What Is a Good Peloton Output?

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In recent days, indoor cycling with live-streaming and on-demand classes by top-notch experts have become much more popular. Many people prefer cycling with virtual classes these days instead of going to the gym. And whenever we talk about cycling with on-demand classes, one name that comes to most people’s minds is peloton. 

So, if you’re just started using a peloton or thinking about buying a new one, you must be wondering about what is a good peloton output?

Well, the exact output depends on the individual rider’s cadence (number of cycles per minute), resistance (difficulty level you have set), and is measured in watts. The energy or power you will apply will be measured in the peloton’s watts (output). But, in general, 150 – 250 watts is the average output peloton. 

Related: 9 Best Heart Rate Monitor for Peloton Bike of 2022

However, if you want to know more in detail about what is a good peloton score, we’ll inform you about everything related to it in this guide. So, read on to know more.

What Is Good Watt Output for Cycling?

The watt output varies depending on several factors of the rider like age, weight, gender, etc. another factor is FTP, which is your functional threshold power. It implies the maximum average power that a person can hold for 1 continuous hour. 

That means, if you pedal for 60 minutes at an average power of 275W, your FTP will be 275W. However, a typical cyclist may be able to maintain an average power output of  250 to 300 watts for a 20-minute FTP test, where professionals may maintain an average of 400 watts or above.

How The Peloton Bike Calculates Power Output (Watts)?

Peloton bikes come in an attached dyno (dynamometer) to measure torque on a drivetrain. This dyno is used to measure and record your actual power output. The best part is, these output values are stored on the peloton’s sensor control boards so that you can access them during each ride. 

Again, peloton bikes are equipped with hall effect sensors. This sensor helps in measuring flywheel rotational speed and resistance that can capture cadence. In this way, the sensor references the output values on the sensor control board and then communicates them to the HD touchscreen of the Peloton bikes multiple times per second during a ride.

Peloton Output Table

Now that you know how the peloton calculates the power output, it’s time to explore the peloton output chart. This chart will help you to determine the expected output values. Here we’ll share the expected output for cadences 80 and 100. You can check if your peloton bike is within the expected power range or not by matching the following ranges.

ResistanceExpected Output for cadence 80Expected Output for cadence 100
3058-6288-92
3583-85120-125
40111-115160-165
45143-146215-220
50186-190260-265

What Is a Good Peloton Output?

So, what is a good output on peloton? Well, to measure output, the peloton uses watts. Your output will increase with the increasing number of cadence and resistance. As we mentioned above, the average output is around 150 to 250 watts on the peloton also.

With that in mind, the output will vary based on class duration. For example, a 20-minutes ride has a different output than a 75-minute ride.

Apart from that, the average peloton output 20 minutes may crack 250 to 300 watts. Now, you may be wondering, what is a good peloton output for 30 minutes? Well, the average peloton output 30 minutes may lead you to achieve more than 300 to 330 watts. So, what is a good peloton output for 45 minutes? Usually, it may end up around 330-350 output.

Factors Affecting Peloton Output

Apart from the cadence and resistance, the power output of the peloton depends on several personal factors also. So, let’s find out the factors that affect the peloton’s output.

Weight

Weight and power output or watts go hand in hand. But, does your weight affect your output on peloton? Well, yes! The reason behind this is, with the heavier weight you need to generate more power, otherwise, you can’t maintain the cadence and resistance properly. So, when you generate more energy, the peloton creates a higher power output score. 

If your weight is 120 kg and your power output is 160 watts, your power-to-weight ratio will be 1.3. Again, suppose your weight is 50 kg, and your power output is 160 watts, your power-to-weight ratio will be 3.2. This implies that the power weight is actually the amount of energy you produced in relation to body weight. 

Here is a chart that will show you the power-weight ratio using watts/kg

Weight in KG160w190w220w250w280w310w
70 kg2.32.73.13.544.4
80 kg22.32.753.13.53.8
90 kg1.82.12.42.73.13.4
100 kg1.61.92.22.52.83.1
110 kg1.41.722.32.52.8
120 kg1.31.61.822.32.5

Age

While determining the peloton output, age plays a vital role. Almost 66% of people use peloton bikes in the USA are between 25 and 44 years old. However, the output actually varies, as often you may find that a 70 years old user gets better output than a 30 years old user. Or sometimes it may be exactly opposite. 

Here is a peloton output chart by age for you-

Age GroupShare
18-242%
25-3429%
35-4437%
45-5421%
55-649%
65+2%

Power zone

Generally, there are 7 different power zones or exertions on peloton bikes. You need to give a 20-minute test that will track your FTP which is known as Functional Threshold Power, to join the power zone. This way, you can understand which power zone is best suited for you. Here, your cadence will be fixed and you have to reach this specific cadence within 45 minutes.

Final Verdict

We hope now you’ve a complete idea about what is a good peloton output based on. Make sure to focus on your strength, add more intensity over time, take longer rides, be patient and focus on your performance. 

So, start making the most out of your peloton bike. It will definitely give you the best option to exceed your performance and get the most benefit by personalizing the training. Hopefully, you find this guide helpful. Best of luck!

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Hi! My name is Dario Lemut and I am the Founder of Bikepurusits.com. Cycling fanatic with over two decades of experience on all types of terrain. From long-distance races to rugged mountains. Sharing my experiences and knowledge on my popular cycling website, I'm helping fellow riders to discover new routes and adventures.

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