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.

What is a good VO2 max for cycling?

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).

Which formula does this use?

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.

How accurate is this estimate?

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.

Can I improve my VO2 max?

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.

BikeCalcs

VO2 Max Calculator — Estimate from Cycling Power

Estimate your VO2 max from maximum power output on a bike.

Maximum Power Output

Sustained ~5-min maximal power (MAP) or ramp-test peak — not a 5-sec or 1-min sprint

Body Weight

Your body weight, in kg or lb

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

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Last updated: 2025-02-20

All calculations are estimates. Always verify results and consult a professional bike fitter where appropriate.