Come celebrate the Crank & Sprints Birthday Ride on 29th December 2024 at 3 PM GMT as we conquer the Mega Pretzel! 🚴♂ With 10 free giveaways up for grabs, it’s the perfect chance to ride and have fun! Don’t miss out-join here: www.zwift.com/uk/events/view/4642405 Let’s make it an epic day 💥💥
These are the results vs my previous test ( April/March and May, one each) 20mins 234w vs 239w Ramp(Lab) 350w vs 360w (at peak) Grade 253w vs 261w So I actually perform overall better but interestingly even more better on day 2 and 3 of the row
My favorite is the ramp test. The other two require you to know your ftp in advance in order to get an accurate result. If you already know your ftp, there is no reason to test.
I would say so for the grade. The 20mins test is really useful if you just started or maybe if you come back after a stop/injury. I like the ramp, but is really the one that smashed the body the most 😁
Disagree that you must know your FTP in advance. Yes, you're going to have some idea about the range unless it's your first one but if you pace yourself properly you can surprise yourself. It's about going to exhaustion within the allotted time/distance, not hitting a specific target. I recently did one and exceeded my expectations by 25watts simply because I was focused on pacing for distance (10mi TT) vs hitting a pre-determined power target. I was aware of my power the entire time, of course, but that actually helped. When I realized I as holding a higher than anticipated power at an RPE I felt I could maintain for 10mi that spurred me on. Rolled across the finish line with absolutely nothing left in the tank and a significantly higher than expected result. Ramp test is definitely useful as well but they measure slightly different types of response.
The ramp test eliminates pacing. It just keeps getting harder until you crack. I did a ramp test and got my best results. A couple weeks after that I did a TT and held just a few watts under my Ramp FTP for about 30 minutes. There was no way I could have held that pace for an hour. So for me, the Ramp test overstates my FTP. If I use my Ramp FTP to do structured training I fail to complete the workouts.
For me the ramp test also gave a big overestimation around 40W. I guess it can be accurate if your muscle power and aerobic state is at similar level. In my case aerobic performance is at lower level. That is why I think that the ramp test can be accurate, but at the same time can be very inacurate and depends in physical conditions.
I agree that can vary based on physical conditions in my case the max variations is 20/25watts which is only 1minute. Makes sense, sometimes I've been able to hold a minute more
Most accurate test imho is 5min all out, 10 min rest, 20min all out then apply Monod Scherrer formula and use CP as FTP. Contrary to all other tests it takes individual fatigue factor into account. BUT - FTP is usually different indoor / outdoor / flat / uphill. So you can't test one and use the value in other circumstances.
I'll have a check at the Scherrer Formula. Agree on the different tests, I tried to do it on the flats to give myself a bit more of a challenge in this case 💪
more proof that FTP tests in general are flawed. somewhat useful for training zones but nearly worthless as an estimator of 1 hour power. If you want to know your one hour power max pretty much have to do one. My best way of short cutting doing a full one hour power test is to do a 20 minute test but instead of using .95 as the multiplier i use .9 or .88 which gets me close. The 1 minute ramp tests are a total joke and the grade is also a complete joke. Very good workout but as an FTP test its laughable.
The Ramp is a good training for the all out push, that is part of a balanced FTP, being able to maintain that power for long time. One hour is difficult, usually the IRL power in race gave me good standards and a clear idea about it and about the current form. It's just not a steady pace. Good idea for the .9 and .88 I'll test a similar one in the coming weeks, another type of FTP that other platform have and not zwift
FTP is a measure of power over 1 hour. I have tried these FTP tests and they all gave quite low numbers because they apply a factor assuming your power will decay at that rate. However, when I did a sustained 1 hr effort up Alpe du Zwift, my FTP increased by nearly 30 W. So clearly I am better at holding power for longer than the FTP tests assume. A sustained 1 hr effort is the most accurate way of getting FTP, by definition.
ADZ or 1hr mountain in general probably is the highest sustained effort you can get, I did my highest on Achertban. Did you reach similar numbers for 1 hour in other races/fast group rides on Zwift?
@@crankandsprints I've only been on Zwift a couple weeks so haven't done much in terms of races / group rides. Might also explain why my FTP hasn't settled yet but I've got a fair amount of endurance from bikepacking so a 1 hr effort is quite manageable.
@scareneb oh I understand, the more you Zwift the more it will increase, especially in racing on Zwift the FTP will raise and the body pushed to the limit! Ride on🙌
FTP is not the power you can hold for an hour tho, it’s just the simple way to explain it. Everyone can hold their ftp for different durations, some less than an hour and some more.
It makes sense that you can might not be ass good on the shorter efforts (ramp test) if you haven’t done hard efforts a lot before. Endurance riding is by far the best for health and fitness so good for you! :D
Ciao, scusa se mi permetto di scrivere in italiano ma almeno mi esprimo meglio, vado in bici da solo 4 mesi ed ho potuto fare un test ftp da poco avendo preso un rullo smart, perciò ti volevo chiedere: nei vari test non conta un pò l'esperienza per sapersi dosare? L'unico test ftp che ho fatto è stato quello dei 20 minuti, ho cercato di dosare le energie ma probabilmente avevo qualcosina ancora in tasca. Perciò forse per chi ha meno esperienza non sarebbe più indicato il ramp test o the grade? Chiedo perché dopo 2 settimane di allenamento (sto seguendo il piano build me up) sento che le zone sono leggermente sottostimate, infatti volevo fare nuovo ftp test tra qualche giorno quando farò un bikefit e avrò scarpe nuove più leggere. Grazie dell'attenzione!
Si, con l'esperienza ci si sa dosare meglio, pero il test sui 20 minuti secondo me e' molto adatto a corridori con grande potenza e peso che possono stare seduti per molto tempo. Il ramp test e' un test che porta il corpo davvero al limite, ma sapere dov'e non e' cosi scontato, quindi proverei qualche gara o allenamento a intervalli prima di provarlo. Il grade e' molto accattivante per me, perche mi piace la salita, e' un test che si adatta molto agli scalatori, per chi come me ha watt per kilo alti ma raw power (potenza base FTP) un po piu bassa. Il ramp test va fatto per forza con un Heart Rate Monitor secondo me, per non esagerare col battito
It's nice to do a test to guage improvements but once you've been training on a smart trainer for a year or so you pretty much know by feel if you have it set correctly when doing a work out
I think you screwed the 20min test. Its impossible that you are almost 40W less than the ramp test. Giving you finished sprinting at 400W you probably didn’t push hard enough. 235 means you averaged 250 over 20min. Now that you know the value of the ramp test you should try to hold that ftp over 20min and see how it goes
Out of the 3 I guess is the one that I feel I performed the least good. As you can see on the first part I was green and yellow, meaning I spent quite some time in Z3, I guess I started a bit too cautious. I will redo it with a slight different version that I found on TrainingPeaks
The only reason to do an FTP test is to link that level to a training program. Otherwise it’s just a number. Secondly, FTP measurement is subject to technology variability, that is, what watt meter you’re using. Third, it’s subject to test variability, as shown here, and due to rider condition on that day. So what, you might ask! If your technology is the same you use for training, and your FTP test gives you a number that, when inserted into a training program provides good results, then THAT is your FTP. Some programs are “optimized” for higher FTP numbers; others for lower. The worst mistake is putting too large an FTP number into a training program-overtraining quickly results. So, if you want to know your “one hour power,” ride a time trial for one hour, do it several times, try to stay at a particular wattage output, and there you go. But will that be the best FTP level for your training program? Probably not! As a long-time cycling coach, I’ve seen programs that do better with higher FTPs, some with lower. So no FTP test is “the most accurate” unless you’re talking about “most appropriate” for a particular training program. When you find a test that gives you a good number for that program, stick with it. I find this general issue fairly prevalent in riders and in blogs. It’s complicated for some to understand the RELATIVE nature of FTP. But it is not a magic, specific number out there in the universe. It’s only useful in relation to something…useful. Like your program. How will you know? Constant experimentation and the use of consistent measurement. Not a test independent of purpose. Just my two cents! 😊
Great analysis and comment, I would like to add that I tried the one hour as well, in Sugare Cookie, with different diets, but is not as fun as try different tests, as you said as well is really good to start a program, o follow up one. Definitely also recommend to whoever start on Zwift and want to see where they are 🙌
@@crankandsprints From a coaching perspective, there’s a variable that makes “one hour power” problematic, and that’s body heat. If you’re going hard, as in, one-hour power hard, then your body heats up quickly and starts to affect your performance. This is why in the Hour Record, they take such pains to cool down the internals of the rider (including ice vests and ingesting iced drinks) maximally before going off the line. So these are the many variables that make “one hour power” a bit of a misnomer. As a coach, I prefer to keep things actionable, that is, useful for some practical purpose. I frankly don’t care what it takes to determine the proper “FTP” for a particular rider and program given their technology. I just want it to be repeatable so I can use that test to assess progress. So, for example, if you’re on TrainerRoad and you use their AI FTP estimator, and it dials in a great, sustainable, successful program for you (and that would vary by their own programs…) then that’s your practical, useful, meaningful FTP. But if you just want a big number, which seduces far too many riders, then either lie (easiest) or use the highest scoring estimation techniques! I can vary my own personal FTP by over 20 watts just by changing watt meters and testing protocol. But there’s only one that dials in my best relationship to the program I’m using right now. And it’s shown itself to be reliable FOR ME over time and with experimentation. Which includes plugging in the bigger number and as a result, OVERtraining… Dialing that in takes some time and work and the number might not be your highest number. So when people ask “what’s your FTP,” my coach response is “it depends on a lot of things.” I leave it at that because the number gets to be a bit of a test of genetics and narcissism more than fitness. Just my two cents!
When you ride hard every day the ftp tests does tell how strong you are with such a tight programme, but this ftp will be significantly below your maximum theoretical ftp. Maximum you can get if you rest enough before the test, and that is maybe two full days of resting. If I understand it right the ftp should be maximum watts for a full hour . I have looked at my watts when riding full speed. My ftp for 20 minute is so far higher than full hour ftp that when its calculated down to model full hour ftp, its too high. Its downcalculated to 235 watts. There is no way I can do more than 225 for a full hour. Therefore I am very sceptical to ftp tests that is only based on projecting up from 20 minutes. Those 20 minute tests is good for comparing how strong you are progressing over time, but I dont think its presice to project hour-ftp from 20 minute ftp.
Yes, I guess they are all pushed a bit, as extra there's are some factors, like if you ride in the peloton, the stage profile etc. Also the FTP is based on the maximum possible power for one hour, on peak performance, and we are not always at top form, but as you said is a really good point to see where our fitness is currently
@@crankandsprints pretty sure mine is 265-275 but my preferred FTP test (20' test) is so painful to do that I only muster up the courage to do it once a year in December so who knows, maybe it's higher 😄
I think if you're training and using the result from the ftp test to adjust your workouts then it doesnt matter too much which ftp test you do as long as you stick with it. Then you'll be able to see whether you are progressing.
Yes and no in my opinion because the highest ftp is 271w and the lowest one is 234w a difference of 37w which is like the 14% and its not a little difference, which means the 271w risults will hace overstimated zones, but Im still a newbie and I could have said bs
I agree if you are sure about your FTP, or if the didnt vary much. I think my FTP because of racing was a bit high. So I'm happy I've been able to have a pretty solid average between the 3, considering that between the highest and the lowest there are around 40watts
I totally agree to the plan of sticking with one type of test to see your progress over time. Because its not a full hour it is not accurate full hour ftp, but it will tell you how you progress. But there are some factors that pollutes the results, for example if you do the same flat 20 km temporide each time you may get better results because you know the route better and paces it better, not necessarily getting stronger.
any ftp test which takes a % of a result as "ftp", is missing the point of what ftp is. ask yourself, how long can you hold a flat FTP effort, without riding close to your vo2 max. you want to find out your maximal sustainable aerobic performance, with only a little anaerobic contribution. can you hold it for 40 mins, without bubbling over? think about the point of ftp, rather than the number.
I agree with your point. My FTP in race is close to the highest tested on ramp and the grade, on the FTP especially the 20mins it could be a potential test let's say if I'm on a breakaway or if I'm solo at some point in the race
Come celebrate the Crank & Sprints Birthday Ride on 29th December 2024 at 3 PM GMT as we conquer the Mega Pretzel! 🚴♂ With 10 free giveaways up for grabs, it’s the perfect chance to ride and have fun! Don’t miss out-join here: www.zwift.com/uk/events/view/4642405
Let’s make it an epic day 💥💥
The best way to determine your FTP is the BHD method: Find out your buddy's FTP and add 10 to it. Works every time.
@oldanslo good method, if you don't have a buddy that says that his power meter is "not working properly today" 😅😁
Great idea to do 3 FTP tests in 3 days. Very accurate results
These are the results vs my previous test ( April/March and May, one each)
20mins 234w vs 239w
Ramp(Lab) 350w vs 360w (at peak)
Grade 253w vs 261w
So I actually perform overall better but interestingly even more better on day 2 and 3 of the row
Well that just amplifies the results here
My favorite is the ramp test. The other two require you to know your ftp in advance in order to get an accurate result. If you already know your ftp, there is no reason to test.
I would say so for the grade. The 20mins test is really useful if you just started or maybe if you come back after a stop/injury. I like the ramp, but is really the one that smashed the body the most 😁
Disagree that you must know your FTP in advance. Yes, you're going to have some idea about the range unless it's your first one but if you pace yourself properly you can surprise yourself. It's about going to exhaustion within the allotted time/distance, not hitting a specific target. I recently did one and exceeded my expectations by 25watts simply because I was focused on pacing for distance (10mi TT) vs hitting a pre-determined power target. I was aware of my power the entire time, of course, but that actually helped. When I realized I as holding a higher than anticipated power at an RPE I felt I could maintain for 10mi that spurred me on. Rolled across the finish line with absolutely nothing left in the tank and a significantly higher than expected result.
Ramp test is definitely useful as well but they measure slightly different types of response.
The ramp test eliminates pacing. It just keeps getting harder until you crack. I did a ramp test and got my best results. A couple weeks after that I did a TT and held just a few watts under my Ramp FTP for about 30 minutes. There was no way I could have held that pace for an hour. So for me, the Ramp test overstates my FTP. If I use my Ramp FTP to do structured training I fail to complete the workouts.
For me the ramp test also gave a big overestimation around 40W. I guess it can be accurate if your muscle power and aerobic state is at similar level. In my case aerobic performance is at lower level. That is why I think that the ramp test can be accurate, but at the same time can be very inacurate and depends in physical conditions.
I agree that can vary based on physical conditions in my case the max variations is 20/25watts which is only 1minute. Makes sense, sometimes I've been able to hold a minute more
You should be able to hold 275-280 on 20 minute test. Be brave, push harder. Ride on.
Thank you. That's quite an high target, but nothing is impossible 💪
Most accurate test imho is 5min all out, 10 min rest, 20min all out then apply Monod Scherrer formula and use CP as FTP. Contrary to all other tests it takes individual fatigue factor into account.
BUT - FTP is usually different indoor / outdoor / flat / uphill. So you can't test one and use the value in other circumstances.
I'll have a check at the Scherrer Formula. Agree on the different tests, I tried to do it on the flats to give myself a bit more of a challenge in this case 💪
more proof that FTP tests in general are flawed. somewhat useful for training zones but nearly worthless as an estimator of 1 hour power. If you want to know your one hour power max pretty much have to do one. My best way of short cutting doing a full one hour power test is to do a 20 minute test but instead of using .95 as the multiplier i use .9 or .88 which gets me close.
The 1 minute ramp tests are a total joke and the grade is also a complete joke. Very good workout but as an FTP test its laughable.
The Ramp is a good training for the all out push, that is part of a balanced FTP, being able to maintain that power for long time. One hour is difficult, usually the IRL power in race gave me good standards and a clear idea about it and about the current form. It's just not a steady pace.
Good idea for the .9 and .88 I'll test a similar one in the coming weeks, another type of FTP that other platform have and not zwift
FTP is a measure of power over 1 hour. I have tried these FTP tests and they all gave quite low numbers because they apply a factor assuming your power will decay at that rate. However, when I did a sustained 1 hr effort up Alpe du Zwift, my FTP increased by nearly 30 W. So clearly I am better at holding power for longer than the FTP tests assume. A sustained 1 hr effort is the most accurate way of getting FTP, by definition.
ADZ or 1hr mountain in general probably is the highest sustained effort you can get, I did my highest on Achertban. Did you reach similar numbers for 1 hour in other races/fast group rides on Zwift?
@@crankandsprints I've only been on Zwift a couple weeks so haven't done much in terms of races / group rides. Might also explain why my FTP hasn't settled yet but I've got a fair amount of endurance from bikepacking so a 1 hr effort is quite manageable.
@scareneb oh I understand, the more you Zwift the more it will increase, especially in racing on Zwift the FTP will raise and the body pushed to the limit! Ride on🙌
FTP is not the power you can hold for an hour tho, it’s just the simple way to explain it.
Everyone can hold their ftp for different durations, some less than an hour and some more.
It makes sense that you can might not be ass good on the shorter efforts (ramp test) if you haven’t done hard efforts a lot before. Endurance riding is by far the best for health and fitness so good for you! :D
Ciao, scusa se mi permetto di scrivere in italiano ma almeno mi esprimo meglio, vado in bici da solo 4 mesi ed ho potuto fare un test ftp da poco avendo preso un rullo smart, perciò ti volevo chiedere: nei vari test non conta un pò l'esperienza per sapersi dosare? L'unico test ftp che ho fatto è stato quello dei 20 minuti, ho cercato di dosare le energie ma probabilmente avevo qualcosina ancora in tasca. Perciò forse per chi ha meno esperienza non sarebbe più indicato il ramp test o the grade? Chiedo perché dopo 2 settimane di allenamento (sto seguendo il piano build me up) sento che le zone sono leggermente sottostimate, infatti volevo fare nuovo ftp test tra qualche giorno quando farò un bikefit e avrò scarpe nuove più leggere. Grazie dell'attenzione!
Si, con l'esperienza ci si sa dosare meglio, pero il test sui 20 minuti secondo me e' molto adatto a corridori con grande potenza e peso che possono stare seduti per molto tempo. Il ramp test e' un test che porta il corpo davvero al limite, ma sapere dov'e non e' cosi scontato, quindi proverei qualche gara o allenamento a intervalli prima di provarlo. Il grade e' molto accattivante per me, perche mi piace la salita, e' un test che si adatta molto agli scalatori, per chi come me ha watt per kilo alti ma raw power (potenza base FTP) un po piu bassa. Il ramp test va fatto per forza con un Heart Rate Monitor secondo me, per non esagerare col battito
It's nice to do a test to guage improvements but once you've been training on a smart trainer for a year or so you pretty much know by feel if you have it set correctly when doing a work out
Yes completely agree, I don't do it very often. Usually at the beginning of "Zwift winter season" or after a stop or long holiday maybe
The grade is a 20 min test for me 😂
For now 🙌 I'm sure you can do Sunlb20 soon 💪
I think you screwed the 20min test. Its impossible that you are almost 40W less than the ramp test.
Giving you finished sprinting at 400W you probably didn’t push hard enough. 235 means you averaged 250 over 20min.
Now that you know the value of the ramp test you should try to hold that ftp over 20min and see how it goes
Out of the 3 I guess is the one that I feel I performed the least good. As you can see on the first part I was green and yellow, meaning I spent quite some time in Z3, I guess I started a bit too cautious. I will redo it with a slight different version that I found on TrainingPeaks
The only reason to do an FTP test is to link that level to a training program. Otherwise it’s just a number. Secondly, FTP measurement is subject to technology variability, that is, what watt meter you’re using. Third, it’s subject to test variability, as shown here, and due to rider condition on that day. So what, you might ask! If your technology is the same you use for training, and your FTP test gives you a number that, when inserted into a training program provides good results, then THAT is your FTP. Some programs are “optimized” for higher FTP numbers; others for lower. The worst mistake is putting too large an FTP number into a training program-overtraining quickly results. So, if you want to know your “one hour power,” ride a time trial for one hour, do it several times, try to stay at a particular wattage output, and there you go. But will that be the best FTP level for your training program? Probably not! As a long-time cycling coach, I’ve seen programs that do better with higher FTPs, some with lower. So no FTP test is “the most accurate” unless you’re talking about “most appropriate” for a particular training program. When you find a test that gives you a good number for that program, stick with it. I find this general issue fairly prevalent in riders and in blogs. It’s complicated for some to understand the RELATIVE nature of FTP. But it is not a magic, specific number out there in the universe. It’s only useful in relation to something…useful. Like your program. How will you know? Constant experimentation and the use of consistent measurement. Not a test independent of purpose. Just my two cents! 😊
Great analysis and comment, I would like to add that I tried the one hour as well, in Sugare Cookie, with different diets, but is not as fun as try different tests, as you said as well is really good to start a program, o follow up one. Definitely also recommend to whoever start on Zwift and want to see where they are 🙌
@@crankandsprints From a coaching perspective, there’s a variable that makes “one hour power” problematic, and that’s body heat. If you’re going hard, as in, one-hour power hard, then your body heats up quickly and starts to affect your performance. This is why in the Hour Record, they take such pains to cool down the internals of the rider (including ice vests and ingesting iced drinks) maximally before going off the line. So these are the many variables that make “one hour power” a bit of a misnomer. As a coach, I prefer to keep things actionable, that is, useful for some practical purpose. I frankly don’t care what it takes to determine the proper “FTP” for a particular rider and program given their technology. I just want it to be repeatable so I can use that test to assess progress. So, for example, if you’re on TrainerRoad and you use their AI FTP estimator, and it dials in a great, sustainable, successful program for you (and that would vary by their own programs…) then that’s your practical, useful, meaningful FTP. But if you just want a big number, which seduces far too many riders, then either lie (easiest) or use the highest scoring estimation techniques! I can vary my own personal FTP by over 20 watts just by changing watt meters and testing protocol. But there’s only one that dials in my best relationship to the program I’m using right now. And it’s shown itself to be reliable FOR ME over time and with experimentation. Which includes plugging in the bigger number and as a result, OVERtraining… Dialing that in takes some time and work and the number might not be your highest number. So when people ask “what’s your FTP,” my coach response is “it depends on a lot of things.” I leave it at that because the number gets to be a bit of a test of genetics and narcissism more than fitness. Just my two cents!
They should make Alpe du zwift as an the FTP test.
Would be amazing for us climbers 🙌 but technically you can select Road to Sky and after the warm up the FTP session should be up the ADZ 💪
You can do that, if it takes you little over an hour, there's your FTP test. If it takes you less, just add 30kg to your weight
you could do week 3 or week 4 of Octobers Zwift TT Club ITTs , Watopia Waistband , should be a 40 min effort or Coast Crusher around 60 min
Thats a good idea, I'll be a sufferfest for me, they're flat like a pool table 🎱
Sub 70RPM, are your knees OK man?
Below 65ish is like stomping on the pedals 😬 but knees are OK so far
When you ride hard every day the ftp tests does tell how strong you are with such a tight programme, but this ftp will be significantly below your maximum theoretical ftp. Maximum you can get if you rest enough before the test, and that is maybe two full days of resting.
If I understand it right the ftp should be maximum watts for a full hour . I have looked at my watts when riding full speed. My ftp for 20 minute is so far higher than full hour ftp that when its calculated down to model full hour ftp, its too high. Its downcalculated to 235 watts. There is no way I can do more than 225 for a full hour. Therefore I am very sceptical to ftp tests that is only based on projecting up from 20 minutes. Those 20 minute tests is good for comparing how strong you are progressing over time, but I dont think its presice to project hour-ftp from 20 minute ftp.
Yes, I guess they are all pushed a bit, as extra there's are some factors, like if you ride in the peloton, the stage profile etc. Also the FTP is based on the maximum possible power for one hour, on peak performance, and we are not always at top form, but as you said is a really good point to see where our fitness is currently
Don't be shy ☺️☺️
Tell us your FTP 💪💪💪
I wanna see the watts ⚡️⚡️
@@crankandsprints pretty sure mine is 265-275 but my preferred FTP test (20' test) is so painful to do that I only muster up the courage to do it once a year in December so who knows, maybe it's higher 😄
@MatthewKaznowski Try the grade, is real fun 🙌
@@crankandsprints I'll have to give it a go, especially with the zwift season upon us :D
@@MatthewKaznowski ofc. Zwift season approaching 🙂
313W@75kg
I am old school test 1 hour where I don't stop. Ya I am old
Happy riding.
Love it. What's your 1 hour route of choice for your 1 hour effort? Tempus Fugit? Sugar Cookie?
@@crankandsprints this was pretty zwift days. On zwift it depends on the day. Mostly flat route
I think if you're training and using the result from the ftp test to adjust your workouts then it doesnt matter too much which ftp test you do as long as you stick with it. Then you'll be able to see whether you are progressing.
Yes and no in my opinion because the highest ftp is 271w and the lowest one is 234w a difference of 37w which is like the 14% and its not a little difference, which means the 271w risults will hace overstimated zones, but Im still a newbie and I could have said bs
I agree if you are sure about your FTP, or if the didnt vary much. I think my FTP because of racing was a bit high. So I'm happy I've been able to have a pretty solid average between the 3, considering that between the highest and the lowest there are around 40watts
I totally agree to the plan of sticking with one type of test to see your progress over time. Because its not a full hour it is not accurate full hour ftp, but it will tell you how you progress. But there are some factors that pollutes the results, for example if you do the same flat 20 km temporide each time you may get better results because you know the route better and paces it better, not necessarily getting stronger.
any ftp test which takes a % of a result as "ftp", is missing the point of what ftp is. ask yourself, how long can you hold a flat FTP effort, without riding close to your vo2 max. you want to find out your maximal sustainable aerobic performance, with only a little anaerobic contribution. can you hold it for 40 mins, without bubbling over? think about the point of ftp, rather than the number.
I agree with your point. My FTP in race is close to the highest tested on ramp and the grade, on the FTP especially the 20mins it could be a potential test let's say if I'm on a breakaway or if I'm solo at some point in the race