90th percentile 5 seconds, 80th for 60 seconds, only 45th in FTP

It takes a lot longer to develop FTP than it does to have instant power, in addition it’s just less common for serious but casual athletes to do the efforts required to build threshold capabilities. I had been riding bikes hard (group rides and such) for years before I started structured training, and during that entire period I never did any sort of sustained efforts like those prescribed in almost all structured training plans. My rides would routinely include a bunch of 1-2 minute stomps up hills, but holding threshold for 45 mins? Never. It just takes time to start moving the profile that direction.

Also, you’ve got a limited number of TSS coins to spend, and you’ll get better depending on how you spend them. If you focus on sustained power, you’ll probably lose some top end, and vice versa. That’s just the way it works. Even world tour pros don’t target being good at everything unless you’re last name is Merckx.

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Do you actually say it aloud? I usually do. :slight_smile:

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Green line = 2020
Blue line = All time, capturing some improvement with haphazard volume training.

In 2017, I would have been 10th percentile or lower for anything longer than 20 minutes.

Moral of the story: aerobic fitness takes time, but can continue to improve over many years.

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Green - aug 2020 to aug 2021 - road biking, first year of structured training.
Blue - aug 2021 to now - new to mountain biking and strength training, no more road bikes.

Noticed the difference in such a short time!

Nearly spit out my coffee!

Original poster: I’ve got a sprint but FTP is low, how much can I raise FTP and how to do it?
You: I roll out of bed and my entire power curve is well above average!
Original poster: so like that movie Freaky Friday, we need to go to a Chinese restaurant, get into an argument, read our fortune cookies in separate rooms, and the next morning our bodies will be switched?

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It’s interesting how the 20 and 60 minute numbers in that chart don’t really line up with the 20min FTP test protocol. Maybe because it excludes the five minute TT before the test?

I’ll use w/kg as it makes me look ok.


The grey line is all time post my 2019 op
Pink is 2020
Brown is last (2021)
Blue is this (2022) and
Green the last 42days.

Lol, the chart in watts alone shows how stupidly weak I am :rofl:

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I wish I could take credit for that, but I think my actual value was ~20 W/kg and it’s just a graph quirk that the dot is placed by 23 W/kg.

If I’d had a power meter on a bike in 2017 immediately after my bobsled career, I’d say 23-25 W/kg would have been more reasonable. I lost 15% of my strength in the first 6 months of detraining from power sport. After that, the decline in peak power has been pretty much negligible.

When I started I think my first 20min test on my wife’s bike with a power meter was 1.8 W/kg. :slight_smile:

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Me? Well I weigh 66-67kg so the raw Watts isn’t as impressive.

I’m way behind in experience and technical skill, especially for xc, so I’m getting beat by guys and girls that are probably 3wkg!

My history is that I started road biking 3.5 years ago and have probably 300 hours per year since :slight_smile: this is my most consistent year to date but can’t seam to push the 300w ftp mark! :confused:

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One hour average power of ~255W at 66kg probably means you have decent aerodynamics, unless you are really short and have a large chest. I have wide shoulders and built more like a truck, so 255 on the flats has me dropping off the A group pretty fast.