[andystow]

The local Trek Store had a fluid trainer set up with Zwift, and I asked if I could do a power test to satisfy my curiosity, but I didn’t want to suffer for an hour. There was a quick test mode that started at 50 W and stepped up 10 W every minute, to a max of 250 W. I was guessing I’d fail around 200 W.

Well, I got through the whole test and it wasn’t bad at all. I couldn’t have kept up 250 W indefinitely, but I could have done 5-10 minutes. I could talk the whole time, but not continuously at the end. A message on the screen told me I was too strong for the test.

Based on how I felt, my FTP is somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 W, or 2.7 W/kg.

I’ll do another test sometime that goes to higher power, but for now I’ll keep riding outside all winter. I’m still never buying an indoor trainer.

Topic

[andystow]

That would be useful if I
That would be useful if I regularly used a trainer or a power meter, and I do neither.

[Sniffer]

I have used the Zwift ramp

I have used the Zwift ramp test as I head into each winter, but usually get a slightly higher FTP recorded from a Zwift race at some point

Must be my competitive nature.

[OnYerBike]

Automatic FTP detection from

Automatic FTP detection from normal riding looks at maximum 20 minute power (or if you ride up The Grade). If you race regularly (especially TTs) that might be ok; but if you primarily use zwift for structured workouts or free riding, you might never have a solid block of effort that long. I can imagine a lot of people would never get an even half decent FTP estimate if they relied on automatic detection.

[bensynnock]

Zwift will also estimate your
Zwift will also estimate your FTP based on the power data from the standard rides you do on their platform, so you don’t necessarily have to do the test to get an idea of where you’re at.

They also have a standard FTP test that is said to be more accurate than the ramp rest and the estimated value.

[andystow]

thax1 wrote:

Answering my own question now 🙂

Apparently there are two FTP Ramp tests on Zwift, and the ‘Lite’ version caps out at 250w (60sec), so is only intended for very light or beginner cyclists.

If your FTP is >200, you’ll need to do the ‘proper’ test to get a meaningful result.

This is correct. I should have done the non-lite version, but I didn’t think my FTP would be over 200.

[thax1]

Answering my own question now

Answering my own question now 🙂

Apparently there are two FTP Ramp tests on Zwift, and the ‘Lite’ version caps out at 250w (60sec), so is only intended for very light or beginner cyclists.

If your FTP is >200, you’ll need to do the ‘proper’ test to get a meaningful result.

[mdavidford]

thax1 wrote:

Odd that you got a message saying ‘too strong for the test’ on Zwift?

Possibly some kind of ‘kiosk mode’ available to bike shops who don’t want people hammering their display models to destruction?

[thax1]

Odd that you got a message

Odd that you got a message saying ‘too strong for the test’ on Zwift?

I periodically take on the Zwift Ramp Test (it’s much more pleasant than the original 20min or 60min suffer-tests that used to be the go-to measurement).

I’ll typically go fine to about 360w, then fight hard through 60sec at 380w, then it’s like hitting a wall at 400-420w. A modern direct-drive trainer like a Tacx Neo will just quickly bury your cadence to zero as your strength fades.

That will give me about 290FTP or about 4w/kg which will appear onscreen (assuming the gift of sight has returned by then). As mdavidford says – it’s a horrible experience.

I’m 49 – and the number has been dropping every year 🙁

Maybe that fluid-trainer has a power limit much lower than things like a Tacx? Pretty sure those go to 2000w plus, so I’ll never trouble it even if I grew an extra pair of legs.

[mark1a]

?

?

[quiff]

Are you in a bike shop, or

Are you in a bike shop, or has mark1a got some serious garage set-up competition?

[EDIT: came here via the comments; now I’ve actually read your post, my bad…]

[andystow]

I don’t have a power meter on

I don’t have a power meter on any of my bikes, and Strava’s estimates don’t correlate at all with my heart rate or perceived effort.

[HLaB]

One of the reasons I use
One of the reasons I use TrainerRoad is their AI which means no need to do a test. It currently places me at an FTP of 255w or 4.1w/kg. After eating something that disagreed with me in the canteen, I think I’ll give tonight’s workout a miss!

[andystow]

Looks like I’m right around

Looks like I’m right around the top of the bell curve, meaning average, for men 50-60 years old, or even 40-50, based on the numbers from Trainer Road.

https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/the-bell-curve-of-cylists-how-fast-are-the-average-tr-users/5840/124

That curve will skew high, because it will be a self-selected group of cyclists “serious” enough to use Trainer Road.

[andystow]

I wouldn’t mind doing it once

I wouldn’t mind doing it once a year, as long as I can go home and shower afterwards.

[mdavidford]

Warning – doing this test to

Warning – doing this test to failure (as designed) is an evil, evil thing.

[Author]

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