Find your cycling power zones from FTP
This FTP zones calculator converts your functional threshold power into the seven Coggan power zones, in watts. Enter an FTP you already know, or start from a best 20-minute power, a best 8-minute power or the last full minute of a ramp test and the tool estimates FTP first. Add your body weight to see watts per kilogram for your FTP and for every zone.
Power zones give each ride a purpose. Zone 2 builds your aerobic base, tempo and threshold work raises the power you can hold, and VO2 max intervals lift your ceiling. Everything runs in your browser, and nothing about you is stored or sent.
How to use the Cycling Power Zones & W/kg Calculator
- Pick Starting from: your FTP, or the test you did (20-minute, 8-minute or ramp).
- Enter the power in watts from your head unit or turbo trainer.
- Optional: add body weight in kg or lb to get watts per kg.
- Read your estimated FTP and the zone table, then copy the zone 2 range into your bike computer.
- Retest every four to eight weeks and recalculate, because your zones move as you get fitter.
Cycling Power Zones & W/kg Calculator features
Seven Coggan zones
Active recovery through neuromuscular power, with watts, percentage of FTP and a plain description of the feel.
Three test methods
Estimates FTP from a 20-minute test (95%), an 8-minute test (90%) or a ramp test (75%).
Watts per kg
Shows your FTP and each zone relative to body weight, in kg or lb.
Zone 2 and sweet spot
Headline numbers for the endurance zone and the 88 to 94% sweet spot band.
Honest limits
Notes on test quality, retesting and how zone models differ between coaches.
The Coggan power zones
Dr Andrew Coggan and Hunter Allen defined seven training levels in Training and Racing with a Power Meter. Levels 1 to 6 are percentages of FTP; level 7 is a short maximal effort and has no FTP percentage.
| Zone | Name | % of FTP | For FTP 250 W |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Active recovery | up to 55% | up to 138 W |
| 2 | Endurance | 56–75% | 140–188 W |
| 3 | Tempo | 76–90% | 190–225 W |
| 4 | Lactate threshold | 91–105% | 228–263 W |
| 5 | VO2 max | 106–120% | 265–300 W |
| 6 | Anaerobic capacity | 121–150% | 303–375 W |
| 7 | Neuromuscular power | sprint | over 375 W |
Estimating FTP from a test
FTP is roughly the highest power you could hold for about an hour. A full hour test is miserable, so Coggan suggested a hard 20-minute effort after a warm-up and taking 95% of the average power. Many coaches use 90% of a best 8-minute effort, and ramp tests commonly take 75% of the last full minute. These are conventions, not laws of physiology: a rider with a big sprint but modest endurance may be overestimated, and the other way round.
Worked example: a rider averages 300 W for 20 minutes. FTP ≈ 0.95 × 300 = 285 W, so zone 2 is 56 to 75% of 285, that is 160 to 214 W.
Watts per kilogram
Climbing speed depends mostly on watts per kilogram, because gravity acts on your mass. Divide your power by your weight in kg: 250 W at 70 kg is 3.57 W/kg. Flat-road speed depends more on absolute watts and aerodynamics. Use W/kg to compare your own progress, and be careful comparing with tables from different sources, since they use different durations.
- Weight in pounds? The tool converts at 0.45359237 kg per lb.
- Use your riding weight, not your lightest.
- W/kg of zones helps you plan climbs: a 4% climb at your zone 3 W/kg is a different day than at zone 4.
Using zones well
Most endurance riders spend the majority of their volume in zone 2, with a few hard sessions a week. Power responds instantly, but it is affected by heat, fatigue and caffeine, and power meters differ by 1 to 2%, so use the same device for testing and training. If you also train by heart rate, compare the heart rate zones, and estimate fitness with the VO2 max calculator. Check frame fit with the bike size calculator.
Cycling Power Zones & W/kg Calculator FAQ
How do I calculate my FTP zones?
Work out FTP first (a known value, 95% of a 20-minute test, 90% of an 8-minute test or 75% of a ramp test), then multiply it by each zone’s percentage: zone 2 is 56 to 75%, tempo 76 to 90%, threshold 91 to 105%.
What is the zone 2 power for my FTP?
Multiply your FTP by 0.56 and by 0.75. For FTP 250 W that is 140 to 188 W. The tool shows it as the first number under the result.
How do I calculate watts per kg?
Divide your watts by your body mass in kilograms. 250 W at 70 kg is 3.57 W/kg. Add your weight and the tool calculates it for your FTP and every zone.
Is a 20-minute test accurate?
It is a good estimate for most riders if you paced it evenly and were rested. It can overestimate FTP for riders with strong short-term power. Retest and check against how your zone 4 efforts feel.
Why do other calculators give different zones?
Some coaches use different zone counts or boundaries, such as a 5-zone or polarised model. This tool follows the Coggan 7-zone model only.
Do I need a power meter?
You need one, or a smart trainer, to measure watts. Without it, use heart rate or perceived effort instead.