My last test was 3.53 WKG. I still look back at my personal best of 4.59wkg in 2014 when I was coached by Russell Cox and 6 months Gardening Leave. I was putting in big hours on the bike for Roth at the time. I could never commit to that level with current work load again
Tested a week ago: 3.7. Edging up, but a bit of weight gain chewed up some of the wattage gain.
On TrainerRoad Sweetspot base I, mid volume.
just out of interest, what testing protocol are people using for this?
historically Iāve just taken 95% of the average of my efforts of 2*15mins hard, rate capped 70, with 5mins rest between.
Itās a regular session I do, and seems close enough for what I might do for 20mins.
TrainerRoad ramp test.
Thanks.
Managed to find some info online - ramp test, harder every minute, take 75% of your hardest minute.
Anyone help with the finer points? e.g. it mentioned warm up (but no detail), and what power do you start at and what are the steps? (my best guess is I will close out in the low 300s depending on how long the build up is)
Trainerroad protocol has no defined warm up. The early intervals are the warm up. From memory, itās start at 50% of best guess of FTP (or previous FTP) for a handful of minutes, and then add 6% each minute.
Also TrainerRoad ramp, but switching to TTs once the season is underway.
The TR ramp is accurate for me, as the levels go up quite slowly and you canāt cheat by throwing in a glory boy last 60 seconds.
I used to do a ramp which jumped 25w per minute and that used to overestimate (put me nicely in the 4w/kg range but frustrating when you could never actually race at that levelā¦)
Thanks - so itās not a linear increase?
Sorry for any confusion. Itās 6% of your previous FTP each minute, so is linear.
I beleive the TR one also adjusts for any early level naughties, ie going along 15w below the āasking rateā then pulling out a massive last minute when less fatigued than you should be. Itās not a straight 75%.
Just double checked. It starts at 46%, then 52%, 58%, 64%, etc.
Yes, definitely. They will downward adjust for poor execution. Both underplaying early intervals to try and game it, or the glory boy final minute you mention.
Great thanks.
That also seems low enough (46%) that you just start at that point with no prior warm up right?
Perfect.
Itāll be measly, but I reckon I can slot that in every other weak
Iām using the Zwift ramp test, which bumps up in 20W intervals every 1 min, so not quite to protocol⦠prior to that was using a ramp test created as a workout on Garmin 520 erg/ANT+ FEC on trainer⦠getting very very similar results⦠for both its 75% of best 1 min power
Iām amazed anyone could have aāglory boyā last minute, even if deliberately taking the first part too easy. Iām usually honking out of my eyeballs by the last few intervals.
I think what we mean is instead of following the ramp, just suddenly putting in a single massive minute and ending the test. So you never did the last few minutes that built to that tough final minute. The trainerroad algorithm will negate that max final minute as effectively erroneous
Last nightās zwift race bumped my FTP to 292W, although I suppose races are not as accurate as a test but Iāll take it
I was targetting an FTP of 300W this year so Iām in reach and will then go for 320W before season starts. Itās also bumped me into the A Cat on zwiftpower with a 4.01w/kg average. Right, whereās that 5w/kg threadā¦
I think that Zwift races, especially longer ones of more than 45m are a better indication of your FTP
Do the Zwift ramp test, youāre probably there already
I made it to CAT A about a month ago, welcome to a new world of pain. All those CAT B and CAT C riders will be targeting you now
More Zwift races will get you there
