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VO2 Max Calculator — Estimate from Cycling Power
Estimate your VO2 max from maximum power output on a bike.
How We Calculate This
VO2 Max Estimation
This calculator uses the ACSM leg-cycling metabolic equation, applied to power-meter data:
VO2max (ml/kg/min) = (10.8 × Max Power / Body Weight) + 7
The constant 10.8 comes from the ACSM form VO2 = (1.8 × work rate in kgm/min ÷ mass) + 7, because the ACSM converts power at 1 watt = 6 kgm/min, so 1.8 × 6 = 10.8 per watt exactly; the 7 ml/kg/min term covers unloaded pedalling plus resting metabolism.
Enter the highest power you can sustain for roughly 5 minutes (maximal aerobic power, MAP) or the peak power from a ramp test — not a 5-second or 1-minute sprint, which would massively over-estimate VO2 max. Note this is not the Storer-Davis (1990) equation, which predicts absolute VO2 in ml/min from watts, mass, sex and age.
Frequently Asked Questions
VO2 max is the maximum rate at which your body can use oxygen during exercise. It is measured in ml of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min) and is a key indicator of aerobic fitness.
Average adult: 35-45 ml/kg/min. Recreational cyclist: 45-55. Club racer: 55-65. Cat 1/2: 65-72. Professional: 70-85+. The highest recorded VO2 max for a cyclist was 97.5 ml/kg/min (Oskar Svendsen, 2012).
It uses the ACSM leg-cycling metabolic equation: VO2 = (1.8 × work rate in kgm/min ÷ body mass) + 7. Because the ACSM converts power at 1 watt = 6 kgm/min, this simplifies exactly to (10.8 × watts ÷ body weight in kg) + 7 ml/kg/min, since 1.8 × 6 = 10.8. This is the same approach Hunter Allen popularised for estimating VO2 max from a power meter. It is different from the Storer-Davis (1990) lab equation, which predicts absolute VO2 in ml/min and needs your sex and age.
It provides a reasonable estimate (+/- 5-10%) but is not as accurate as a lab test with gas analysis. It works best when you feed it sustained maximal aerobic power (about your 5-minute power or ramp-test peak) rather than a short sprint, and it tends to over-read at very high workloads.
Yes, VO2 max is highly trainable. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and VO2max intervals (Zone 5, 3-8 min efforts) are the most effective methods. Improvements of 10-20% are common for untrained individuals.
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Calculate Training Stress Score from power and duration.
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Last updated: June 2026
All calculations are estimates. Always verify results and consult a professional bike fitter where appropriate.