To you power gurus:
Is there any FTP estimating value in an FTP test if one goes out way to easy?
20 minute power test on trainer road. (KK RockRoll + Quarq Elsa)
No power test since the spring - was coming off an injury and off season. FTP then low 200s
Yesterday, I went out too easy, built through the interval and resulted with estimated FTP at 324.
I would have believed 250-280 but 324 seems high. (Raced HIM @ 180 earlier this year)
Turns out I went out way too easy and so power built significantly through the interval. (i realize these are not impressive numbers)
first 5 min ~280watts,
next 10 min ~340watts
last 5 min - ~380+
last 2 min 400-600 (had gas left in the tank)
Yes it’s possible the numbers are off and PM needs calibration.
So my question is, assuming I did everything else correctly (warm up, calibration, etc), is a power test remotely accurate if the power profile is not sort of flat?
Do I need to re do it and produce a flatter power profile to get an accurate FTP estimate or is this in the ball park and just test again in 4-6 weeks.
Regardless of calibration issues or whatever, you wont lose out on anything by assuming an FTP of 324. If its 328 or 332 or something else it wont change the training. Now you know for next time
how do you o from low 200’s to 320 after injury and off season. very curious to hear your training. Was it higher before injury and then lowered to 200 and therefore easier to bring it back up to 320? I’m currently 240w 129lbs.
how do you o from low 200’s to 320 after injury and off season. very curious to hear your training. Was it higher before injury and then lowered to 200 and therefore easier to bring it back up to 320? I’m currently 240w 129lbs.
Low 200s was coming off injury + off season back in March/April. Last test was yesterday, after a full season. Full disclosure - the Giants were losing - and that may or may not have been motivational. (NE fan).
either i screwed up last time, or I screwed up this time, or the non-flat power is causing an overestimate. Either way, something’s off- hence looking for advice.
For what it’s worth I spent August and September mostly on a MTB and hills are now definitely easier now than earlier in the season. But I’m still pleasantly plump so even if FTP is really 320, it doesn’t change my Vermont50 time of just over 6 hours.
Those numbers seem off. It’s one thing to go out a little too easy and hit it hard at the end, but 100 watts higher? You’d know in the first 5 minutes if you were going that easy. That’s 200 watts above your half ironman power.
100? he was almost double for last 2 min what 1st 5 were(280 vs 400-600).
I’d check the slope calibration on the quarq with a known weight. plus you ought to check zero offset before start and after conclusion to be sure nothing funky going on there as well.
post the data file and more insight might be gained on any sources of error in PM if there are any
First, what was your average power during this 20 mintute test (not normalized)? Second, does the trainerroad 20 minute test have you do an all out 5 minute test before the 20 minute test? If it does not, I would be very wary of that 20 minute number, especially if you were above 400 watts for the final 2 minutes.
Third, does power come from your Elsa? Or is trainer road using your KK RockRoll? What were the zero offset numbers of the quarq before the test and after the test?
To answer the general question, the variable power would make your test less accurate and would most likely underestimate your power.
To you power gurus:
Is there any FTP estimating value in an FTP test if one goes out way to easy?
20 minute power test on trainer road. (KK RockRoll + Quarq Elsa)
No power test since the spring - was coming off an injury and off season. FTP then low 200s
Yesterday, I went out too easy, built through the interval and resulted with estimated FTP at 324.
I would have believed 250-280 but 324 seems high. (Raced HIM @ 180 earlier this year)
Turns out I went out way too easy and so power built significantly through the interval. (i realize these are not impressive numbers)
first 5 min ~280watts,
next 10 min ~340watts
last 5 min - ~380+
last 2 min 400-600 (had gas left in the tank)
Yes it’s possible the numbers are off and PM needs calibration.
So my question is, assuming I did everything else correctly (warm up, calibration, etc), is a power test remotely accurate if the power profile is not sort of flat?
Do I need to re do it and produce a flatter power profile to get an accurate FTP estimate or is this in the ball park and just test again in 4-6 weeks.
thanks.
How does somebody with a 320 watt FTP (meaning you ride a lot) have no clue how to pace themselves for 20 minutes? I’m impressed.
To you power gurus:
Is there any FTP estimating value in an FTP test if one goes out way to easy?
20 minute power test on trainer road. (KK RockRoll + Quarq Elsa)
No power test since the spring - was coming off an injury and off season. FTP then low 200s
Yesterday, I went out too easy, built through the interval and resulted with estimated FTP at 324.
I would have believed 250-280 but 324 seems high. (Raced HIM @ 180 earlier this year)
Turns out I went out way too easy and so power built significantly through the interval. (i realize these are not impressive numbers)
first 5 min ~280watts,
next 10 min ~340watts
last 5 min - ~380+
last 2 min 400-600 (had gas left in the tank)
Yes it’s possible the numbers are off and PM needs calibration.
So my question is, assuming I did everything else correctly (warm up, calibration, etc), is a power test remotely accurate if the power profile is not sort of flat?
Do I need to re do it and produce a flatter power profile to get an accurate FTP estimate or is this in the ball park and just test again in 4-6 weeks.
thanks.
How does somebody with a 320 watt FTP (meaning you ride a lot) have no clue how to pace themselves for 20 minutes? I’m impressed.
If you were able to hold 380 watts over the last 5 minutes and even increase the wattage well over 400 watts over the last 2 minutes I reckon your FTP is possibly as high as 360 watts. Or, the power meter is well out.
So 180 watts would then only be 50% of FTP, so I’m afraid the power meter is probably wrong, unless you feel 180 watts is about half the power you could hold for an hour in an all out test.
I dont have an answer, but im interested to know if the power values need to be flat (VI?) for an FTP test to have value…ragrdless of the numbers, that is what OP is asking
.
First, what was your average power during this 20 mintute test (not normalized)? Second, does the trainerroad 20 minute test have you do an all out 5 minute test before the 20 minute test? If it does not, I would be very wary of that 20 minute number, especially if you were above 400 watts for the final 2 minutes.
Third, does power come from your Elsa? Or is trainer road using your KK RockRoll? What were the zero offset numbers of the quarq before the test and after the test?
To answer the general question, the variable power would make your test less accurate and would most likely underestimate your power.
Started to retest: re-zeroed the Elsa and ran Trainer road along side Garmin 800
Warmup: power on garmin was 100-120 vs ~150-180 on Trainer road…
ID-10T error(s)….
When I upgraded to new version/laptop of trainer road two things happened:
1) power was defaulted to “virtual” – trainer road formula for KK, not from the Quarq.
unchecked the box and number matched.
2) Wrong trainer was defaulted (not the KK) - explained the difference between Garmin and Trainer road displays.
Fixed #2 and number were very similar.
It’s a warm night in Nov- riding tonight (plenty of time for trainer rides this winter).
I’ll prob redo the test tomorrow or Friday with Elsa vs Trainer road calculated power and compare output.
Expecting something like 260-280.
Thanks…and now let the standard ST tongue-lashing begin.
Why even bother with the virtual power number from TR? You have the Quark which is more accurate + allows you to compare power numbers from the trainer w/ numbers from your outdoor rides, races, etc.