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FTP Test using TrainerRoad 20min Protocol

I did an FTP testing using my 945 on my trainer using my new power meter and I copied the TrainerRoad protocol (20min ramp) which calculates FTP as 75% of your best 1min effort. This worked out to be 234w (best 1min was 312w). Garmin awarded me a new calculated FTP of 224w for the ride. Obviously there is some difference in how Garmin calculates FTP compared to TrainerRoad's method, anyone familiar with those differences?. Here is the link to Garmin Support about FTP but I don't see anything about their calculation (which is probably proprietary).

support.garmin.com/.../

0 MarinusvD over 3 years ago

mine 1 m is 299 while my ftp is 200 strange.

Before i had my power meters my ftp was calculated as 229 and that is 75% of my 1 m watt

0 badbri over 3 years ago in reply to MarinusvD

I don't think it's 75% of your 1min max, but only 75% of your 1min max during this dedicated Ramp test.

0 badbri over 3 years ago

After some more reading, I discovered that Garmin's estimation includes HR in the algorithm. Sounds like it calculates some deflection point in the HR bpm ramp to assist in detecting the watts at FTP.

0 NickMN over 3 years ago

yes, unless you are doing a steady 20min type test (95% of 20' avg) then gamin isn't going to go with the basic % of Power calc. I would ignore the Garmin FTP result, it is looking for a steady state HR vs Power result. A ramp test is the opposite of that. Just edit your FTP in garmin to the ramp test result from TrainerRoad.

Garmin has a function to manually start a 20min test with a warmup until you hit the lap button.

0 badbri over 3 years ago in reply to NickMN

Makes sense, thanks Nick.

0 mcalista over 3 years ago

the default TR method is an open-ended ramp test, where it continues increasing the resistance each minute until the point of exhaustion. There is no specific time for this. TR also offer an alternative 20 minute FTP test (with warmup and anaerobic depletion). Just want to be clear on which method you are using.

Garmin basically use the inflection point in heart rate variability to detect LTHR, and try to associate a power number with that. The Garmin method is sensitive to how much threshold-specific (eg. over-unders) work you have been doing recently.

the TR ramp test is really about maximum aerobic power, and is sensitive to how much VO2Max work you have been doing recently.

TR are pretty explicit that they find this method pretty good for setting training levels, but that if you really want to identify your "threshold" (eg. for the purposes of a 40 km TT), then you may want to go with an alternative such as the 20 minute method.

0 badbri over 3 years ago in reply to mcalista

It was the dedicated Ramp test, it just happened to take (about) 20min, I popped between 19-20min in. I chose this FTP test over the more common 20min test(s) because I was concerned about pacing myself as I'm new to Power meters (but not cycling). This method takes pacing out altogether, and just seemed more appealing to me. Maybe I'll explore the other tests as I move along.