Bike FT Test
Would appreciate any assistance from EN team (specifically vets) - taking test Mon. on Computrainer 1)any recommendation on course? and 2) after 42min. should I just take avg. watts and input into data tool (not sure if can upload file, not sure what CPS is either)? - Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Joe
Joe
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tom
I do my FTP testing on a Computrainer.....I use my rear wheel Powertap also....just to compare...usually about 10w difference.
Here's how I do it:
1. Savethe CT session
2. Go to the Graph section of the workout
3. Drop and Drag the ENTIRE 42 minutes (highlights in blue)
4. While it's highlighted look at the graph section of the 42 minutes
5. It should say 42:00....
5. Look at the NP listed for your new FTP
6. If you slowed over time or increase the NP and AP will be slightly different. Use the NP!
Repost if this isn't what you where looking for
Just go to the Data tool....Open up TESTs
Go to Bike Tests and just fill in the info.
It will record it and also spit out training zones for you based on this number. (Really helpful for the Run because they will say HMP or MP in a workout and once you have put in your 5K result in the Run test section it will automatically calculate your run zones for you)
For the bike the zones aren't as important since RnP will give the % they want you to train at not nec. the zone.
Again if this isn't enough...repost
Hey everybody, Day one and I am already making some mods to the plan so y'all chip in if you don't like it!!
This vid highlights my first mt bike race this Sunday that I am doing in lieu of the bike test! I don't have a PM, so for me it just riding hard for 40' and getting a HR.. so I figger why not do that in a race!! I don't actually know how to ride a mt bike, haven't been on one in about 6 weeks and had only ridden it 10x!! but I am on a team.. bellandcompany.net and they "sponsor" me... and the race is close to where the Razorback game will be played this Saturday and where my son attends college so ?? rules or racing? is it close? is it inexpensive, does it fit in my tng? does it sound like fun? is there food and friends? and the answer is YES! so.. I am doin' it. I took off riding hills in September and October to recover from IT and piriformis per PT orders (and had low iron and thyroid off) and so yeah... the whole thing should be downright hysterical.... but yesterday I rode 48 miles and had energy, and no pains and felt like my old self!! yes.
so for the run test? I will do that tomorrow morning at a local 1 mile track with husband and then noodle on the mt bike afterwards as trails are in same location. We have some glorious weather coming this way this week, in the 60's and sunny and after last week's tornado watches, flooding and storms, I am so looking forward to it. I have given myself permission to pull out of the run test if I feel any pains anywhere.... I tend to ignore such and thus get myself into overtraining injuries!! ha.
I woke up this morning after having had 10 hours racking!! and I feel great! I have my week organized and I have buckets of candy to choose from.. smile. I hope that you also wake up feeling good and excited to be fit and healthy!!!
M, Glad you're in the Nov OS grooop. Need to check in with you on music, fashion tips, what to wear on the trainer, etc. Go HOGS!!!!
I have to do another 2x20 on Thursday to get the levels for my newly arrived powertap, but as I'm going to be doing some sessions at home and some at the gym, I knew I had to get a baseline for both.
Did the 5k run test at a local time trial on Saturday and managed 20:28 so VDOT of 48.7. Looking forward to the WORK!
2) As others have mentioned, NP (normalized power) over the interval is best as FTP as opposed to average power, but NP is a WKO+ term so if you don't have WKO+ you won't be able to calculate it. For a flat course, NP won't be more than a couple watts different than AP so if you don't have WKO+ then I would go ahead an use AP instead (it really won't be much different over a flat computrainer course. NP varies from AP more if you are riding over hills, particularly if you are surging to do so.
A few suggestions:
I think there's a flat 1k loop that you can set to repeat, so you just keep going 'round, and 'round, and 'round until you decide to stop.
When I want flat on the CT, I use the IM Arizona course. While it's not 100% flat, it's close enough, and has always worked great for me.
IM Florida is another option, but if I recall correctly, the CT course is actually less flat than the real deal. (?) I just remember that AZ worked a lot better than FL, so that's what I've used.
In all cases, you'll just save the workout at the end, then open it up in WKO+, find the 42' section, and follow the instructions others have offered.
Fun!
FTP = 301
Down from 312 a few months ago, but to be expected after de-training from Louisville.
Ok, recovery time until Wed.......
Good luck to all..
Just got done.
NP = 217, VI 1.02, TSS 82.1, IF 1.107
Nice bump from the start of the pre-season (196)
At this rate I'll reach my predicted goal by Dec 1.
Anyone explain why there's 2 numbers for the duration?
Int 1: Int 2: 42 min Zone:
20:02 20:03 41:57
317 kj 327 665
TSS 33.3 (0.999) 35.8 (1.034) 70.6 (1.005)
APwr 264 272 264
NPwr 265 274 266
VI 1 1.01 1.01
Pw:HR 3.04 .92% -.45%
Total workout 1:15 @NP 244/AP 229.
I could not figure out how to cut and paste from WKO to here...
Thanks, Dave
42' at NP 248w (3.1w/kg)
9w lower than my PB (not too bad)
Within a few minutes of the 2nd set, I wanted off. Just couldn't do it. Watts were dropping like home values. Maybe I shouldn't have done a long run yesterday, but it was such a nice day. Maybe I shouldn't have killed myself on Friday for 75 miles of power riding with Patrick, but it was an end of season last hurrah.
If there was a way not to go into an FTP test, I did it. But, I hung in there, despite the watts dropping, I summoned the nation, knowing so many others were suffering the same and had already suffered, or would be doing so soon. I limped through the second set and with 2.5 minutes left, I grinded and pushed to the point where I thought I was going to pass out. I finished strong, now I just need to learn to do that through the whole set.
I have my outside FTP set at 330, hence the .9 IF. Gotta adjust WKO for my indoor FTP.
Selection:
Duration: 42:00
Work: 736 kJ
TSS: 57.7 (intensity factor 0.908)
Norm Power: 300
VI: 1.03
Pw:HR: n/a
Pa:HR: n/a
Distance: 15.403 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 435 292 watts
Cadence: 35 123 85 rpm
Speed: 5.8 26.1 22.0 mph
Pace 2:18 10:23 2:44 min/mi
Crank Torque: 16 463 289 lb-in
Okay to ask questions! That is what forum is for.
Avg power over the 42 minutes on the computrainer will be a very good estimate of FTP. Technically, Rich and Patrik prefer the "Normalized Power" over 42 minutes rather than average power. Normalized power is a measurement that WKO+ (formerly known as Cycling Peaks and available as a download through Rich and Training Peaks online) will calculate for you over a given interval. The NP will be slightly higher than AP and is essentially a measurement which takes into account the fatigue generated by power surges. It is an estimate of how tired you made your body over a given interval relative to power expended. Basically if you rode a perfectly flat course and generated exactly the same wattage consistently over the interval then AP and NP would be exactly the same. If instead you rode the same interval but did it as 30/30's alternating a power spike with recovery then the NP for that ride would be higher than the steady state ride, even if the AP was the same for both rides. In essence you worked harder to generate the same average power on the 30/30 ride vs the steady state ride.
On the FTP test, WKO+ calculations for NP for my interval are usually 2-4 watts higher than the avg Power. Yesterday my avg power was 218 watts over 42 minutes and WKO+ calculated my normalized power over that interval as 221 watts. While I'm using 221 as my FTP, I doubt that there would be much functional difference if I were using 218 instead.
It is all about pacing right to get the closest accurate FTP. If a persons 1st interval was way off from 2nd or visversa then it will wack out the Pnorm a little. The closer you can get to testing out even splints between intervals the more accurate of a true FTP test you will have. So all the those peeps who had perty close watts on both intervals I'd say are very close to the right FTP results. That being said it is not as easy said as done but the more experience and time doing the intervals in workouts you'll know how to pace better and better. I do like to make sure I have enough in the tank left for the 2nd interval and negative split so-to-speak but I think with your results you left a little too much by having that big of a difference in sets. Mine were 259 1st, and 261 2nd, so not much difference but a 9 or 10 watt difference is a little too much effort I think and then your true FTP may be a little higher than your results show if you would have evenly paced it. After the next few weeks of doing more workouts you and all of us will get better and better at pacing and come out of the OS with perfect pacing and true FTP's