The Sufferfest says its new ‘Half Monty’ test gives a more accurate FTP reading than any other ramp test

The 55-minute test helps determine Functional Threshold Power, Maximal Aerobic Power, and Lactate Threshold Heart Rate

The new test is based around one maximal ramp test and one 20-minute sub-maximal steady effort which The Sufferfest claims calculates “your FTP to a much higher degree of accuracy than any other ramp test out there.” The Half Monty is aimed at newer riders that are getting started with structured plans but they also say that the test can be a useful mid-training plan measure of progress.

Training platform, The Sufferfest, already has a rather comprehensive fitness test, their ‘Full Frontal 4DP’ testing protocol. The test includes 4 maximal efforts and is designed to give you a complete picture of your performance potential on the bike while the data that you produce in the test is used to tailor workouts from their app to your abilities.

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That all sounds good, but the Full Frontal test does take a fair chunk of time and the effort might be too much for some riders to take on in one go. It seems that The Sufferfest has recognised this, developing the new Half Monty test “to give athletes a less-demanding testing protocol.”

To do this, The Sufferfest say that they’ve dropped the tests for Neuromuscular Power and Anaerobic Capacity from the Full Frontal. This means that the Half Monty “is less physically and psychologically demanding” which The Sufferfest suggests “makes training with 4DP more accessible to athletes who are new to structured training.”

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Wondering what 4DP is? The Sufferfest says that is stands for “Four-Dimensional Power”. This “uses four key performance metrics - Neuromuscular Power, Maximal Aerobic Power, Functional Threshold Power, and Anaerobic Capacity to determine your rider type, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and create your comprehensive 4DP profile.”

The Half Monty test measures those training parameters which they say will “allow for more accurate goal-setting and personalisation within The Sufferfest’s workouts and training programs.”

Test designer and coach Neal Henderson, says that the “Half Monty represents a leap forward in fitness testing”. The Sufferfest also believes that this test could become the industry standard as “this new test represents several advantages over existing ramp tests”.

The Sufferfest says that the new test is also adaptive, “gauging athletes’ progress during the test and providing personalised, real-time feedback to ensure that results are as accurate as possible”. They also suggest that the test “allows for more accurate performance measurements and more precise measurement during the testing protocol” without the need for a smart trainer.

One of us is going to have to pick the short straw and try it out…

For more info head over to thesufferfest.com