Great question. I wondered that too. For me, it does matter. The first time I did a FTP test, I did it on the HOODS on the computrainer but found I could not sustain 0.7 IF on the road during my rehearsals--which I rode in the aero position. A few weeks later, I repeated the test on the computrainer in the AERO position and found my FTP to be lower. (Very bummed, but it was reality.) But I was able to sustain 0.7 IF of that FTP while aero on the road. (And more importantly, I maintained that FTP during IMAZ and ran the entire marathon for a PR.) I have also found that my computrainer aero FTP is lower than my road aero FTP. But others have written on the forums that their indoor FTP is higher than their road. So indoor v. outdoor and aero v. hoods make a difference in my results. But I had to test each combination to find that out. Good luck at IMCDA.
If I recall Doug you are training for IMCDA which must be about 6 weeks out. I would suggest doing the test outdoors even if it means moving it to next week since most people find their indoor/outdoor results can vary a lot. Just my two cents. For the Out Season I test however I think I'm going to generate the most power, hoods, tri-bars, standing up. But in season I test down on the aero bars figuring that is where I will spend 95% of my time during the ironman.
Once race preparation starts, you should test on your TT bike if you are going to use it in a race. Also you should do the test outside, down in the bars as you will want to be in the race.
So in summary, most peeps FTP changes based on rodie vs TT bike, hoods vs down on the bars, and inside vs outside. So testing should be in the circumstances that you are going to race in.
Thx all. I have zero time to ride but very early AM any week day this week or next, just slammed. Unless I do it prior to/instead of a long weekend ride, has to be on trainer. So, I will plan to do it in aero on trainer and go with that for now, understand there is a possibility my outside FTP may be a bit higher.
Good question. I've asked same before (can't find the thread now though). IIRC, the consensus was that most folks test in whatever position they can to get the highest FTP. Then test the 0.8-0.85 (HIM) or 0.7-0.75 (IM) efforts in race rehearsal rides/long rides to make sure that's right for you.
My experience is a little different from Bob's (below). While I definitely will test higher sitting up, I can still hold 0.8 or 0.7 in the aero position based off of that non-aero test (hope that made sense). I think the blood flow issue is just not as critical at an "easier" effort and so I can ride at 80% of a sitting up FTP test watts for 3hrs in the aero position.....but I could not do a 1hr TT in aero position at 100% of my sitting up watts. I know some folks do their tests in the aero position though, to be able to compare apples to apples. For me, I haven't found that to be a big issue.
I do have a different FTP outdoors vs. indoors, although the gap seems to be closing as I do more trainer workouts over time. Typically about a 10W difference (outside higher). I think if I had a hill that would take 20mins or more to climb that I could probably eek out a few more watts....but, alas...the hill country of south Texas has only hills...no mountains!
Leading into a race, I believe that it is important to test the way that you are going to ride the race... this means out doors in the TT bars.
FTP difference Indoors vs Outdoors is a recurrent topic here in the forums. The posts, as well as my personal experience, suggest that indoors vs outdoors, sitting vs hoods vs TT bars will impact your numbers. While you are training - test the way that you train. When you are going into a race, test the way you will race.
You are going to base the bike portion of your race execution plan on your final test numbers - you need those numbers to represent what you can expect to do in the race.
Comments
The first time I did a FTP test, I did it on the HOODS on the computrainer but found I could not sustain 0.7 IF on the road during my rehearsals--which I rode in the aero position. A few weeks later, I repeated the test on the computrainer in the AERO position and found my FTP to be lower. (Very bummed, but it was reality.) But I was able to sustain 0.7 IF of that FTP while aero on the road. (And more importantly, I maintained that FTP during IMAZ and ran the entire marathon for a PR.) I have also found that my computrainer aero FTP is lower than my road aero FTP. But others have written on the forums that their indoor FTP is higher than their road.
So indoor v. outdoor and aero v. hoods make a difference in my results. But I had to test each combination to find that out. Good luck at IMCDA.
Also you should do the test outside, down in the bars as you will want to be in the race.
So in summary, most peeps FTP changes based on rodie vs TT bike, hoods vs down on the bars, and inside vs outside. So testing should be in the circumstances that you are going to race in.
DS
Good question. I've asked same before (can't find the thread now though). IIRC, the consensus was that most folks test in whatever position they can to get the highest FTP. Then test the 0.8-0.85 (HIM) or 0.7-0.75 (IM) efforts in race rehearsal rides/long rides to make sure that's right for you.
My experience is a little different from Bob's (below). While I definitely will test higher sitting up, I can still hold 0.8 or 0.7 in the aero position based off of that non-aero test (hope that made sense). I think the blood flow issue is just not as critical at an "easier" effort and so I can ride at 80% of a sitting up FTP test watts for 3hrs in the aero position.....but I could not do a 1hr TT in aero position at 100% of my sitting up watts. I know some folks do their tests in the aero position though, to be able to compare apples to apples. For me, I haven't found that to be a big issue.
I do have a different FTP outdoors vs. indoors, although the gap seems to be closing as I do more trainer workouts over time. Typically about a 10W difference (outside higher). I think if I had a hill that would take 20mins or more to climb that I could probably eek out a few more watts....but, alas...the hill country of south Texas has only hills...no mountains!
Just my $0.02.
5 min test: ave power 319 @ 92 cad @ ave HR 168 (max HR 180)
20 min test: ave power 280 @ 85 cad @ ave HR 172 (max HR 182)
EN calculator FTP: 266
VO2/FTP ratio: 1.19 (not sure what this is means)
FTP/Kg: 3.09
So, will assume my outdoor FTP is somewhere between 266-292 (quite a range!).
Thanks everybody for the advice.
DS
Leading into a race, I believe that it is important to test the way that you are going to ride the race... this means out doors in the TT bars.
FTP difference Indoors vs Outdoors is a recurrent topic here in the forums. The posts, as well as my personal experience, suggest that indoors vs outdoors, sitting vs hoods vs TT bars will impact your numbers. While you are training - test the way that you train. When you are going into a race, test the way you will race.
You are going to base the bike portion of your race execution plan on your final test numbers - you need those numbers to represent what you can expect to do in the race.