FTP Test?

Peter Stiff

Hi,

I want to get a wheel built with a powertap installed onto it, With a Garmin Edge to record the data.

I have a full back route that I do when ever I can, which is one of the following links

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/73977495

or

http://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/RP5Z6J3 ... 5PH6MARNRI

Would this route be a good for calulating my FTP?

Regards,

P_Tucker

A good test route is one where there are no junctions, tight corners or anything else that might cause you do do anything other than pedal as fast as you can. Does this fit the bill?

Peter Stiff

Hi,

Thanks for the quick response.

No it doesnt really, If i do it early enough I miss loads of traffic, But then there is junctions and traffic signals to adhere to.

The route is the almost the same out as back.

Bronzie

Traffic lights are a definite no-no.............you want to be able to maintain a steady effort throughout as far as practical.

Anonymous

I personally do my FTP testing on the turbo due to problems with junctions and slight downhills etc.

Any shorter tests (10 mins and below) I occasionally do on the road though.

Bronzie

Only problem with that is that depending on the model of turbo and how well adapted you are to pedalling the low-inertia setup of a turbo, you may just be determining your "turbo FTP" rather than your "road FTP". Your "turbo FTP" might therefore only be suitable for setting training levels on the turbo.

Mine don't seem to be too far apart but others report 10-15% discrepancy.

Anonymous

Aware of that, but using the turbo more frequently reduces the gap between road and turbo. My turbo power is only about 3% off...

SBezza

Not done a full hour FTP test on the turbo, but my 20 min power on the turbo is almost identical to 20 min power from a race, so pretty confident mine are very close, and to be honest I think most peoples will be very close, or close enough to base training on.

For a full hour test, I think unless you are really motivated for it, anything less than race figures will be sub optimal, whether it be on the road or the turbo. Anything outside of a race I just wouldn't be able to get motivated to do a full on test.

Peter Stiff

I do have a Wattbike for indoor use.

I have never tried to find my FTP indoors.

The biggest problem on the indoor bike for me is keeping motivated, but while out on the road alone do try very hard to keep in TT mode

I was hoping the indoor trainer and road bike efforts were going to be comparable,I take it is not so?

SBezza

It depends on how accurate the Watt bike is, and I have heard conflicting reports. One thing though is position, unless you can get exactly the same position on the Watt bike as compared to your road bike, you might find that you have differing power outputs.

If you want to do a FTP test on the road, find a local TT or RR circuit and go hard around this for an hour.

Bronzie

Peter Stiff wrote:

I was hoping the indoor trainer and road bike efforts were going to be comparable,I take it is not so?

Some find it hard to produce as much power indoors as they do on the road, for others (including myself) there's not much in it.

There's a number of reasons for this which are examined in detail here:
http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/2009/01/ ... ining.html

At least with the Watt bike you have a pretty realistic road feel due to the flywheel / fan so your indoor/outdoor power may well be pretty comparable.

SteveR_100Milers

The turbo you use can have a dramatic effect - I have just got a Tacx flow and its much more road like than the cycleops fluid 2 it has replaces, yet the flywheel doesn't look any more massive, but a lot of that deadspot has gone. I have always struggled to get my effort level on the turbo close to road, not so any more.

Peter Stiff

Thanks for the time guys this is quite something to take on by yourself and to get right and probably where a coach comes into their own just don’t fill I have the expendable income to afford such a luxury.

I am only training for fitness and not for racing, 46 years old and dodgy knees dont help.

Looking to just make the most of the time I am out alone on the bike to be its most efficient, probably more so using the trainer indoors.
Reading on all the links provided I will try and do an FTP for both the trainer and road bike separately.

I have found that I can now get the power measurements from the WattBike into WKO+ and have looked back at a few older ones can see my power is all over the place. :?

When I get a Powertap sorted I will try and find a route where I can give an all out and try and get my head around training with power.

I take it that 200W average over an hour on trainer may be easier, equal or harder than on the road bike? And that it’s measuring my output but not my effort? And this is why the FTP test is required?

You would think being an electrician would help me with theses power issues. Mind you I still think Ohms law is at 2:30.

Bronzie

Peter Stiff wrote:

And that it’s measuring my output but not my effort?

Not quite sure what you mean, but 200W for one rider could be very easy indeed (recovery zone) when for another it is a really hard effort. Relating your output to your FTP makes more sense as the duration you can sustain any level of power output is very well linked to the power you can sustain at threshold.

Peter Stiff wrote:

And this is why the FTP test is required?

FTP is just a handy reference point from which to set your training zones and give you feedback as to your current level of fitness. It's a relatively easy thing to ascertain.........just ride as hard as you can for around an hour (or use one of the other recognised testing protocols if you prefer, as long as you always use the same method to estimate your current FTP).