The Ramp Test is the most efficient and accurate way to assess your fitness on TrainerRoad. Compared to traditional FTP tests, it hurts less, removes pacing from the equation, and takes less time to complete. After taking a Ramp Test, your TrainerRoad workouts will be automatically scaled to your fitness level.
What is a Ramp Test?
The TrainerRoad Ramp Test is an assessment workout that uses gradual increases in power to estimate FTP. Starting with a 5-minute warmup and then every minute thereafter it gets slightly harder until the rider cannot maintain target power any longer. There is no success or failure in the Ramp Test, instead it is designed to find the limits of your ability and capture the most accurate possible snapshot of your fitness.
If you choose to accept the results, the FTP estimate established by the ramp test is automatically applied to your future workouts, customizing your training based on your fitness level. Riders should ideally take a ramp test every 4 to 6 weeks to ensure their workouts keep pace with their current abilities.
Goals of the Ramp Test
The Ramp Test is an assessment of your fitness, not a contest or a pass/fail exam. Therefore, while your task is to ride until the absolute last moment you are able, the goal of the test is to capture an accurate understanding of your ability, to which your future workouts are calibrated in intensity. Whether your FTP is found to have increased or decreased, an accurate result is a successful result as it will help you get the most out of your training. At the end of the test, you are given the option to accept or reject the results, so if you prefer you can keep your current FTP or manually adjust it.
How is FTP calculated from the Ramp Test?
We use 75% of your best one-minute power output as your FTP. It’s important to follow the target power as closely as possible as you progress through your test, but if you are above target for the final minute, the app will automatically reduce your result by a small amount. You do not need to finish a full step in the ramp for the test to be accurate, simply ride at the target power until you are unable to continue, whenever that occurs.
A custom training plan, automatically built for your goals.
How to Perform the Ramp Test
The Ramp Test is simply a graded exercise test. Your goal is simple: ride as close as possible to the target power for as long as you can, until the point at which you can no longer sustain the effort. It begins with a really easy 5-minute warmup and then every minute thereafter it gets slightly harder, and typically takes about 25 minutes to complete (including warmup and cooldown). Because the test is so short and includes a warmup it requires no special preparation aside for being reasonably well-rested and making sure your power meter or trainer is recently calibrated. Stay in the saddle the entire time, but use whatever cadence feels most comfortable. For specific details of the test click here.
When to Take the Ramp Test
The ramp test should ideally be taken every 4 to 6 weeks to ensure your workouts reflect your most recent fitness. It should also be taken after any long break from training, such as after illness or injury. Conveniently, all TrainerRoad training plans begin with a scheduled Ramp Test to assess your fitness and calibrate your upcoming workouts, and most Build Phase plans even include a ramp test midway through, to plot your progress. Since the test is short and relatively low-stress, you can test often without worrying about accumulating extra fatigue. You do not need any taper or special preparation in the days leading up to the test.
Group Ramp Tests
Ramp tests can also be completed using TrainerRoad’s Group Workouts feature – you can share video and audio with up to ten other friends while simultaneously taking the ramp test. Group ramp tests are great for providing an extra bit of motivation, to help push each other just a little bit harder. Each rider’s target power is individual to them and their results will be based only on their own ride, but real-time data from each rider is visible to everyone else in the group. For more about Group Ramp Tests click here.
Advantages of the Ramp Test Over Other Formats
Traditional FTP tests are challenging and very exhausting. Not only do many riders avoid testing outright, riders who do perform traditional FTP tests often fail to complete them properly, or perform them poorly and need to redo the test.
Over 7,000 tests were completed during our beta period with the new Ramp Test. The testing format and calculations were refined until we saw improved training benefits from subsequent workouts at the proper progression. To make the Ramp Test the best and most efficient fitness assessment for cyclists, the TrainerRoad ramp test addresses a number of factors that often impact the success of more traditional testing methods:
Pacing is a Nonissue
Even pacing over long durations is crucial with traditional testing protocols, otherwise your FTP estimate and training will suffer as a result. Pacing is a really hard thing to nail, and even experienced riders can struggle. The Ramp Test eliminates pacing from the equation altogether. Resistance increases every minute at a steady rate and you ride until you can’t maintain target power any longer.
You’ll Never Have to Retest Due to Failure
When riders simply guess at their FTP without some assessment protocol, they have a tendency to overinflate it. This comes at a great detriment to all the workouts that follow.
The Ramp Test begins at a low percentage of a rider’s previous FTP, and increases intensity until the rider reaches a point of failure. This structure has proven not to overestimate FTP. Even if a rider under or over estimates their FTP coming into the Ramp Test, the test starts at such a low intensity and ramps up so gradually that we’ll always get a usable and accurate result.
You Don’t Have to Switch Trainer Modes
With traditional testing, riders have found it a bit confusing with mode changes on electronic trainers. The Ramp Test solves this. Riders simply choose one mode and stick with it for the entire duration of the test, and we recommend leaving your trainer in whatever mode you normally ride in. Smart trainers with ERG mode offer no advantage or disadvantage over traditional trainers.
Less Overall Stress on the Body
Unlike traditional tests that require maximal effort for extended periods of time, the Ramp Test really only hurts for the last 2 or 3 minutes and then you’re done. This means less stress on the body overall, less recovery is required, and you have the option to follow your test up with a structured workout.
In summary, the Ramp test is the new preferred testing protocol to estimate fitness because it:
- Does not require even pacing
- Does not require trainer mode switching
- Is easier to repeat precisely
- Is less stressful on the body, allowing for a follow-up workout
- Hurts less
- Takes less time
- Allows for the most effective training
Ramp Test FAQ
Do you still have the old 8 minute and 20 minute FTP tests?
Yes, the 8 minute and 20-minute test aren’t going anywhere and you can still use them if you prefer them.
I went into the test fatigued and got a low score. I thought the Ramp Test is less dependent on fatigue?
While the new test may take less time and may exact a smaller physiological toll on the athlete, it is not any easier. You do need to be reasonably recovered and prepared for any assessment workout in order to obtain usable results.
Can/should I do the Ramp Test more often than the traditional 8 or 20 minute tests?
We still recommend assessing every 4-6 weeks. If you’ve taken some time off from training, resume training following an FTP assessment workout.
I’m a steady state athlete (TT or triathlon). Should I do the Ramp Test or is the 20-minute test a better assessment for me?
We recommend the Ramp test. Even though the intensity of the effort required during the final steps of a Ramp Test is well above the intensity required during a longer, lower-intensity effort, the information gleaned from the ramp protocol is more accurate than an FTP estimate based on a poorly paced 8- or 20-minute test. With a sufficient level of commitment and freshness, this format leaves little room for error in cyclists of all disciplines.
What if I score higher on the 8 minute or 20 minute FTP test?
If you score slightly higher we recommend you still take the Ramp Test result and see how training goes. We’ve seen a lot of athletes not fall into the 90% and 95% reductions on those tests and they struggle doing sustained threshold work or any Vo2 max work after “overtesting”. As you train, if you feel that typically very hard workouts are just too easy you can always manually adjust your FTP.
If you score a big difference in FTP between testing protocols we recommend you check the following:
- Did you REALLY dig deep and go hard?
- Are the two tests recent and on the same equipment?
- Do you have excessive fatigue?
- Did you have a major power dropout during your Ramp Test?
- Were you able to achieve a level of performance similar to recent PRs?
Can I increase the warmup?
Due to the very low-intensity nature of the warmup and the fact that it’s scaled to your previous or predicted FTP, this assessment incorporates a sufficient warm-up period that will adequately prepare riders for the higher-intensity steps that will close the ramp assessment. If, however, you’d prefer to add a few extra minutes of warmup time prior to beginning the Ramp Test, do so every time you perform a Ramp Test in order to keep the results and protocol consistent.
Should I do the test in aero position?
Yes. If you plan to race and do the majority of your training in the aero position, testing in the aero position is recommended. Aero positioning often recruits the pedaling muscles in slightly different manners than more upright positions. Aero positioning also changes the stress on other, less obvious muscles which can contribute to the strain you’ll experience when training or racing in an aero position. So establishing an FTP that is specific to these altered demands is appropriate.
Should I do this test in ERG mode?
If you have a smart trainer we recommend that you do the test in ERG mode (default). A smart trainer is not required and those doing the test in ERG mode do not have an advantage over individuals on a traditional trainer.
What is a good ride to do after the Ramp test to keep my TSS inline with the 8/20 minute tests?
It’s not required to do a workout after the Ramp Test. But for riders who want to get a little work in, we recommend actively recovering for 10-15 minutes followed by one of these workouts:
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how is FTP calculated if I stop at 45s of the final minute step? e.g. can’t do any longer to full minute? Is the test failed in such case?
Hey Robert!
The test takes your max one minute power, regardless of how far you’ve made it through the step. For example, if you only make it 15 seconds into the final step, then 15 seconds of your one-minute max power will come from the last step and 45 seconds from the step before it, which raises your one-minute average power. The longer you persevere, the higher your earned FTP will be. So stay strong; every second counts!
Hi guy’s
Following your podcast and blog, now and then, here in Holland. Doing amateur race cycling at the age of 45. MTB/cross in the winter as training. A few teammates are also very enthusiast about the Trainer Road, and maybe I will also try it out next season. Not sure yet. I enjoy listening anyway, most of the time 🙂
About this article I have some questions of critics: I suppose you did not conduct the research in the way to find out what the correlation is between different ways to determine the FTP? Is there a golden standard to refer to? Instead you say we found the value that produces the best training results. Also, you use words like accurate estimate. It is legitimate and a necessity to try to find this value that you are using to program the training, and to try to make it more easier to determine, but I do not know how accurate this new founded FTP is to be used, for instance, for time trial? If it is not. maybe you should call it differently then FTP. Your goal was not to determine the FTP, but to find this (mean) value that gives the best (mean) ‘training results’. That leads to the next question, what is the definition of the “best results”? Other thing that you probably should publish is the standard deviation. You probably used the mean value of those 7000 cases? I know that the training is as much art as it is science, and that’s why difficult. But the FTP is not the only important aspect for a road cyclist. For triathlete or time-trialist maybe much much more. Maybe idea for the next possibility is a 3min ‘all-out’ test: https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/expphysiol.2007.039883 And to use more then just the FTP, like the full power profile.
I appreciate your development though, and I found it interesting that you guys in the States gave our beautiful sport of cycling very nice platform to discuss the training issues and to learn from each other. And that Europe, where most of the cycling is happening, does not have something like that. Too conservative I suppose 🙂
Friendly greetings,
Ernest
Hey Ernest!
I appreciate your well thoughtful and reasoned comment. Let’s see if I can clear some things up.
While we did not do actual lab testing to arrive at the FTP calculation that we are using today, other researchers such a Ric Stern have. The Ramp Test that we created uses your VO2 max as a limiter, and we then use a calculation to relate your VO2 Max to your FTP. Of course, this will be different for different athletes, but according to Ric Stern, this relationship places your FTP at 72-77% of your max one minute power when using a ramped testing protocol.
We did not simply use this calculation though. When we began Beta Testing, we had the adjustment set at 0.77 times your max one minute power. We then had thousands of Beta testers try this test, go onto complete workouts at their new FTP, and provide feedback. Overall, this estimate was too high for too many people. We reduced the adjustment to 0.76. After a few thousand more tests, we assessed that the estimate was again, too high. We then reduced it to 0.75 which, based on our experience with the test and the feedback from the testers, yields an FTP estimate that allows users to successfully complete their workouts. And as it happens, that value falls right in the middle of the 72-77% range.
As for the “accurate estimate” phrasing that we used in the press release, it is important to note that every FTP test that takes place outside of a lab environment is an estimate. The 8 and 20 minute tests have been around so long that they are a staple in every cyclist’s training, however, that does not mean that they are anything more than an educated estimate at the end of the day. While they all aim to estimate your Functional Threshold Power, every cyclist is different and as a result, there will be outliers who lie either above or below the average that is used to calculate the test. The Ramp Test is the same way; we have come up with a formula that will provide most people with an accurate estimate of their FTP, but in a less time consuming and stressful way. And since the goal of the test was to estimate your Functional Threshold Power, it would be counter-intuitive to name the output anything other than FTP.
Now, should Time Trialists and Triathletes blindly follow the FTP that the test spits out for their race day pacing? Of course not. And they shouldn’t blindly follow the FTPs that are spit out of the 8 and 20-minute tests either. You FTP is something that you need to experiment with a little bit to see what is a truly sustainable effort for you. By training at the given FTP, you have the opportunity to determine if the level is too high, too low, or just right.
And while we do not plan to adopt a full power profile testing criteria at this time, we have some other research projects that will hopefully render such intensive and stressful testing unnecessary 🙂
I hope I addressed all of your questions, let me know if there is anything I can clear up!
Based on my current FTP (272w) I see that the last interval of the Ramp test is at 370w. What if (hopefully) I am able to go further and keep another one or two intervals above that? Should I continue or stop?
Hey Antonis!
As you ride, the Ramp Test will auto-populate more and more steps for you. You won’t stop until you are fully exhausted and cannot continue any longer. Every second counts!
Sounds nice with an updated test format. I always found the old format quite hard to get motivated doing…
But what about all the “new” angles at testing for an athlete’s capabilities above FTP, i.e. iLevels and 4dimensional power from other training services – does the ramp test bring us closer to hitting the right targets at intervals above ftp?
The Ramp Test does not aim to estimate an athlete’s full power profile but is simply a new and improved way to find your FTP. We do not plan to adopt a full power profile testing criteria at this time, but we have some other research projects that will hopefully render such intensive and stressful testing unnecessary.
@Antonis: If you can go further, go as far as you can… till you really can’t any more. But (!) stay at prescribed power level and do not “ramp up”.
Could the Ramp test be used as openers the day before a race? I’m usually well rested going into a race weekend after a short taper but like to do Scott’s Peak as openers.
Hey Michael!
The Ramp Test would not be a particularly good race opener. Race openers like Scott’s Peak are good because they mix high intensity with plenty of low-intensity, endurance paced riding. The Ramp Test would be a bit harder on you if you were to do it the day before a race. Best to leave pre-race routine to workouts designed specifically for that purpose 😉
Cheers,
Bryce
@ Bryce Lewis
Thank you for the elaborate answer 🙂 It is interesting subject.
I will try to find out more about your training programs and your approach or philosophy.
For my practical use I think I will first experiment with 3min all-out test.
Advantage of this test is that you can get a good estimate of your whole power profile, including the FTP (or critical power). Time ago the researchers found a very high correlation on the critical power determined with this method compared with the ‘standard’ test’s. This is also a maximal suffering, but only for 3min. Incremental test to exhaustion is also not a peace of cake. I have done few of these as part of the medical examination for the racing licence. All tests have in common the mental readiness or willing to go deep, because they all hurt 🙂 Considering this mental aspect maybe I would give more chance to the 3min all-out test, because the critical power would be determined as the average of the last 30 seconds, because at the end of the test you come into the aerobic steady state.
Another advantage to use more information then just the FTP is that you can try to make programs for different type of riders and different type of goals (probably you have those different plans), and to test their power profile and follow their progress quite easy.
You can read more in:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.nl/&httpsredir=1&article=1020&context=nutritiondiss
@Ernest Boskovic: I think the problem/difficulty with the 3min all-out test is, that one really has to be willing to go all-out. Depending on age and type (sprinters, allounders, marathonistis) it can/will hurt mentally very much and can cost a lot recovery points. When not really done as true all-out, result will be overestimated, I guess. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29203319)
I think TR‘s approach with the ramp test is good/solid: mentally not killing, test is worth to be called a workout, users get a number to work with, not overcomplicated.
Would doing the LSCT warmup prior to the ramp test affect the result much? I often use the “old” LSCT format (4/4/3 minutes instead of the current 6/6/3) prior to a workout so I have some base numbers on how fatigued I am.
I think you mean to say a 25% reduction instead of a 75% reduction right?
I have performed it twice now and really like it too.
@ Brice: I have tried the 3min all-out test and I had to stop after 1’20” or so, after the first attempt. I have to admit, it was really too brutal 😐 Maybe I will try it another time. To conduct this test right you have first to maximal sprint, and to burn all your anaerobic component, before you come into the steady aerobic state, anyway…
Regarding the ramp test that you suggest I have some questions:
1) What exact protocol do you use? E.a start power, step power size, step time size. I would like to compare it to the some standard tests used by the sport doctors when doing medical check on the athletes.
2) When using a ‘regular’ trainer (like Tacx Satori) that have only the possibility to change the resistance (10 steps), my experience is that it is not easy to keep the target power without fluctuations. It is also not easy to quickly (every step) combine the resistance and gear that you have to match the preferred cadence for a given power of every step. Also my experience is that power at higher resistance (and lower cadence) feels not the same (is harder on the muscles) then power at lower resistance (and higher cadence). The chosen resistance and prescribed power of the step has to be in the range of the cadence (like my preferred between 90 and 110 rpm).
I understand that you use the average power of the last minute and multiply by 0.75 to determine the FTP, so some fluctuation is not a big issue, I suppose.
3) I would suggest to use minimal and maximal target FTP power (like a target zone, instead of 1 value), based on the 0.72 to 0.77 rule, to cover for some differences between the persons, like anaerobic capacity (FTP would be overestimate for the people who have a very good anaerobic capacity developed) and the mental readiness at the moment of the test. Also the founded FTP would fluctuate probably on day-by-day basis, depending on our freshness. In all those cases of possible error it would be nice to see that you are at the target zone when conducting a particular workout.
I’m hoping for some guidance. I am a triathlete doing 1/2 iron and shorter distances. FTP of 273 based on 20 min test done in a non-aero (i.e. upright) position on TT bike. Today I did the ramp test and ended up with a suggested FTP of 255. I did this entirely in aero.
In my training I generally try mix in some aero position work on the sub-threshold work but anything at FTP or above is generally upright.
Should I accept the 255 FTP from the ramp test and focus my training in the aero position even for >FTP work?
I really enjoyed the ramp test and the go-until-you-fail effort, although my kids weren’t so impressed with the screaming and shouting coming from the basement.
Cheers!
Minor typo – the blog states:
“a 75% reduction of your highest 1-minute ”
I think you meant a 25% reduction i.e. when you multiply the highest minute by 0.75, you’re reducing by 25%.
Your ramp test is nothing new. It is the Conconi test that has been used since the 1990s. Over the years research has had shown it not to be a very reliable testing protocol to determine threshold values. It may be an easier method than the common 20 min FTP but it’s accuracy is questionable.
If anyone is serious about their racing then invest in a Lactate test from a reputable testing source. You spend thousands of dollars on training, gear, coaching, travel, nutrition, etc., another $175 is well worth the money and reduces the accuracy concerns tremendously.
I’ve been using TrainerRoad for about a year now and have made incredible improvements (nearly 50watts!) by following the plans. I’ve always used the 20min ftp test and have found it to be a very accurate number by which to base my training around. I recently (6mo ago) moved from sea level to 6200′ and needed to re-establish my ftp to account for the altitude. Of the last 3 tests I’ve taken, the first two were of the 20min variety and the last was the new ramp test protocol. For the 20min tests I scored 350w for both, and 362w for the ramp test. I tried out the higher power and could not complete threshold or vo2 workouts. I checked my 1min and 5min power and it was 441w and 399w. Using your 75% method, that should’ve put my ftp at 330w, which is much too low. Instead, my ftp came out to 82% of my 1min power. I have no problem with the ramp test protocol, but the results are suspect. What do you think?
This is unusual, it should not be possible for your result to be higher than 75% of your max one minute power. If you reach out to our Support Team at support@trainerroad.com, they should be able to investigate and see what is going on here.
Cheers!
Thanks for your reply, Bryce. I actually did reach out to TrainerRoad support and one of your agents, Lauren, informed me that she manually calculated the results herself and came up with the same number as the FTP Ramp Test. So I don’t know, maybe there was an error. Anyway, I started another SSBHV1 plan yesterday and decided to give the Ramp Test another shot. I blew away my previous results by 36w with 1min @ 477w and 5min @ 435w. My FTP was calculated @ 358w, which is indeed 477 x .75. I rounded up to 360w 😛 and did the prescribed workout today. The sensations and data were inline with what I am used to expecting from such workouts. So I guess we’re all good for now.
All in all I’m satisfied with the results and am looking forward to further progress!
Hello.
If there is an explanation why step = 6% of previous FTP?
In our testing, a 6% step size was small enough to prevent “shocking” the user at each step, yet large enough to keep the test short and to the point. And as long as the same protocol is used for every test, the results will be comparable 🙂
hello, i love the 8 minutes test and it works very well for me ok,, but the week is planned with ramp test, allright i do 8 minutes test and changed on calendar, but the week with the 8 minutes is hard… the 8 minutes on 2 efforts with Vo2 max and many workouts in sst ( high volume 2 ) today i dont do the planned workout,.. fried legs,, i shoud skipp a workout?
When we switched over to the RAMP test, the rest of the plans remained unchanged. What that means is that the weeks were structured in the same way with the 8 Minute Test as the default. That being said, if you find yourself struggling to complete the week’s workload, selecting a “-1” or “-2” version of the planned workout could be a great choice. You can also skip the workout if that seems more appropriate for your level of fatigue 🙂
It’s always good to listen to your body’s signs and respect when you need a little more time to recover.
Good luck with your training!
Bryce,
I see your explanation on each step equating to 6% of FTP. I’m curious as to why the tests starts at a different % of previous FTP for different riders if the ramps are all 6%, the different starting levels result in varying numbers of steps until reaching previous FTP.
I am trying to get a better understanding. My 1 minute power in the ramp test is lower than my 1 minute power in two recent indoor time trial efforts that were 24 and 16 minutes long (the last minute each time). I found that curious and chalked that up to fatigue and likely a boost from standing for the final sprint.
All Ramp Tests start at 46% FTP and increase by 6% FTP each and every step, which means that the Test will be the same for everyone 🙂
As for the difference between your one-minute Ramp Test power and your 1-minute max power is that in the Ramp Test, you are going into that final minute fatigued. All the previous steps have tired you out, so it makes sense that your standalone one-minute power will exceed your Ramp Test one-minute power.
I hope that clears up your confusion!
I can’t find the ramp test
Just follow this link and it will take you straight there 🙂
https://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/workouts/385142-ramp-test
Hello.
I have an elite suito, trainerroad identifies the trainer, I can calibrate the speed, have it set for erg mode, and when I go to do the ramp test there is no increasing resistance. I am new to this technology but after all my trouble shooting and 4 ramp tests, I can’t get any resistance. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hey Trish,
In the pairing menu, do you see multiple instances of the Elite Suito? If so, be sure that you only pairing to the smart trainer option and not both. The Smart Trainer version is indicated by a small trainer icon, while the power meter version is indicated by a small crank icon in the corner of the Device tile.
For further troubleshooting steps, please reach out our Support Team and they will be happy to help you out and get you up and running smoothly 🙂