VAM Calculator
Vertical Ascent Meters
Measure your climbing speed in Vm/h — a metric that normalises performance across different gradients.
What is VAM?
VAM stands for Velocità Ascensionale Media (Average Ascent Speed), popularised by Italian doctor Michele Ferrari. It expresses climbing ability as vertical meters per hour, regardless of gradient.
Performance Levels
< 600 Vm/h
Casual touring pace
600–900 Vm/h
Good amateur club rider
900–1200 Vm/h
Very strong competitive amateur (Cat 1/2)
1200–1500 Vm/h
Professional domestic level
1500+ Vm/h
World Tour GC contender (on steep climbs)
Power Estimation
For steep climbs (avg gradient > 7%), you can estimate relative power from VAM:
W/kg ≈ VAM / (gradient factor × 100)
Common approximation: VAM / 200 or VAM / 220 depending on steepness.