FTP - whats yours?

[Jay_B]

The more important question in the coming years are going to be

What is your W Prime? (W')

Trainingpeaks calls it Functional Reserve Capacity (FRC)

 

This will help a LOT in racing and I cannot wait for Garmin to make it a field on their screens.

 

Go read up.  Very interesting stuff.

https://vimeo.com/122921189

 

Agreed its a very interesting number to look at after intervals to see how you progress through the workout. Definitely an important number to have on hand while out riding when it becomes available.

[JJ]

I'm at 4.2w/kg for 20min x 0.95 and 4.4w/kg for 20min. 

[devocean]

This was mine, last time I did it (a year old now)



What would the FTP be? Can you determine that from that data?

 

Dying to get a power meter. Waiting in anticipation for a deal on the hub

Edited September 22, 2015 by devocean

[cadenceblur]

I am going to stop doing these FTP tests. Seems I am getting kakker with each test even though my race results and fitness gets better. Bloody depressing...........

Similar experience! Really bothered me. But I believe tests done on trainer and road would also have different results? Trainer being tougher?

[BicyclePower]

one needs to make sure the lead up to FTP tests is the same each and every time. i.e.

 

Monday rest day

Tuesday 5min, 1min, 20sec test

Wednesday 1h easy spin

Thursday FTP test

Friday rest or easy spin

 

this is usually how its does and FTP test normally form part of a rest week as the hours are reduced and while the intensity is super high its for a relatively short duration.

 

RE FTP not going up yet race results have improved, you need to look at how these results have been achieved. bunch sprints ?? if so FTP not really that important here. 

that said FTP is not a true reflection of what race results could be achieved. light riders <65kg can have massive FTP (power:weight ratios) especially indoors however get smoked by heavier rides as out on the road there is something to be said for absolute raw power......

[BicyclePower]

saying all this a lot depends of the race, most of the races in JHB are large bunches with hill that are sub 10min for the most an improved VO2 max power would serve better than power at threshold (30min +) 

 

however for races down in CPT with smaller bunch and some really nasty long hills that can take upwards of 1h FTP and the ability to ride sub threshold may be better off.

 

hence i think its great to mix training up with the longer lower int intervals earlier in the week with the short VO2 / sub max efforts later in the week. a good balance with plenty of rest. 

[cadenceblur]

Mine is in the reverse of this. More time over weekends for longer lower intensity rides.

[Joeboy69]

 

I just do the FTP built into the CVT software .... Hope to get weight down to 85kg again

[Jaco-fiets]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1442946989.494971.jpg

 

I just do the FTP built into the CVT software .... Hope to get weight down to 85kg again

Did you do this in the new beta version?

[Joeboy69]

No still the old one

[Jaco-fiets]

Where in the old one do get this?

[Joeboy69]

Look in "workouts" there is a 20min FTP with warmup and cool down time as well

 

 

Edited September 22, 2015 by Joeboy69

[Joeboy69]

[Jaco-fiets]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1442949680.221499.jpg

Thanks! Will check it out!!

[Jakkals.]

Havent had a power meter for a year now and reading all of this is serious FOMO!!

 

but I think just to start riding again will also help!

[Ryinc]

The more important question in the coming years are going to be

What is your W Prime? (W')

Trainingpeaks calls it Functional Reserve Capacity (FRC)

 

This will help a LOT in racing and I cannot wait for Garmin to make it a field on their screens.

 

Go read up. Very interesting stuff.

https://vimeo.com/122921189

 

Spinnekop, you have forgotten more about racing then i will ever know but i disagree on this point. I don't see any realistic application of W' in racing.

1. Lets consider an example of a possible practical application. You have full W' (lets say 20 000), you hit a hill and make an attack and pushing more power than CP. After 1 min, your W'bal is down to 17 000. After another minute down to 15 000, after another minute down to 12 500. Now you have to do a mental calculation how much longer your w' is going to last? Keeping in mind calculus (integration) is required to do the calc, at best it will be a very rough guess based on "feel"

2. W' is highly theoretical in my view. Try this experiment. Do one interval that in theory will empty your W' at your freshest but well warmed up - say 5 min at your peak power for 5 min. Now ride 1 hour at 10 watt below critical power (which in theory uses none of your W'), and then do try to do the 5 min interval again. According to w' theory you will be able to do this exactly as for the first 5 min interval. Cant speak for you but for me there is no way that i will be able to ride the 5 min at the same intensity.

3. As stated above the maths required is quite complex, and if garmin or others implement likely to be based on simplified model, e.g. classical cp model, which we know does not really capture power duration issues that well.

4. W' is only one piece that you need to know about yourself, you also need to be able to determine "tau" which impacts how quickly w' recovers.

 

 

Where i can see a good application is in interval training if you have the parameters dialled in correctly. E.g do 5 repeats of riding 400 watts until W' goes to 5% remaining. Then wait for recovery to 100% and go again.

 

Personally i would prefer to see a "matches" concept in bike computers. E.g shows you how many zone 5, 6, 7 matches you have burnt in the race. By reviewing this post race you will start to know your matchbook and how to deploy them strategically in a race. Similar in principle but more application in my view.