FTP is the average number of watt that a rider can sustain in an hour, and acts as a current measure of fitness. It means a steady effort, not the up-and-down levels you might see looking at your power from time to time. FTP is measured in watts per kilogram of body weight (W/kg) and is expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per hour.
If you were to ride that same speed for 30 minutes, your FTP would increase to 2,500 watts, which is about the same as your maximum aerobic capacity (VO2 max). FTP can also be used to measure the amount of oxygen your body can take in, as well as the rate at which it can use that oxygen.
The higher the FTP, the more oxygen you are able to use in a given period of time, while a lower FTP indicates that the body is using less oxygen than it should be.
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What is a good FTP for a cyclist?
A fit cyclist can crank out between 250 and 300 watt as an average according to the article. However, it’s important to note that this is not an accurate representation of the actual power output of a cyclist. For example, if a rider is pedaling at 50% of their max heart rate, they will only be producing 50 watts of power.
This is because the heart is working at a much lower rate than the rest of your body, which is why it takes longer for your heart to pump out the same amount of blood as it does when you’re at rest. The same is true when it comes to cycling at high speeds.
It’s also worth noting that most cyclists don’t ride as fast as they can, so they’re not going to be generating as much power as you might think. In fact, most of us can’t even sustain a 50-60 mph ride for more than a few minutes, let alone a full hour.
So, while it might seem like a good idea to aim for 250 watts on a ride, the reality is that you won’t be getting anywhere close to that.
What is a good 20 min FTP?
For many amateur athletes, the power drop-off between 20 and 60 minutes can be much greater than 95 per cent, so they might be better off using 92 or even 90 per cent. When compared to the rest of the field, their FTP would be set too high.
Well, it means that if you want to improve your FTP, you need to increase your training volume and intensity. If you don’t, then you’re going to have a hard time increasing your power output, and that’s not a good thing.
Is 200 watts good cycling?
It is not appropriate for all riders to have an exact watt number. A beginner cyclist can average between 75 and 100 watt in a one hour workout. Pro cyclists can go as high as 200 watt, while a fit participant can average more than 100 watt. The wattage of your bike depends on the type of riding you do.
For example, if you ride a road bike, you’ll need more watts than a cyclocross bike. If you’re a mountain biker, your watts will be higher than those of a cross-country racer. And, of course, there are many other factors that can affect your wattages, such as your weight, age, fitness level, riding style, etc.
How is FTP calculated?
If you have a sufficiently hard 20-minute effort from a race or workout, you can estimate Functional Threshold Power with your best recent 20-minute power value. You can get your FTP by taking that value and dividing it by 95. There is a recent best-of-the-week test that you can take.
You can use the FTP calculator to estimate your maximum heart rate (HRmax), which is the maximum number of beats per minute (bpm) you can sustain for a given period of time. For example, if you have a HRmax of 90 bpm, you would estimate that you could sustain that for 90 minutes.
If you’re not sure how to use this calculator, see How to Use the Max Heart Rate Calculator.
Does FTP decline with age?
The max drops by 10 per cent a decade after the age of 30. By the time you’re in your 40s, you can reduce that to 5 per cent if you continue to train hard. V02max is a measure of your aerobic capacity, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use at any given time. It is measured in millilitres per kilogram of body weight per minute.
The higher the number, the more aerobic you are, and the less you need to eat to maintain your current level of fitness. But if you train too hard, you may not be able to keep up with the demands of the sport. This is because your muscles are not as efficient at using oxygen as they are at burning fat.
As a result, your VO2max may drop below the level that is considered to be ‘physiologically optimal’ for your age and fitness level. In other words, it may be too low to allow you to compete at a high level, but too high to prevent you from getting injured or losing your job.
How accurate is Zwift FTP?
Anyone can do the Zwift FTP Tests. If you want to be accurate, you should pedal as hard as you can for one hour. pacing can often go wrong and this can be difficult. It is not ideal if you don’t have a lot of time, as it takes a long time to get to the end of the test.
If you are looking for a more accurate test, there are a number of free FTP tests available on the internet. These tests are not as accurate as the one above, but they do give you a good idea of how fast you should be pedaling at any given point in time.
You can also use these tests to see how far you have progressed over the course of a ride. For example, you might be able to estimate how long it will take you to reach a certain point on your ride, or how much longer you will need to ride before you reach that point.