Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Estimating FTP from training ride
Quote | Reply
Just started riding with a Quarq and while I should probably ignore the data other than for casual reference at this point who can really do that?

Went out to ride a couple hill repeats today and as it happens they take me about 20 mins. There was about a 25 min warm up with the occasional hard short effort to get there and the two climbs came in at:

#1: 21:13 mins | 13.4 mph | 160 bpm | 216 watts | 88 rpm
#2: 21:35 mins | 13.2 mph | 160 bpm | 209 watts | 88 rpm

I only have three rides in there (totalling about 7 hours of riding) but Golden Cheetah seems to think my CP number is 250 (which I thought was high). However, if I touch the graph where the 20m mark is the value there is 180 watts, and at the 1hr mark it goes down to 170 watts.

If you asked if I could have gone faster with a gun to my head perhaps but I think they represented pretty maximal efforts. Can I assume from these that my FTP number (which I want simply to set training zones for indoor workouts this fall/winter) is somewhere in the 200 watt range at this point? Aside from having the power output of a cocker spaniel (compared to most public ST numbers) is my logic here sound?

Can someone help me make sense of these (admittedly limited) numbers?
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [TheRhino] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
200 sounds about right. But you really should do a "formal" FTP test to get your numbers. Ride all out for 1 hour, or follow the 20-minute testing protocol from the Allen/Coggen book.

Also, read this if you haven't already:
http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/...ven-deadly-sins.html
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [TheRhino] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
your ftp is *around* 200 watts

at least uphill =)

thats good enough for now. do some more structured tests later and see what you get.



Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [TheRhino] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
if you were in a road position, id say 210-212 watts.
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [jackmott] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Thanks for the replies guys... at risk of asking a dumb question, why does the gradient matter when discussing power? I can see how wind, grade, etc. would affect your speed, but isn't power isolated? You put out the watts and then based on conditions you arrive at your speed? Why would an uphill test differ from a flat test? Mental/motivation issues?
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [TheRhino] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
200-210 watts. Pick 200 or 210 and start training. If your choice was too high or low, it will quickly become apparent from your workouts.
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [TheRhino] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
FWIW and in the interest of documenting for future searchers of "estimating FTP" on here...

I went out today and took another crack at this... this time with a focus on ensuring my power didn't drop too far on the flatter parts (no active recovery for you!) and tried to reign it in more on the steeper parts. Lo and behold:

#1: 21:08 mins | 13.4 mph | 168 bpm | 249 watts | 90 rpm
#2: 22:00 mins | 12.8 mph | 169 bpm | 228 watts | 89 rpm

No tailwind today so times are similar but definite increase in HR and wattage.

I guess part of this is making sure you are actually working as hard as possible... clearly I didn't push hard enough the first day (and cracked myself a bit on the first ride up today).

I can see how doing this testing on a trainer is a lot easier.
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [TheRhino] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Another truism is that the more you test, the better you get at testing (pacing during the test). Pacing proficiency can be reason enough to test regularly.
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [JollyRogers] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Agreed. I failed my first handful of FTP tests. I kept going out too hard and blowing up. IIRC, my first successful 20 mins was 186 NP.
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [TheRhino] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
TheRhino wrote:
I can see how doing this testing on a trainer is a lot easier.

easier != better

It would be easy to not do the test :)

How is your gearing? I would try maybe one bigger gear to give you a cadence of 80-85 and see if you can hold 250 for both.

Ride Scoozy Electric Bicycles
http://www.RideScoozy.com
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [msuguy512] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
You can use your data and reduce it as in Coggan's "Training with Power"

Quick blub here: http://cycnut.com/...x-estimation-of-ftp/

Tom
http://cycnut.com

First rule of Zombieland: Cardio.
Quote Reply
Re: Estimating FTP from training ride [msuguy512] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I was meaning more along the lines of 'easier to keep inputs consistent' as opposed to the constantly changing grade on the road but I hear ya.

By 'bigger gear' what do you mean? I can never get those two straight. Running a 12-28 on the back (compact front) and using the 28 on the steep parts. The dip in the 2nd was def from the flatter parts of the climb (mid cassette) when I couldn't motivate myself to push harder.

The 2nd climb was interesting... I think my max power was similar on both (steepest parts) but I could tell in the moment that on the flatter parts I was struggling to keep the minimum wattage up. That's when I had a pretty good idea that I had gone a lot higher on the first climb than the initial test. I could literally feel 'the wall' there.
Quote Reply