First FTP Test
October OS group - have you performed your initial FTP test for this season?
First test for me went as follows
Time Trial:
Duration: 42:16
Work: 454 kJ
TSS: 70.3 (intensity factor 0.999)
Norm Power: 181 (PT) ~ 198 (CT)*
VI: 1.01
Distance: 14.807 mi
Seems that my CT and PT don't agree on the wattage therefore I will use my PT and use the lower number. I put my estimated FTP into WKO+ and turns out I 1as only 1 watt off! That's pretty close, perhaps I should call vegas with guesses like this.
Now that my legs are fried I am intersted in hearing from everyone else regarding the first test of the out season!
Steve
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Just finished it this evening. I now remember how much I love doing these tests. Hopped on the bike and compudrainer. Ten minutes in I was thinking, fun again, 15 minutes and I wasn't sure I would pull off the second interval. The first 10 minutes of the second interval was pain, then zoned out a bit for about five then the last 5 was just working it to the last two to pick up the pace progressively.
Norm Power (quarq): 240
Avg HR: 165
Max HR: 174
Legs are feeling it a bit, may have been able to put a little more out on the bike, but been off of it outside of a little mountain biking for the last few weeks.
Pat
Posted test results else where, but off to a 283 FT start.
Having fun!
Did my test last night - 1st OutSeason with power & only the 2nd ride I've done with the PowerTap so still learning. Overall I thought the test went well with the last 5 minutes being the peak watts.
Duration: 42:01

Work: 645 kJ
TSS: 71.4 (intensity factor 1.01)
Norm Power: 260
VI: 1.02
Looks like a huge spike in the last five minutes. I think you left a little work on the table! Great work.
I was actually putting together a post about that spike but I'll just put my thoughts here. The spike at the end was from shifting gears - my cadence was bumping up against 95+ RPM in the current gear so I shifted and got the RPM back down in a range I could handle (85ish) for the last 5 minutes. I was sorta in between comfort zones cadence wise. NO WAY i could have held the last 5 minute effort much longer.
I find on the trainer that anything less than low 80s in cadence really feels like grinding so I wouldn't have wanted to try and ride the whole test in the other gear. I tend to average 90's in cadence on the road - so I was keeping the same sorta cadence on the trainer.
Should I have tried to do more of the test in other gear? Would mean lower cadence for the whole test which I don't like but maybe I need to try it..
Peak 5min (289 watts):
Duration: 5:00
Work: 86 kJ
TSS: 10.4 (intensity factor 1.115)
Norm Power: 288
VI: 1
Min Max Avg
Power: 231 334 289 watts
Heart Rate: 181 187 185 bpm
Cadence: 83 95 86 rpm
Speed: 21.3 23.6 22.8 mph
Pace 2:32 2:49 2:38 min/mi
Crank Torque: 212 326 284 lb-in
Rick, do what you gotta do, cadence-wise to get the watts...within reason, ie, we don't want to see 55rpm or something crazy. But, when in doubt in the OS, push the watts!!!
First test is done:
Duration- 42:28
NP 243
Av. Hr 269
av. cadence 92
How do you put our WKO file in the body?
I do not have the WKO software yet, but I used my computrainer to test on. Used NZ course starting at mile 18, extremely flat.
First 20 minutes Avg watts 232
Second 20 minutes Avg watts of 222
I just averaged them together to estimate FTP at 227.
I did not have any huge spikes, but there was some time spent around 240ish
Would the WKO software give me different results?
Here it is. Fist test for me with a power meter. I feel like I did okay, paced pretty evenly. Only a couple big spikes on hills. Did the test outside since I don't feel like I'm willing to push quite as hard on the trainer. I actually did the test a couple weeks ago and have gotten up to week 3. I can maintain the zones on the trainer. It's fun, but pretty brutal. It's still in the garage, so uber-boring. Wife gave me permission to move into the office this week, though. Yeah! And, I'm still trying to learn WKO so I can make the most out of these files and have a great 2nd test just based on improved knowledge. My new goal is to get over FTP over 260.
Duration: 42:03
Work: 579 kJ
TSS: 69.9 (intensity factor 0.999)
Norm Power: 233
VI: 1.01
Pw:HR: 1.37%
Pa:HR: 5.57%
Distance: 15.767 mi
Elevation Gain: 10 ft
Elevation Loss: 30 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-20 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 383 230 watts
Heart Rate: 119 170 158 bpm
Cadence: 33 102 93 rpm
Speed: 9.3 25.4 22.5 mph
Pace 2:22 6:29 2:40 min/mi
Altitude: 17 51 37 ft
Crank Torque: 0 450 209 lb-in
Rick - How did you get the WKO graph into your post? I've seen a couple things in my workouts that I'd like to ask about, and that seems like the most efficient way to show pepople what I'm asking about.