VAM Climbing Speed Calculator
Vertical metres climbed per hour
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minutes spent climbing, e.g. 30
VAM Climbing Speed Calculator
VAM is how cyclists compare climbing strength regardless of distance or speed — it counts only how fast you gain height. Enter the elevation you climbed and how long it took, and this calculator returns your VAM in metres per hour plus how long 1000 m of vertical would take at that rate. Use it to track climbing form, compare efforts on different climbs, and set targets for your next big ascent.
VAM (Velocità Ascensionale Media) is the vertical metres you climb per hour — the cleanest single measure of climbing performance in cycling, popularised on the great Tour and Giro climbs. Recreational climbers manage roughly 700–1000 m/h, strong amateurs 1100–1400, and elite pros over 1600 m/h on steep gradients. It rises with gradient at the same effort, so compare VAM on similar climbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is VAM in cycling?
- VAM (velocità ascensionale media) is your average climbing speed measured in vertical metres gained per hour. It's a clean way to compare climbing efforts across different gradients and climbs, independent of horizontal distance or road speed.
- How is VAM calculated?
- Divide the elevation gained in metres by the climbing time in hours. Climbing 600 m in 30 minutes equals a VAM of 1,200 m/h. Enter your elevation and time and the tool returns VAM plus the minutes needed per 1,000 m of climbing.
- What is a good VAM?
- Recreational climbers often produce roughly 600–900 m/h, strong amateurs 1,000–1,400 m/h, and professional climbers on steep gradients can exceed 1,600–1,800 m/h. VAM rises on steeper slopes, so always compare efforts on similar gradients.