December 24, 2025 · 4 min read

FTP per Kilogram — a W/kg Level Table for Amateur Cyclists

"My FTP is 240 W — is that a lot or a little?" FTP in watts alone says little, because 240 W at 65 kg and 240 W at 95 kg are completely different levels of cycling. That's why form is compared in watts per kilogram (W/kg). Below is a level table for amateurs, how to calculate it, and — more importantly — how to actually move up a level.

How to calculate your W/kg

W/kg = FTP [W] ÷ body weight [kg]

Example: an FTP of 240 W at 80 kg is 3.0 W/kg. The same power at 70 kg is already 3.43 W/kg — on every climb, that difference is brutally noticeable. Don't know your FTP? The simplest way to measure it is a Ramp Test.

FTP level table (W/kg)

The thresholds are based on common coaching classifications (including Coggan's tables) and refer to FTP, not instantaneous power:

Treat the thresholds as a rough guide — on the road, aerodynamics also matter (absolute watts win on the flat!), as does group riding technique and how long you can hold a percentage of your FTP.

What these numbers mean in practice

• 2.5 W/kg — you comfortably ride 60–80 km on rolling terrain; longer climbs demand patience.
• 3.0–3.5 W/kg — you hold the wheel in fast amateur groups, Alpine passes stop being survival exercises.
• 4.0 W/kg — a genuine start in amateur races with front-of-the-pack ambitions; you ride road marathons "for the result".
• 5.0+ W/kg — a level where an elite licence enters the conversation; for comparison, World Tour professionals sit at 5.8–6.5 W/kg at threshold.

Two levers: watts and kilograms

A fraction has a numerator and a denominator — and you can train both sides:

• Raising your FTP. The foundation is a large volume in zone 2 plus 1–2 hard sessions a week (sweet spot, threshold, VO2max). Realistic progress for a training amateur is 5–15% FTP in a season — the higher your level, the slower it goes.
• Body weight. For someone carrying extra kilos, losing weight can be a faster route to a better W/kg than another round of intervals. But watch out: aggressive weight cutting during hard training usually ends with a drop in FTP — and W/kg stands still. Changes of at most 0.25–0.5 kg a week, outside race blocks.

The most common mistake: trying to optimise both at once by force. Pick a priority for 8–12 weeks (a power block or a cutting block), then switch.

Track the trend, not a single reading

W/kg changes with form and weight, so a single reading is just a snapshot. A sensible rhythm: an FTP test every 4–6 weeks (for how to pace it well, see preparing for a Ramp Test), weight measured on the same mornings, and both values charted over time. A gain of 0.3–0.4 W/kg in a season is a very good result — and the table above then becomes a roadmap, not a ranking.

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