30 min FTP Test

Jon Bergmann

So I did the 30 min all out test yesterday at the Miluakee Bike Expo with other Team-EN folks.  I am planning on using this as my FTP test which is scheduled for tomorrow.  My question is:  How do I figure out my FTP with this test. I don't have WKO and all I have is the data in my garmin which doesn't give me NP or anything.  Previously I have been using a spreadsheet that somebody gave me to plug in my 20-2-20 information.  Any ideas?  Since thiis was only a 30 min test, I am guessing that I should not take my average power to be my FTP.  I defer to you WSM for help here.  Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Al Truscott

When I do my indoor FTP tests, I go al out for 5 min (VO2 Max), spin easy for 10, then sustain max power for 20 minutes. I take 95% of my NP (which is almost the same as Avg Power on a trainer) and use that for my FTP.

Since you didn't do the 5 minute all out priming effort, taking 95% of that 30 minute number ought to be pretty close for you FTP for training purposes. For guiding you on race day, you'll want to do something outdoors, of course.

Wiki: Alternate Means of Determining FTP

Tom Glynn

There are a bunch of ways to estimate your all out one hour of power number. I would just try to be consistent from test to test. Try and use the same venue and same test all the time. The more variables you can maintain consistently, the more accurate the results.

As always. these are estimates; you need to factor in good days and bad.

The Coggan test is a warm up with some spin ups, an all out 5 minutes, rest and then an all out 20 minutes. The FTP estimate is 95% of the 20 minute effort.

So for your test as a 30 minute all out test, (no mention of hard efforts first), a 95% of your result should be pretty good.

If you don't have WKO, just use average power, which displays on the Garmin.

Take your results and set your zones with the data tool. If intervals are too hard, dial down the FT number a bit, too easy, dial it up.

Have fun!

tom

William Jenks

Another cost-free approach to get the NP is to download Golden Cheetah and use it to calculate xPower of the interval and add 2-3 W. (xPower and NP are functionally equivalent but average slightly differently so that NP is almost always a few W higher.)

I don't remember now if a free Training Peaks account will give you NP for a lap or just the NP for the full ride. Sorry about that.

But I agree with the others that ~95% of the 30 min test without the 5 min burst is going to be pretty close.

MattAaronson

TrainingPeaks should be able to give you the NP for the ride. Then it sounds like there's consensus that 95% of that should be good for an FTP. If you can't figure out TrainingPeaks, email me your TCX file and I'll get it for you...takes <2 minutes. Btw generally when I ride on a trainer indoors my NP is 1-2 watts LOWER than the Garmin average power. WKO usually gives me a VI of 0.99. I have no idea how that is, but if you ride really steady you can expect that to happen.