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Zwifters

1 lurker | 71 watchers
Feb 2021
11:01pm, 13 Feb 2021
73,192 posts
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Gobi
LOL Chris
Feb 2021
9:23am, 14 Feb 2021
17,232 posts
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Chrisull
But I listened to what people said on the thread here, and put it right by the third time! Right next stop will be a cat C race at some point, when I've sufficiently steeled myself for thought of the flat out sprint at the start.
Feb 2021
9:30am, 14 Feb 2021
677 posts
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Big_G
Chrisull, it sounds like we're very similar. From a recent FTP test, I am just on the boundary of Cat C/Cat B but I know I'd get blown off the back of a Cat B race. I don't mind that, but I've only done one race on Zwift, and that was Cat C where I finished pretty much in the middle.
Feb 2021
9:36am, 14 Feb 2021
13,512 posts
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larkim
What's the opinion of the various merits of the two types of FTP tests on Zwift? I only ever do the ramp because the more traditional one requires me to be in touch with my FTP at the beginning of the session which seems to me to be too easy to get wrong for a novice.
Feb 2021
9:41am, 14 Feb 2021
678 posts
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Big_G
larkim, in terms of accuracy, I have no idea what is best. But I prefer the ramp test personally, although even that I messed up the first time I did it (I've only done it twice). For whatever reason I didn't get the best out of myself the first time, as I think it was basically a shock how hard it got, in a very short space of time. The second time I was aware of that and did better even though I couldn't really have been any fitter with only a week or so gap between the two tests.
Feb 2021
9:41am, 14 Feb 2021
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Yorkshire Pie
I only ever do the 20 minute version, but I'm a time trialist so am used to that sort of effort.
Feb 2021
12:35pm, 14 Feb 2021
9,224 posts
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simbil
larks, either method is good enough for most people. If you ride a lot and do either one monthly it should settle down to a similar number.
Feb 2021
12:43pm, 14 Feb 2021
73,193 posts
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Gobi
The longer the test the more reliable it is likely to be but as SIMBIL says anything will give you enough to get started.

https://youtu.be/gtLSBnqR0Xo


Myself, TRO and Baz racing yesterday, good news is there is no scary face just the race.
Feb 2021
1:04pm, 14 Feb 2021
2,039 posts
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MudMeanderer
My understanding is that in a lab environment, where hooked up to oxygen and lactic measuring equipment, a ramp test is supposed to be a better scientific measure, because it's much more controllable and less susceptible to physiological elements (i.e. you can see certain features in measured curves, irrespective of where people actually stop).

However, the 75% of final 1min power is considered less reliable an estimate of FTP. It may underestimate FTP if you are pure time trialler and over estimate if you are very strongly anaerobic.

Ultimately though, it's a means to measure progress, and consistency of testing protocol probably matters more. If you were, for example, a crit racer for whom the idea of a twenty minute steady state effort feels incredibly alien, such that you can never get it right, and may be of limited relevance to your racing, a ramp test may be the best bet.
Feb 2021
1:15pm, 14 Feb 2021
73,195 posts
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Gobi
MM - you may be right, any lab test I have done has been a ramp

I have done a variety of other tests, personally the longer the effort the better my data

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