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Does Auto Detect FTP Actually Work?

So I've done a couple of workouts now where the Average 60 min Power & 60 Min Normalised Power has been 205w with the Average / Normalised Power for the entire workout including warm-up & cool-down being 188w / 198w. The current FTP setting on my profile is 200w. (Yep that low... though I am a lightweight)

On completion of the workout the Edge auto detects a new FTP as 194w. Now from my limited understanding of FTP shouldn't it have at least been detected as 205w?

Can anyone enlighten me or confirm if the FTP Auto Detect on their Edge is accurate?

0 anderfo over 3 years ago

I believe it calculates it only based on 20min power. And then it suggests that your FTP is 95% of that. So if you've done a very stable effort, e.g. 60min and 20min power was nearly equal, the FTP estimate might become lower than your 60min power.

0 Wongataa over 3 years ago in reply to anderfo

It doesn't just use 95% of 20 minute power. It uses an algorithm developed by Firstbeat which factors in time, power, heart rate, and heart rate variability.

As to whether the generated number is accurate, well that is up for debate. The only way to truly know your FTP is with lactate testing during a specific test.