VO2max is the maximum volume of oxygen your body can use per minute, expressed in millilitres per kilogram of bodyweight per minute. It is the headline measure of aerobic fitness and a strong predictor of endurance performance.

How does FTP estimate VO2max?

FTP closely tracks sustainable aerobic power, so a regression maps it to VO2max. This tool uses the common estimate VO2max equals 10.8 times your watts per kilogram plus 7, derived from the oxygen cost of cycling at threshold.

How accurate is this estimate?

It is a population-level approximation, typically within a few ml/kg/min for trained cyclists. Individual efficiency, cadence, and test protocol all shift the true value, so treat the number as a guide rather than a lab measurement.

What VO2max is considered good for a cyclist?

Recreational riders often sit in the 40s, well-trained amateurs in the 50s to low 60s, and elite professionals frequently exceed 70 ml/kg/min. Values fall gradually with age and rise with consistent aerobic training.

Should I use a fresh FTP value?

Yes. FTP drifts as your fitness changes, so use a recent ramp or 20-minute test result. An outdated FTP will skew the VO2max estimate in the same direction.

Cycling VO2max Estimator

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Turn your power numbers into aerobic capacity

VO2max is the single most cited measure of endurance fitness, but a proper lab test is expensive and inconvenient. Cyclists have a shortcut: functional threshold power (FTP) is tightly linked to aerobic capacity, so a simple regression converts your watts and bodyweight into a credible VO2max estimate without a mask or a treadmill.

How it works

The tool first computes your power-to-weight ratio, then applies the standard cycling estimate:

power-to-weight = FTP_watts / bodyweight_kg     (W/kg)

VO2max ≈ 10.8 × (FTP_watts / bodyweight_kg) + 7   (ml/kg/min)

The constant 10.8 reflects the oxygen cost of producing one watt per kilogram on a bike, and the offset of 7 accounts for resting and baseline metabolism. Because the formula keys off watts per kilogram, two riders with the same W/kg get the same estimate regardless of absolute size.

Tips and example

A rider with a 280 W FTP at 70 kg has a power-to-weight of 4.0 W/kg. Plugging in: 10.8 × 4.0 + 7 = 50.2 ml/kg/min — a well-trained amateur level. Drop the same rider’s weight to 66 kg at unchanged FTP and W/kg rises to 4.24, lifting the estimate to about 52.8.

Notes: use a recent, honest FTP. The estimate assumes a typical cycling economy, so very efficient or inefficient riders will deviate. It is best used to track change over time — if your estimate climbs from 50 to 54 across a training block, your aerobic engine has genuinely grown even if the absolute number is approximate.