Two Wheel Blogs

I had a nice long conversation with a teammate earlier this week. We discussed everything power for a while; and then went out for a quick ride. One of the questions he asked me, several of them actually, had to do with determining Functional Threshold Power, FTP. He'd been working out and racing for a long time with a powermeter. He just couldn't discern his FTP from all the data. Not only that, but he'd recently attempted one of those 20 minute all you can do intervals as an FTP test and the results simply couldn't have been right.

I looked at that file and said "This just won't do. Go do a 60 minute interval. Then we'll talk."

There are two big problems I see with a 20 minute FTP test. First, the percentage of your 20 minute power level that is your FTP will vary too much from individual to individual. Second, anyone can game a 20 minute test. (and if you can game it the what percentage should you use?)

Look at it this way. Can you handle a 20 minute test? Sure you can. That's why they're what people want to use as an FTP test. You can see the end from the start. Nothing's over the horizon.

I think the same holds true for a 30 minute test, 40 even. After all 40 is just 2x20 and that's what's for lunch a lot of the time.

But go 50 or more and you're over the horizon. You can't tell at minute 2 how you're going to feel at minute 58. All you know is you have to work hard but not blow up. You have to walk that fine line.

That's what makes the 60 minute TT is the gold standard. It's a venture into the unknown, which if you think about it, is what finding your FTP is all about anyway.

And speaking of finding your FTP. I did one of those 60 minute intervals today. It wasn't a test. I just did it starting out at a decent tempo and let it ramp up naturally. My average power for the hour turned out to be within 2 watts of where my FTP is currently set. Of course this means it's currently set too low. FTP's still on the rise. Good news, and time for a test.