FTP calculator

What FTP means

FTP stands for functional threshold power. It is the most power you can hold for about an hour, measured in watts. Think of it as your hard but steady limit. Riders use it to set how hard each part of a training ride should be.

You do not need to ride flat out for a whole hour to find it. A shorter test and a simple sum give a good guess.

The four tests

• 20 minute test: ride as hard as you can hold for 20 minutes. Your FTP is 95% of the average.
• Ramp test: the pedals get a little harder every minute until you cannot keep going. Your FTP is 75% of your best minute.
• 8 minute test: two hard 8 minute efforts with a 10 minute rest between. Your FTP is 90% of the better one.
• One hour ride: your average for the hour is your FTP as it is.

Which test suits a beginner

The ramp test is the easiest to get right. The app sets the pace for you, so you do not have to judge it. Every test is a guess, though. Short tests can read a little high for riders with a strong sprint, and a little low for steady riders.

You do not need a test to start. The Couch to Climb app guesses your FTP from your first ride.

Where the numbers come from

• The 20 minute test (95%) is from Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan. The 8 minute test (90%) is from Carmichael Training Systems. CTS sets out both tests.
• The ramp test (75% of your best minute) is how TrainerRoad works it out. Zwift uses 75% as well.
• Watts per kg is your FTP divided by your weight in kg. Zone 2 is 56 to 75% of FTP, from Andrew Coggan's power levels.
• Testing every 6 to 8 weeks is the advice of Roadman Cycling. The beginner levels are from the Coggan chart, as printed in the Garmin Edge manual.