Was planning one for a while but while servicing the bike due to needing a new chain. Thank you Alex for the video. I found my bottom bracket needs about 100 watts just to turn it. Wondered why my power was down recently, thought I was just fatigued.
I do the Zwift ramp test about once a month. The full FTP test looks way too unpleasant but the ramp test is a decent workout and the unpleasant bit is only the final few minutes! The last jump of 20 watts always feels like 200 watts have been added 😂
@@utterlyexiged that makes no sense..If I stand at the 300w mark do I need to do that every time?..I agree that you need to stay seated!..His result was 360w FTP?..laughable.
Big Watts Conor! Really impressive! I bet Manon cheering you on is a +10W increase. For me personally i love that i can have a number that represents my power. It motivates me to continously improve it. Did some ramp tests after i started cycling in june. First one was 206W after a bit more than one month of training. Then i got to 229W in September, 249W mid October and since then i only took the new FTPs from my new best 20 minutes powers i got in Zwift races. Currently sitting at 296W@71kg FTP. Ramp tests usually overestimated my FTP by a bit and i feel the lower your FTP the more the ramp tests overestimates. The 20 minute power from races might underestimate the FTP as the races aren't pacing you properly, but since i raced 24 races since start of November my body just didn't ever felt like doing a proper Test 😅
I am so sold on a smart trainer for next winter season! Running is great to build a solid fitness level during winter but the muscles used when cycling are just too different, at least that is what I’ve experienced in my first ride for 2022 today 😅 Great job Connor and Manon and greetings from Germany.
One article stated Connor having an FTP of 470 a few years ago. Insanely strong! This episodes result of 360 is still super good for an ex pro (who still looks fit!). This is what talent looks like!
Another great note is that with your newfound FTP, you can start using the Zwift workout programs. I just did my ramp test a week ago and got an FTP of 210 coming off a really inactive year, so I am now doing the 6 week FTP builder to see if I can make any gains.
You must be spying on me. I started on a smart trainer and Zwift only about two weeks ago. I had already decided to test FTP on the ramp test today before this went live. I got 210W. Probably not too bad considering the lack of riding I've been doing the last few years, and the half century of my age. P.S. Bonus tip: check the batteries on your equipment. I lost the heart rate monitor when I got to the 200W block.
Yea it's w/kg that's really the magic /effective number. Mine is generally higher but someone lighter would be more "powerful" on the same climb with less effort
@@willgoogle4937 Disagree. W/kg is important if you want to climb fast, but pure Watts is more important if you want to go fast on the flat or be good at sprinting. GCN conveniently did a nice video explaining this earlier this week.
It's these videos that makes me wish the bike trail that runs parallel to the train tracks went for a much longer distance than it does. 5k doesn't feel long enough to get a good feel for my improvements.
Ramp test seems fun, it doesn't take long to measure our ftp.. In my opinion, you need to ride free about 30 minutes then take the ftp test.. mine doesn't go well when straight to the test without any warm-up (even ftp test does has warp-up but it is too short)
You forgot to tell what it's for (setting the workout intensity), that the ramp test is less precise than the 20 minute test, and that there are other testing protocols based on feeding the software like Strava or Training Peaks with a well-paced time trial.
What I noticed is that (at least for my particular case) - Ramp test always calculates a 10% higher FTP than regular FTP Test - I very often failed at FTP Test shorter, ending up with a 10% lower FTP than regular test… By the way, congratulations Conor, that’s a massive FTP!!! (I feel ashamed of my 204W despite 3 years of intense practice 😢)
I did an FTP before I watched this video on my Kickr with Zwift. I did the long test and didn't know I shouldn't have ridden hard the day before. The rubber leg syndrome after the ride is real.
Perfect time for this video. I’ve just started and done Zwift 3 times and 1 stage of tour de Zwift Tuesday. I finished that with 178 avg W. What FTP test would you recommend to a newbie like me who have just started?
Hey MarteeN, thanks for watching! I'd recommend the ramp test lite. It'll give you a great benchmark FTP to work off. As you progress I'd go for the shorter FTP test. Constantly checking your FTP is a good way of making sure you're always working at the right intensity relative to your ability. Good luck! Conor
Once I do the FTP test in zwift, what does zwift do with that number? Does it change anything in the regular zwift workout routines or does it mess with the ERG? (Example: workout has me ride at 240 Watts for 2 minutes, will that be harder with a higher recorded FTP in zwift?)
LOL when I did short FTP test I lost 24 watts, I never did test will in school. Gong to have to try the ramp test. Zwift set my FTP from me riding alpe du Zwift. So I have been using that number in my training plans.
There is also the GPLama HPTek ftp test. Each ramp is 2.5minutes and it takes into account how much you did of the last ramp you can't complete). I wonder which gives the most accurate FTP result (or best estimate), 2.5min ramp or 1 min ramp. Does anybody know, tried or compared the two ?
I like doing the ramp test more than the FTP, but my results are really different: with the ramp test I have an estimated FTP of 285, and with the standard FTP test I'm between 250 and 260... I think for me the regular test is more accurate because I know I'm not able to hold 285. (Yet...)
Had the same experience. The difference was about 15% in my case and threshold training sessions based on the higher ramp test based FTP were simply impossible. So I did the normal test to get a rough number and then redid it a week later knowing the approximate number as a guide for pacing. Now, the training sessions are pretty hard but manageable. Just as they should be...
All of the tests are just estimates. Even if you ride for an hour it would only be your guess of what your max was. All the estimates rely on formulas which aren’t going to be the same for everyone. You might have a better 8 or 20 min power than they expect. You might have better or worse muscle endurance than typical. I could ignore the ftp that the ramp test gave me and use the one based on real life 20 min power and got through 4 weeks of the Zwift training plan but then I was over trained and needed time off. In the end I decide the progressions on Zwift were too rigid so I’m using the ramp test results in TR which uses adaptive training to keep the progressions tailored for me. When the plan is complete and I’m riding outside again I’ll revert to my outdoor ftp
Point of clarification, a lot of ppl can’t actually ride at their lactate threshold for an hour. It’s still their ftp but they’re not trained at holding that intensity for that long. Ftp doesn’t always mean 1-hour power.
@@sportbikejesus I think FTP is defined as 60 minute power, and that lactate threshold power that people can hold for various lengths of time is called the critical power (CP).
I used to think the FTP ramp test overestimated my FTP. However I normally do a challenging workout that I'm very familiar with at my new FTP and find that I can always complete the workout with the right amount of suffering, so in my opinion I think that shows my new FTP to be correct. I wonder with the standard 20 minute test if pacing is the real issue that results in a lower FTP ? Either way I think that as along as you always use the same type of test then you can measure your progress .
Should I be hitting my max heartrate on a ramp test, my legs give up first. Am I too quick to give up? Is it a mental thing and should my legs be able to keep pushing until max heartrate?
Hopefully, but sometimes your legs go first. It can be fatigue ue from previous exertion or perhaps a little under the weather. And I think K as you get star nger, your hr and leg power peaks coincide.
Nice explanation on the FTP. I just bought a smart trainer and I thought zwift calculated your ftp automatically during the rides? Is the ftp only accurate if you do the test?
Unless you do a maximal effort of sufficient duration, the FTP estimate will undershoot. If you do a time trial effort of over 30 minutes with a slight ramp up at the end to failure, the autocalculated estimate will be very precise.
Zwift auto calculated my ftp at 260, I will do the ftp test this weekend and compare the results. Depending on the result i will determine if I will do future ftp tests or just let zwift decide what my ftp is.
That said, I'm not sure if Zwift is as smart as Golden Cheetah, Training Peaks, Strava, who model the mean max power curve and estimate the FTP from that, or if it just takes 95% of your best 20 minute power.
@@paulim8703 How are you supposed to know how hard to go at it though? You could quite easily end up going too hard, or not hard enough. Ramp test is more user friendly: you just do as you are told.
I recently bought a Kicker and have my Cannondale Topstone set up. Going to finally get serious about off season. Dropping weight, actual proper training and an FTP test or 2. Pray for me.
I have a Garmin Edge 8 coupled with a Garmin Vivoactive 3 for heartrate, speed and cadence sensors and my Edge gives me FTP numbers. How is it getting those with no power meter?
Garmin also somehow calculates VO2max and I asked my coach about that numbers. He said that I should forget about them, they are very inaccurate and you could as well guess.
Where they don't have a known figure, theyll probably look at tables for average people by weight, for instance. It gets the job done, but starts adding errors in.
FTP=Find the Pavement....no need for electricity, fans, electronic screens, hamster-esque expensive riding machines, expensive apps or numbers to confuse or demoralize oneself. Or it COULD stand for Find the Pastries. I gave it thumbs up anyway since I adore the presenters. :D
The *File Transfer Protocol (FTP)* is a standard communication protocol used for the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is built on a client-server model architecture using separate control and data connections between the client and the server. FTP users may authenticate themselves with a clear-text sign-in protocol, normally in the form of a username and password, but can connect anonymously if the server is configured to allow it. For secure transmission that protects the username and password, and encrypts the content, FTP is often secured with SSL/TLS (FTPS) or replaced with SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
Got to love an FTP test! Great to keep track of how you are doing, but is it nonsense until paired with your weight to give your watts per kilo? I’m putting out slightly more power than I was last year, but at 16kg lighter, I feel far more ‘useful’ when I hit an incline!
@@liam2134 it does, but if you weigh less or more at the same power, it has an effect. Muscle weighs a lot, so packing on those pounds will make you stronger, but how does affect power to weight ratio? I suppose I just depends on what kind of riding you like doing or want to excel at.
Absolute Power is important on the flat and certainly for sprints. Power to weight is the way to measure your hill climb capability. GCN just did a video explaining this nicely - I hope I understood!
#AskGCN Can I fit a 135mm hub into my 130mm aluminium frame? I can’t find my specific hub (straight pull, disc) with 130mm size for a relatively normal price… :(
Love Manon and Connor, but like in the Carbohydrate, fat, vs. protein only video how come she gets the easier option compared to poor old Connor? 😄 Manon kicks ass. I'm sure her FTP is amazing!
Never had a thing as FTP back in the day so you became very in tune with your body and knew when you could go harder and when to back off a bit. And when racing all FTP numbers are out the window, unless you want to be left behind. Do yourself a favor and learn how to listen to your body. I'm not saying knowing this information isn't useful but you're body can do more at times than what the numbers say. Don't get fixated on the numbers.
Dr Andrew Coggan, who coined the term FTP, is very vocal against ramp tests, too. Even the 20 minute test makes the assumption that athletes are able to hold 95% of your 20 min power for an hour. It's not necessarily true for everyone, with the actual 60/20 minute ratio falling somewhere roughly between 0.90 and 0.98. The ramp test will overshoot for punchy riders with good anaerobic power and high tolerance for lactate.
I’m pretty new to cycling and haven’t paid much attention to FTP or power meter data. I just got a smart trainer and ran an FTP test …then I see these GCN fools cranking out massive numbers like 360w for an FTP! How do you get so much power without legs that look like Mr. Olympia?!
There's no space in our house for a smart trainer (plus they are $$$) but the nearest I have come to determining FTP is (a) finding a gym bike which has a 'constant watts' setting (ie if your cadence drops the resistance increases) - unfortunately our current gym doesn't have those :-( ...or (b) finally getting sorted out with a cheap s/h power meter from eBay and having a crack at the local 'big hill' which takes me 10 min at an average of 300w - not sure how (or if?) 10 min power equates to FTP though. I'd really like to have a go on a Wattbike but I don't know any gyms in Sheffield that have one...
A proper Gym bike usable for this has to have an induction braking system (where the bike can measure the power exactly by measuring the current and the voltage of the generator), simpler ones have a magnetic brake system with constant magnets which don't measure the power exactly. I have the same problem like you, my own gym bike is simple and has no induction braking system and power meter pedals measuring only one side (the cheaper version compared to pedals which measure both sides) are at least 400 €
@@simonm1447 I'd presumed it had a strain gauge power meter in it somewhere, so you'd just measure the torque and multiply by the cadence? It was definitely noticeable that when you dropped from (say) 90 to 80rpm, the resistance increased sharply. They can't have been megabucks as the gym had about a dozen of them. I can't remember the brand though...
@@The1trueDave I removed the casing from mine a couple of days ago to look for a solution (maybe a retrofitted sensor), however mine has only a hall sensor measuring the cadence (and notice when you start to pedal), and nothing else. There's no sensor at the magnetic brake system, just a steel cable coming from a mechanic dial where you can adjust 8 steps. It has a display showing the calories the rider has burned, but it shows always the same if you test it with different settings at the same cadence for 5 minutes, independently which torque setting was chosen. If the one you used increased the resistance with falling cadence (to increase the torque you had to put into the pedals) it's probably an electromagnetic brake, since it can adjust the resistance by itself to maintain a certain wattage, a simple magnetic brake can't do that and has a linear resistance
It’s not ideal or even recommended as it could skew you numbers a bit but Conor is a talented former pro. He doesn’t have to adhere to any of our peasant FTP test ‘rules’.
you want to raise youre ftp do a semi-high intensity full body work out that uses different muscle that the test will use. explosive, compound, calisthenics is best for warming up. you will notice a big difference in threshold and breathe. running is also a good way to warm up for a strong bike session, biking to warm up to bike makes no sense if youre trying to get the best results
@@rotation-y2n an easier experiment would be ur max pull ups or rope climb. do something like light grappling for a bit then go do pull ups or rope climbs. i'v experienced 500 percent improvement at times. compared to if you just went in raw. you gonna warm up pull ups with pull ups and your muscles will be tired from the warm up plus it doesnt little to nothing to prep the cardio vascular system for a max effort. just like cycling you can max out your heart rate and oxygen intake by warming up on the bike but at the cost of your muscles endurance so you wont get the benefit of priming your cardio to the max but keeping fresh muscles.
@@rotation-y2n essentially we all have an tapped power or max ability. you dont just wake up and its there. some days it is some days its not. most days we dont get past the warm up. you ever consider why that is? i found some hacks that could help cheat the test in a way. bottom line is if you want crap ftp results then wake up drink a coffee warm up on the bike and have at it. your body will still be asleep and compromised
Haha! Trying to encourage newer riders to do an ftp test by showing Conner achieving an outrageous 360 watts! Maybe don’t aim for that kind of power straight away 😂
How does Conor generate so much power from those long skinny legs? What was your FTP in your prime? How about a GCN challenge to see who has the highest FTP and the highest W/k FTP.
Did you do an FTP test with the help of this video? How did it go? Let us know down below 👇
No.
Was planning one for a while but while servicing the bike due to needing a new chain. Thank you Alex for the video. I found my bottom bracket needs about 100 watts just to turn it. Wondered why my power was down recently, thought I was just fatigued.
I do the Zwift ramp test about once a month. The full FTP test looks way too unpleasant but the ramp test is a decent workout and the unpleasant bit is only the final few minutes! The last jump of 20 watts always feels like 200 watts have been added 😂
I did the dreaded ftp once on the patio and due to giving the beans I promptly chucked up all over the patio
I can’t answer I’m in love
you forgot two critical pieces: 1) stay seated during ramp tests, 2) calibrate your power meter before starting the test
* calibrate after all equipment is at ‘operating’ temperature
As long as you stick to the same each time you take the ramp test, it doesn't matter whether you remain seated or not.
@@utterlyexiged doesn't it? :O
@@utterlyexiged that makes no sense..If I stand at the 300w mark do I need to do that every time?..I agree that you need to stay seated!..His result was 360w FTP?..laughable.
@@utterlyexiged Surely you can put out way more power if you stand? How is that staying true to the purpose of the test? 🤔
These two are such a great addition to the great GCN Team :-)
Think Philipp, really appreciate those kind words. Thanks for watching! Conor
Big Watts Conor! Really impressive! I bet Manon cheering you on is a +10W increase.
For me personally i love that i can have a number that represents my power. It motivates me to continously improve it.
Did some ramp tests after i started cycling in june. First one was 206W after a bit more than one month of training. Then i got to 229W in September, 249W mid October and since then i only took the new FTPs from my new best 20 minutes powers i got in Zwift races. Currently sitting at 296W@71kg FTP. Ramp tests usually overestimated my FTP by a bit and i feel the lower your FTP the more the ramp tests overestimates. The 20 minute power from races might underestimate the FTP as the races aren't pacing you properly, but since i raced 24 races since start of November my body just didn't ever felt like doing a proper Test 😅
The Science Glasses definitely help, I actually understood that!
They give a 10% boost in IQ just through wearing them, it's fantastic.
Great job. That's why you are the best cycling channel. Bravo from Greece...
I am so sold on a smart trainer for next winter season! Running is great to build a solid fitness level during winter but the muscles used when cycling are just too different, at least that is what I’ve experienced in my first ride for 2022 today 😅 Great job Connor and Manon and greetings from Germany.
Awesome. I just purchased a Kickr and Zwift. I am late to the party. Going to do my first FTP this weekend.
Good luck!
"...put the fan on the ground..." Fanon. Manon.
I'll be here all week folks.
One article stated Connor having an FTP of 470 a few years ago. Insanely strong! This episodes result of 360 is still super good for an ex pro (who still looks fit!). This is what talent looks like!
Another great note is that with your newfound FTP, you can start using the Zwift workout programs. I just did my ramp test a week ago and got an FTP of 210 coming off a really inactive year, so I am now doing the 6 week FTP builder to see if I can make any gains.
Brilliant. What a great effort and cool vid. Keep them coming. Manon’s turn next, surely?! :-)
I agree. (And stop calling me, ‘Shirley’)
Thanks joe, glad you enjoyed this one!! Def Manon's turn next....
You must be spying on me. I started on a smart trainer and Zwift only about two weeks ago. I had already decided to test FTP on the ramp test today before this went live. I got 210W. Probably not too bad considering the lack of riding I've been doing the last few years, and the half century of my age.
P.S. Bonus tip: check the batteries on your equipment. I lost the heart rate monitor when I got to the 200W block.
Spookily, I've done a ramp test tonight for the first time, 232W, well pleased with that. I then sat down and watched this.
It's not about Watts, its about Watts Per Kilogram. Power to weight ratio is what you're ultimately after.
Yea it's w/kg that's really the magic /effective number. Mine is generally higher but someone lighter would be more "powerful" on the same climb with less effort
It works out to 3w per kg. Still really Happy with that. 54 year old, type 1 diabetic. Just glad to still enjoy my riding.
@@willgoogle4937 Disagree. W/kg is important if you want to climb fast, but pure Watts is more important if you want to go fast on the flat or be good at sprinting. GCN conveniently did a nice video explaining this earlier this week.
Wow, what a nice timing, earlier today I watched an older video of yours talking about the same thing.
My advice is to have an energy gel before your effort and even during.
It's these videos that makes me wish the bike trail that runs parallel to the train tracks went for a much longer distance than it does. 5k doesn't feel long enough to get a good feel for my improvements.
Ramp test seems fun, it doesn't take long to measure our ftp..
In my opinion, you need to ride free about 30 minutes then take the ftp test.. mine doesn't go well when straight to the test without any warm-up (even ftp test does has warp-up but it is too short)
agree ftp warm up i’ve been given
(15’) feels too short
I need 20’
Connor challenging for the new “cycling shorts” model for the news show was classic!
Epic videos are coming nowadays. Thand You for these videos. Respect to Your works.
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
You forgot to tell what it's for (setting the workout intensity), that the ramp test is less precise than the 20 minute test, and that there are other testing protocols based on feeding the software like Strava or Training Peaks with a well-paced time trial.
What I noticed is that (at least for my particular case)
- Ramp test always calculates a 10% higher FTP than regular FTP Test
- I very often failed at FTP Test shorter, ending up with a 10% lower FTP than regular test…
By the way, congratulations Conor, that’s a massive FTP!!! (I feel ashamed of my 204W despite 3 years of intense practice 😢)
Different strokes for different folks my guy. Keep it up!
Indeed.and Connor's a pretty big chap as well, not forgetting a recent ex Pro!
I did an FTP before I watched this video on my Kickr with Zwift. I did the long test and didn't know I shouldn't have ridden hard the day before. The rubber leg syndrome after the ride is real.
Aren't you supposed to stay seated while doing the FTP test?
Yep
These two are way too flexible. They can be funny and serious at the same time. I love seeing how much they love riding.
my FTP is 7. i calculated it by licking all the spoons in a roadside cafe.
Perfect time for this video. I’ve just started and done Zwift 3 times and 1 stage of tour de Zwift Tuesday. I finished that with 178 avg W. What FTP test would you recommend to a newbie like me who have just started?
Hey MarteeN, thanks for watching! I'd recommend the ramp test lite. It'll give you a great benchmark FTP to work off. As you progress I'd go for the shorter FTP test. Constantly checking your FTP is a good way of making sure you're always working at the right intensity relative to your ability. Good luck! Conor
@@conordunne219 Many thanks Connor, just what I needed! Appreciate it.
Once I do the FTP test in zwift, what does zwift do with that number? Does it change anything in the regular zwift workout routines or does it mess with the ERG? (Example: workout has me ride at 240 Watts for 2 minutes, will that be harder with a higher recorded FTP in zwift?)
Nice. Thank you for explaining this.
LOL when I did short FTP test I lost 24 watts, I never did test will in school. Gong to have to try the ramp test. Zwift set my FTP from me riding alpe
du Zwift. So I have been using that number in my training plans.
Hey, ich bin bis jetzt immer ohne Sattel gefahren. Welchen empfiehlt ihr?
There is also the GPLama HPTek ftp test. Each ramp is 2.5minutes and it takes into account how much you did of the last ramp you can't complete). I wonder which gives the most accurate FTP result (or best estimate), 2.5min ramp or 1 min ramp. Does anybody know, tried or compared the two ?
Is there any benefit to using the power meter within the trainer vs on the bike?
Wow is the ramp lite new? I’m 58kg I should try this. Thank you
I like doing the ramp test more than the FTP, but my results are really different: with the ramp test I have an estimated FTP of 285, and with the standard FTP test I'm between 250 and 260... I think for me the regular test is more accurate because I know I'm not able to hold 285. (Yet...)
Had the same experience. The difference was about 15% in my case and threshold training sessions based on the higher ramp test based FTP were simply impossible. So I did the normal test to get a rough number and then redid it a week later knowing the approximate number as a guide for pacing. Now, the training sessions are pretty hard but manageable. Just as they should be...
All of the tests are just estimates. Even if you ride for an hour it would only be your guess of what your max was. All the estimates rely on formulas which aren’t going to be the same for everyone. You might have a better 8 or 20 min power than they expect. You might have better or worse muscle endurance than typical. I could ignore the ftp that the ramp test gave me and use the one based on real life 20 min power and got through 4 weeks of the Zwift training plan but then I was over trained and needed time off. In the end I decide the progressions on Zwift were too rigid so I’m using the ramp test results in TR which uses adaptive training to keep the progressions tailored for me. When the plan is complete and I’m riding outside again I’ll revert to my outdoor ftp
Point of clarification, a lot of ppl can’t actually ride at their lactate threshold for an hour. It’s still their ftp but they’re not trained at holding that intensity for that long. Ftp doesn’t always mean 1-hour power.
@@sportbikejesus I think FTP is defined as 60 minute power, and that lactate threshold power that people can hold for various lengths of time is called the critical power (CP).
I used to think the FTP ramp test overestimated my FTP. However I normally do a challenging workout that I'm very familiar with at my new FTP and find that I can always complete the workout with the right amount of suffering, so in my opinion I think that shows my new FTP to be correct. I wonder with the standard 20 minute test if pacing is the real issue that results in a lower FTP ? Either way I think that as along as you always use the same type of test then you can measure your progress .
Should I be hitting my max heartrate on a ramp test, my legs give up first. Am I too quick to give up? Is it a mental thing and should my legs be able to keep pushing until max heartrate?
Hopefully, but sometimes your legs go first. It can be fatigue ue from previous exertion or perhaps a little under the weather. And I think K as you get star nger, your hr and leg power peaks coincide.
OMG teacher Manon with glasses I could die
Nice explanation on the FTP. I just bought a smart trainer and I thought zwift calculated your ftp automatically during the rides? Is the ftp only accurate if you do the test?
Unless you do a maximal effort of sufficient duration, the FTP estimate will undershoot. If you do a time trial effort of over 30 minutes with a slight ramp up at the end to failure, the autocalculated estimate will be very precise.
Zwift does it also automatically while riding. Had my best FTP values during races or going all in on a longer climb. FTP test itself is less fun. :-)
Zwift auto calculated my ftp at 260, I will do the ftp test this weekend and compare the results. Depending on the result i will determine if I will do future ftp tests or just let zwift decide what my ftp is.
That said, I'm not sure if Zwift is as smart as Golden Cheetah, Training Peaks, Strava, who model the mean max power curve and estimate the FTP from that, or if it just takes 95% of your best 20 minute power.
Update: did the ramp test and it rated my ftp at 266 watt. A marginal difference imo.
Hi, can you guys do a review of the indoor cycling apps ie zwift and trainerroad
Ps love the content
"Maybe better to put the Fanon on the ground" *stares daggers*
Awwww! Manon sure is mean, eh. She held the fan in front of Conor, making him ride into a headwind. 😉
Which is more accurate-the standard 20 minute FTP tests or the FTP Ramp test (I’m well over 60 kilos so no Ramp Test Lite for me)?
Standard test
@@paulim8703 How are you supposed to know how hard to go at it though? You could quite easily end up going too hard, or not hard enough. Ramp test is more user friendly: you just do as you are told.
Which test to chose btw?
Good info! I'm digging Manon with glasses 🤓
I recently bought a Kicker and have my Cannondale Topstone set up. Going to finally get serious about off season. Dropping weight, actual proper training and an FTP test or 2. Pray for me.
I have a Garmin Edge 8 coupled with a Garmin Vivoactive 3 for heartrate, speed and cadence sensors and my Edge gives me FTP numbers. How is it getting those with no power meter?
Garmin also somehow calculates VO2max and I asked my coach about that numbers. He said that I should forget about them, they are very inaccurate and you could as well guess.
Where they don't have a known figure, theyll probably look at tables for average people by weight, for instance. It gets the job done, but starts adding errors in.
"I tried to upload my stats to my FTP and the server crashed at the results...."
The IT Cyclist.
FTP=Find the Pavement....no need for electricity, fans, electronic screens, hamster-esque expensive riding machines, expensive apps or numbers to confuse or demoralize oneself. Or it COULD stand for Find the Pastries. I gave it thumbs up anyway since I adore the presenters. :D
360 is fantastic!
I guess I need to do this to myself again sometime soon. ☹
Thanks!! Happy with that effort... christmas rides paying off here ha. Good luck on your next test!
Any suggestions on what to set trainer difficulty to during the test?
Now you need to make a video how to use the ftp based on the perceived effort you have on gcn training 🥰
The *File Transfer Protocol (FTP)* is a standard communication protocol used for the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is built on a client-server model architecture using separate control and data connections between the client and the server. FTP users may authenticate themselves with a clear-text sign-in protocol, normally in the form of a username and password, but can connect anonymously if the server is configured to allow it. For secure transmission that protects the username and password, and encrypts the content, FTP is often secured with SSL/TLS (FTPS) or replaced with SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
FTP was great 20 years ago for ripping songs for free
Did you copy and paste that or did you know it by heart? ;)
"I haven't even got time to get my shoes on"
*Auidble clunk as the cleat goes into the pedal*
That's just Conor's bony foot.
FTPs aside, Conor's mullet is really coming on a treat 👌
Got to love an FTP test! Great to keep track of how you are doing, but is it nonsense until paired with your weight to give your watts per kilo? I’m putting out slightly more power than I was last year, but at 16kg lighter, I feel far more ‘useful’ when I hit an incline!
That nonsense has quite a bit of sense in my opinion, it is still telling someone the are getting stronger or weaker
@@liam2134 it does, but if you weigh less or more at the same power, it has an effect. Muscle weighs a lot, so packing on those pounds will make you stronger, but how does affect power to weight ratio? I suppose I just depends on what kind of riding you like doing or want to excel at.
Absolute Power is important on the flat and certainly for sprints. Power to weight is the way to measure your hill climb capability. GCN just did a video explaining this nicely - I hope I understood!
@@paulim8703 I saw that too. I wish they had put both together. It now makes total sense. Working on muscle power again!
That ramp test can straight up go to hell 🥵
I always seem to be waiting for the perfect timing to do a test or a race, as if there was such a thing as perfect timing.
Dress for the weather, pump up your tires, and just do it! :) After the first mile, the legs will say, 'Yeah!"
Try Xert - it will work out your TP (and peak power) through any hard activity you do, rather than having to do tests.
Manon suits those glasses. Not sure I can say the same about Conor and that cap 😅
I think it's a bad hair day thing...
David Tenant jumpscare at 1:14
Manon fan on!
I do my ramp tests on a set of resistance rollers, obviously It isn't as accurate as I can't push extremes or i'll be off.
I watched this video directly after completing an indoor FTP test.
Conor is the man. If he was willing to do the drugs the rest of the peloton was doing he would have won races.
Manon is ❤️
#AskGCN Can I fit a 135mm hub into my 130mm aluminium frame? I can’t find my specific hub (straight pull, disc) with 130mm size for a relatively normal price… :(
No
Love Manon and Connor, but like in the Carbohydrate, fat, vs. protein only video how come she gets the easier option compared to poor old Connor? 😄 Manon kicks ass. I'm sure her FTP is amazing!
Wasn't she a track sprinter? In which case I reckon her ftp is probably not that good. 30 second power, however...
Never had a thing as FTP back in the day so you became very in tune with your body and knew when you could go harder and when to back off a bit. And when racing all FTP numbers are out the window, unless you want to be left behind. Do yourself a favor and learn how to listen to your body. I'm not saying knowing this information isn't useful but you're body can do more at times than what the numbers say. Don't get fixated on the numbers.
An analogy from Performance Car/Motorcycle dyno tuners = "wow - nice power numbers...but a Dyno has never won a real race..."
Thought no standing was allowed?for a level
My FTP is 300!
250 watts from my electric motor, and 50 watts from me. :)
Total Fox in those Glasses! 🤓
But what happens when I get a pump 1-2 hours into my ride and I feel like Superman for another good 30-60 minutes
In my case, the ramp test grossly overestimated my FTP. I cannot recommend that one at all.
Dr Andrew Coggan, who coined the term FTP, is very vocal against ramp tests, too. Even the 20 minute test makes the assumption that athletes are able to hold 95% of your 20 min power for an hour. It's not necessarily true for everyone, with the actual 60/20 minute ratio falling somewhere roughly between 0.90 and 0.98. The ramp test will overshoot for punchy riders with good anaerobic power and high tolerance for lactate.
I’m pretty new to cycling and haven’t paid much attention to FTP or power meter data. I just got a smart trainer and ran an FTP test …then I see these GCN fools cranking out massive numbers like 360w for an FTP! How do you get so much power without legs that look like Mr. Olympia?!
Stay seated during the ramp test!
There's no space in our house for a smart trainer (plus they are $$$) but the nearest I have come to determining FTP is (a) finding a gym bike which has a 'constant watts' setting (ie if your cadence drops the resistance increases) - unfortunately our current gym doesn't have those :-(
...or (b) finally getting sorted out with a cheap s/h power meter from eBay and having a crack at the local 'big hill' which takes me 10 min at an average of 300w - not sure how (or if?) 10 min power equates to FTP though.
I'd really like to have a go on a Wattbike but I don't know any gyms in Sheffield that have one...
A proper Gym bike usable for this has to have an induction braking system (where the bike can measure the power exactly by measuring the current and the voltage of the generator), simpler ones have a magnetic brake system with constant magnets which don't measure the power exactly.
I have the same problem like you, my own gym bike is simple and has no induction braking system and power meter pedals measuring only one side (the cheaper version compared to pedals which measure both sides) are at least 400 €
@@simonm1447 I'd presumed it had a strain gauge power meter in it somewhere, so you'd just measure the torque and multiply by the cadence? It was definitely noticeable that when you dropped from (say) 90 to 80rpm, the resistance increased sharply.
They can't have been megabucks as the gym had about a dozen of them. I can't remember the brand though...
@@The1trueDave I removed the casing from mine a couple of days ago to look for a solution (maybe a retrofitted sensor), however mine has only a hall sensor measuring the cadence (and notice when you start to pedal), and nothing else. There's no sensor at the magnetic brake system, just a steel cable coming from a mechanic dial where you can adjust 8 steps. It has a display showing the calories the rider has burned, but it shows always the same if you test it with different settings at the same cadence for 5 minutes, independently which torque setting was chosen.
If the one you used increased the resistance with falling cadence (to increase the torque you had to put into the pedals) it's probably an electromagnetic brake, since it can adjust the resistance by itself to maintain a certain wattage, a simple magnetic brake can't do that and has a linear resistance
@@simonm1447 I guess it could have been electromagnetic. It certainly reacted pretty quickly to changes in cadence.
5:58 Manon: not a fan
Manon next ....!!!
did Connor just stand up there? or is it allowed?
It’s not ideal or even recommended as it could skew you numbers a bit but Conor is a talented former pro. He doesn’t have to adhere to any of our peasant FTP test ‘rules’.
A watt is a watt.
@@ltu42 couldn’t agree more
No mention of W/K??? Surely that’s the key measure otherwise people watching will be trying to compare Watts only???
If you want fast on the flat, absolute Watts is more important. W/kg for climbing.
@@paulim8703 watts is important but not comparable, 60kg pushing out 300w is very different to 80kg pushing out 300w
Manon ❤️
Has Si ever voiced his opinion about the zip-ties on Conner's brake-lines? I mean - it mus drive him nuts.. ;)
500W? i canto go over 340W hahaha. well done!
An advert for swift
34857 Yost Circles
Better hair, Comner or Manon?
The locks do be flowing in this vid.
you want to raise youre ftp do a semi-high intensity full body work out that uses different muscle that the test will use. explosive, compound, calisthenics is best for warming up. you will notice a big difference in threshold and breathe. running is also a good way to warm up for a strong bike session, biking to warm up to bike makes no sense if youre trying to get the best results
Nah this comment makes no sense
@@rotation-y2n try it. it makes perfect sense, why do you think it doesnt
@@rotation-y2n an easier experiment would be ur max pull ups or rope climb. do something like light grappling for a bit then go do pull ups or rope climbs. i'v experienced 500 percent improvement at times. compared to if you just went in raw. you gonna warm up pull ups with pull ups and your muscles will be tired from the warm up plus it doesnt little to nothing to prep the cardio vascular system for a max effort. just like cycling you can max out your heart rate and oxygen intake by warming up on the bike but at the cost of your muscles endurance so you wont get the benefit of priming your cardio to the max but keeping fresh muscles.
@@rotation-y2n essentially we all have an tapped power or max ability. you dont just wake up and its there. some days it is some days its not. most days we dont get past the warm up. you ever consider why that is? i found some hacks that could help cheat the test in a way. bottom line is if you want crap ftp results then wake up drink a coffee warm up on the bike and have at it. your body will still be asleep and compromised
@@timtaylor9590 did your parents not give you enough attention as a child?
Haha! Trying to encourage newer riders to do an ftp test by showing Conner achieving an outrageous 360 watts! Maybe don’t aim for that kind of power straight away 😂
5:35 with Manon holding the fan my FTP would definitely boost 10%
Why not use (non-sponsored) Xert? No FTP test to interrupt your training.
Your body is always producing lactat at the same rate as its getting removed, as long as your under your Ftp. So your definition is a little wrong
mannon is looking fine these days!
I don't need a FTP test to tell me I'm slow.
Nice one Fanon!
So ftp is just what we used to call lactic threshold
A day too late. I did a Ramp Test on Zwift yesterday.
How did it go? 🙌
Stay seated. Zwift even says that.
360W average..? I can only do 344W max..;-;
So basically the answer to the video is to buy a smart trainer and a zwift subscription and run the FTP program...
Well you're going to need some kind of power meter and some method of measuring performance come what may.....
Lol, Strava estimates my FTP at 160 watts hahahaha. I love cycling but my body does not 😀
How does Conor generate so much power from those long skinny legs? What was your FTP in your prime?
How about a GCN challenge to see who has the highest FTP and the highest W/k FTP.
🤔
Long levers, I've heard...