Originally Posted by
unterhausen
4 watts/kg is a pretty good number and seems doable for most people that aren't old. So weigh yourself, do an FTP test and see where you fit relative to that metric. If you're old, you might be able to get there by losing weight.
I hate to ruin the thread by giving a sincere answer.
Other things being equal, as in all highly trained athletes being compared, power requirements for cycling scale more closely with mass than max watts/kg.
So achieving 4 watts/kg indicates greater relative fitness for endurance work for heavier athletes than it does for lighter athletes. To get a rough idea of the variation, scale max watts/kg to a power of .67 and power requirements at a power of 0.77.
At 58 and weighing 80kg, I’m good with 3.5. That lets me do my silly SS riding with abandon and always make it home smiling. If I start to approach 4, so much the better.
Otto