Recommended power level

[iluvmybike]

OMG, I can't imagine going on a tour where I had to think about power zones! Isn't it all about the journey, the sights, the stop-offs, taking photos, being with mates, enjoying other cultures etc ? But any given group will have different abilities or fitness levels. If you are doing any kind of tour it is about being comfortable for hours and miles in the saddle - whether you plan on doing 30 miles a day or 80 miles a day or whatever. If you are carrying camping gear that can make a difference too compared to using hotels, B&B etc - so cycle with a bit of a load on some of the rides before you go in that case - the bike will behave differently with a big load on. The advice above re group dynamics is worth taking heed off - THAT can make or break a good tour

 

[Milkfloat]

I am well aware of my FTP and how it has changed over the season and years, it is pretty irrelevant 90% of the time I ride my bike and is not exactly a good measure to compare yourself anyway. Mine is about 270W at the moment, but I can easily be beaten uphill by someone with an FTP of 190W (I will get my own back on the flat and whilst descending). As others have said, being roughly matched with your touring partners is crucial, and it is not the power you need to be matched with, it is your outlook and plans. How many miles a day, when and where to eat, which type of road, what to stop for are all far more important than power. Most important of all, do they snore

 

[HarryTheDog]

I scanned through and you mention ftp in power ie 200 watts to compare to other people but really its watts/kg you need to compare to other people. 200 watts is great for a 7 stoner but rubbish for a 15 stoner.( ok should be talking kgs no stones etc) . When i train my app says 55-75% of ftp for endurance.
I am 58 and am a mediocre CX racer ( 2nd half of the race pack) with a ftp of just over 3 watts per kg, the old guys at the front are making around 4 watts per Kg. So before you ask someone their ftp you need to ask how heavy they are.

 

[randynewmanscat]

I just use a cateye vectra and look for 28kph on the flat with no headwind while carrying a 20kg load, it feels comfortable for me. As others have pointed out the important thing is for your cohorts and you to all feel comfortable at once. Nothing worse than watching your pals disappear into the distance.
One word of advice if you take tents at least: Don't make mileage targets, its wont be a holiday if you do. Trickier if you have to book hotels for sure.

 

[PaulSB]

@Jnow I can't imagine how FTP is relevant or important to touring. I'm an occasional tourer and like to feel I'm a decent cyclist. The key fitness levels for touring would be how long can you comfortably sit in the saddle, for what distance, at what average and can you repeat this day after day.

For me, and those I might tour with, the plan would be 70-80 miles a day, 12-13mph average and around 8-9 hours on the road - this would mean setting off 8.30/9.00 and reaching the next destination at 5.30/6.00pm but not sat on the bike all day.

It was mentioned you're planning to ride across Canada. If correct the crucial fitness will be being able to ride day after day for days on end. Forget power output, speeds etc. if you can't be sure of this.

You don't say what your "average" is which makes answers tricky. At 66 my average with friends would be around 16+ mph over 80 miles. Significantly higher than a sensible touring pace.

 

[rivers]

FTP shouldn't matter for touring. I'm still relatively green to touring, having only been on a few short tours myself, but I wasn't interested in my power during it. It's more about the journey to get there. The only time I'm paying attention to my power is during a training session. During leisure rides, it goes unnoticed, and in the middle of TT, I'm just concentrating on the road in front of me and trying to ignore the pain. I'll look at power stats after. But on touring trip, speed and power is irrelevant, it's the scenery that is. Hell, the bike I use for bikepacking isn't even equipped with a power meter or any speed/cadence sensors.

 

[cougie uk]

Don't worry about FTP. Some riders will be coasting and others almost flat out.
Put the strongest riders on the front and make sure the weaker riders can ride wheels. .
You could also get the fitter riders to carry more weight.

 

[snorri]

There's a lot to be said for solo touring.

 

[Jnow]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I confused the issue by not making clear that I was trying to find a training target that would help me ready myself for a “typical” touring pace. I see that such a number is either unknowable, or, at least, I don’t know it, so I’ve decided to just train “hard and long and reasonably often”, and take it from there. As suggested by the forum, I’m not planning to ride at a specific speed or power level or anything else as I expect those variables to be governed by group dynamics, the sights to see, the terrain to ride and the pace that is comfortable for the day’s slowest member. None the less, I appreciate the considerate and encouraging tone of all the replies - it confirms me in my opinion that this is a “safe space” where, these days, it seems that a lot of social platforms are not.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

If you want to get ready for touring then you want a large amount of riding at a steady pace where you are able to hold a conversation. Then add in a little intensity once a week that pushes you up to about 90% of your max HR.

Whatever you do don’t try going hard every time or you’ll crash and burn.

 

[Milkfloat]

The key for me when embarking on a big tour is being able to ride day after day. There is no point in smashing out a 5 hour 100 miles if you cannot ride again for 3 days. I always start small and build up when going on tour.

 

[mjr]

I've done enough riding with people faster than me to know that I don't like it. If people are being patronising kind and slowing down or waiting for you it's not great. [...]

It's not being patronising. It's because they think you are genuinely such a lovely person that they want to ride in your company enough that they are willing to make the small sacrifice of pedalling slightly more gently and not completely flaying themselves with the bike all the time.

 

[randynewmanscat]

There's a lot to be said for solo touring.

Yes. It was the classic way, Watts give way to Zen soon when the first days have passed.
Use the force, difficult when your socials are with you.
Edit for ludicrous spelling of past, dammit passed!

 

[Big T]

In my experience, when touring with a mixed ability group, you tend to split up on the road as everyone rides at the pace that’s comfortable for them, then come together at tea and lunch stops. This is especially the case on climbs. I did an alpine tour with 3 friends and there could be 30 minutes difference in arrival times at the top of a long alpine pass.

 

[Gravity Aided]

When I toured, I would have days with more energy and days with less energy, making wattage and other measures quite variable. Loads change as you tour, etc. Just realize that if you are waiting for a rider who always has to catch up with the rest of the group on a tour, that person will only get more tired if everyone takes off as soon as he gets there. I usually try, when in a group, to match speed with the slowest person in the group. I actually find that I can ride more miles per day in that way, but I live in a great flat place, and have rarely ridden in the mountains,( except for the Southern Tier of the Allegheny Mountains, and a bit of the Ozarks, and I was but a yoof.)