FTP test. Trainer or Road

[novetan]

Just a few miles away from home is a flat road where I can ride abt 15 mins with uninterrupted traffic. For a 1.5 hr. drive, I can ride on a gradual slope with some flats that gives me 12 km. But I also have a trainer at home.


I intend to do a FTP test. Joe Friedl recommended if test on road, we need 10 mins warm up and 20 mins actual test. If I take the road nearer my home, it means I have to do a loop. That also means I will have a very short breather. I supposed the further road is more ideal but I’m lazy to drive that far.


Apology, I don’t have much knowledge on its technicality which method is more right. Will a ftp done on trainer good simulation for a road test? Will the short breather cause an incorrect reading? Ok, I’m trying to get as accurate as possible, perhaps maybe not much of a concern for the loop.


Pse advise.

 

[Rob3rt]

Do you have a power meter?

 

[Dusty Bin]

As above - how are you measuring FTP?

 

[VamP]

I will assume that you do have a PM.

Read A Coggan's book. It will help you not just with this question but it is an absolute must read for anyone starting with power meters.

As for the test, the Friel test will overestimate your FTP, you are better off using the Coggan test - warm up, 5 mins hard, rest then 2 x 20 minutes, and make your FTP calculation based on the SECOND of the 20 minute intervals.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to do the test in a repeatable manner, so your local road is better, as you want to test every couple of months or so, and it is preferable to use the same road.

 

[Rob3rt]

I will assume that you do have a PM.

Read A Coggan's book. It will help you not just with this question but it is an absolute must read for anyone starting with power meters.

As for the test, the Friel test will overestimate your FTP, you are better off using the Coggan test - warm up, 5 mins hard, rest then 2 x 20 minutes, and make your FTP calculation based on the SECOND of the 20 minute intervals.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to do the test in a repeatable manner, so your local road is better, as you want to test every couple of months or so, and it is preferable to use the same road.

There is only one 20 minute effort in the Training and Racing with a Power meter book protocol. Although Coggan disputes whether this is the best method, and attributes the test protocol openly to Hunter Allen.

 

[screenman]

I would have thought a turbo and calibrated each time you test to be the way to go. Along with of course your PM.

 

[VamP]

There is only one 20 minute effort in the Training and Racing with a Power meter book protocol. Although Coggan disputes whether this is the best method, and attributes the test protocol openly to Hunter Allen.

You are right on both counts. The protocol I suggested is one I use, and came from a different Coggan source. Probably wattage or cycling forums...

In any case, it probably doesn't matter too much for the OP as long as he uses same method each time.

@screenman - I don't get anywhere near real world numbers on the turbo YMMV

 

[screenman]

Why not?

 

[Rob3rt]

Why not?

Most people put out less power on a turbo trainer than on the road, for various reasons. There is probably about 5 threads per month on this topic on the timetrialling forum, hah!

 

[screenman]

Interesting I wonder why that should be. Must admit I do not own a PM but HR wise I hit the same on both.

 

[novetan]

Do you have a power meter?

Yes, I do have a Power Tap. Still hearing you guys out which method is better, trainer or road?

 

[Rob3rt]

Interesting I wonder why that should be. Must admit I do not own a PM but HR wise I hit the same on both.

Varying things such as temperature, inertia of the flywheel vs inertia on the road etc

 

[VamP]

Do both and compare your numbers. If you're hitting higher numbers on the road that's what you should use to set your zones.

It's not a disaster if your first test is off, it's a self-correcting tool.

But do read the Coggan book.

 

[Rob3rt]

Yes, I do have a Power Tap. Still hearing you guys out which method is better, trainer or road?

Neither is BETTER.

TBH, I would have thought someone investing in a power meter would be a performance based cyclist and would have a half decent idea of training in general and would have then researched power based training a little bit more thoroughly than you appear to have done so in order to get some idea how useful it would actually be for yourself.

 

[screenman]

Varying things such as temperature, inertia of the flywheel vs inertia on the road etc

Well I learned something new today, thanks for that.