How to nail your first FTP test

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Your FTP, or functional threshold power, sets every training zone in your plan. There are several ways to test it. My standard is the 20-minute test, and it is the one I use with every athlete I coach.

The 20-minute test: my standard

You warm up, ride one steady, all-out 20-minute effort, and your FTP is estimated as 95% of that average. It is the most widely used field test, it is repeatable, and it gives an accurate number for road racers, criterium riders and gravel riders.

• Time: about 65 minutes for the full session shown below.
• Why I use it: it asks for a long, steady effort, the kind of effort you race on, so the result matches how you actually ride.
• Watch out for: starting too hard. Pick a pace you can hold, and save the last few minutes for everything you have left.

How the session works

• Ramp-up: four 5-minute steps that build from Zone 1 to Zone 2.
• Openers: short 1-minute efforts to wake up your legs.
• Hard effort: one 5-minute effort in Zone 5, followed by a recovery. This takes the sharpness off your legs so the 20 minutes shows your steady power.
• The test: 20 minutes as hard as you can hold evenly.
• Cool-down: 5 minutes of easy spinning.

Other tests you may hear about

These are all valid, but I don't use them as my standard. Knowing how they differ helps you compare results from other coaches, apps and indoor platforms.

The ramp test

You start easy and the power goes up every minute until you can't hold it any longer. Your FTP is estimated as about 75% of your best one-minute power. It is short, about 20 minutes, and needs no pacing, but riders with strong short, hard efforts can get a result that is too high, and steady, diesel-type riders can get one that is too low.

The 2 x 8 test

You ride two hard 8-minute efforts with a recovery between them. Your FTP is estimated as about 90% of the higher of the two averages. It takes about 45 minutes and can suit riders who find 20 minutes hard to pace, but the second effort is the one that counts, so the first one has to stay controlled.

The 60-minute test

You ride one full hour as hard as you can hold it, and your average power is your FTP. It is the closest match to the definition, so no formula is needed. It is also very hard to do well, takes a lot out of you, and is difficult to repeat often.

Why I stick with one test

Whatever test you use, the most important thing is to do the same one each time, in similar conditions and on a rested day. That way the changes you see are real. I use the 20-minute test for everyone, so your results are comparable from one block to the next. I'll use your result to build your power zones in TrainingPeaks.