convert any power (W, kW, hp, PS) and any mass (kg, lb, t).