Are there any mere mortals on here?

I’m here!

First FTP test was 205 (2.5W / kg) and now 1 year later it’s at 244W (3.1W / kg). I’m still super happy with it though. And have a much better idea of what I need to do to keep moving it forward.

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Getting to 3.0w/kg was my goal before this coming weekend. Nailed it a few weeks ago and sitting at 3.01 :smiley:. Started under 2w/kg a couple of years ago having never done any structured training and being off the bike for 5 years or so.

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No idea what I am so just did the numbers on the TrainerRoad calculator. I’m 2.87w/kg. It says Beginner is 2.5, experienced is 3.75. I’m happy with that given where riding lies in my priorities.

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Loads of people are probably between 2.5 and 3.5w/kg. That’s not to say they’re all like for like figures either with variances in turbo / power meter readings. And they might be using a ramp test or some other kind of test so not directly comparable anyway.

I think as long as you are happy and making the progress you want to make then it doesn’t really matter. The forum is broadly a place to ask for advice / give out advice and support each other.

Personally I’ve gone from 84kgs and 225w ftp to 75kgs and 251w ftp and it’s been fairly hard yards. But out on my bikes I feel so so so much better for it - loads more power / more ability to put in brief bursts of power and higher cadence - this is great on off road mtb climbs that are technical. Previously I’d get to a tech bit knackered and give up and push. Now I have the more much more often to give a burst of speed and power to get up and over something.

I’m no racing snake but I think I’m now above average fitness for a recreational mountain biker.

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I’m around 4wkg, but I sure feel mortal when doing events with much fitter athletes. It’s all about perspective. Keep improving on both sides of the equation healthily, and you’re good. Personally, I have trouble getting over 275w ftp, but I dropped from 175-180lb to 147-152lb (5’6") and could still lose a good bit of fat weight.

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I am searching to find some related threads to review and will update this as I find them.

Here is the main topic about the “Bell Curve” mentioned above. The top post contains links to the most relevant posts from Nate with the graphs.

And for quick reference:

FTP/kg Buckets for Men

  • Top of bell curve for men
    18-30 : 3.25 - 3.5 FTP/kg
    30-40 : 3.0 - 3.25 FTP/kg
    40-50 : 2.75 - 3.0 FTP/kg
    50-60 : 2.75 - 3.0 FTP/kg
    60-80 : 2.25 - 2.5 FTP/kg

FTP/kg Buckets for Women

  • Top of bell curve for women
    18-30 : 2.25 - 2.5 FTP/kg (breaks the bell curve a bit, 2nd highest is 2.75-3.0)
    30-40 : 2.25 - 2.5 FTP/kg (It’s pretty close to 2.5 - 2.75)
    40-50 : 2.25 - 2.5 FTP/kg
    50-60 : 2.25 - 2.5 FTP/kg
    60-80 : 2.0 - 2.25 FTP/kg
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I’m here, too! I’ve been cycling for just under 4 years and my first FTP test landed me at 104. I’ve improved quite a bit but have been hovering in the 150s and 160s for quite a while. During that time, though, my climbing power and TTE have definitely improved. Slowly dropped a bit of weight so my FTP currently sits at around 2.9 w/kg. I’m finishing what seems to be a pretty productive block (getting some PRs on my outside rides of late) so hoping for a bit of a bump in my FTP at the next test. Honestly 3.0 would be a cool accomplishment, but I don’t race so what’s most important to me is my overall improvement that makes riding outside more enjoyable - we live in hilly country and I ride mostly with my husband, who is a much stronger rider than I.

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Yeah, I was coming here to say that. Might not mean much coming from someone who’s been hovering between 3.75 and 4.1 for the past couple years, but I think most people feel the same way we’re just usually in different circles. There is always someone, in my case, many people as fast or faster. This forum brings all those circles together in one place so I think it may seem like you don’t fit in, but the feelings you are sharing are shared by me and a lot of others regardless of where on the spectrum we sit.

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IIRC, the bell curve for female FTP has the median somewhere around 2.5 w/kg…which puts you on the far right side of the curve. Definitely not a “mere mortal”. :sunglasses:

Don’t worry about how yur FTP compared to others….focus on improving. I ride with guys who crush me in terms of both FTP (pure watts) and w/kg. But when we get outside, I can put almost all of them into the pain cave.

Focus on you, pay attention to your equipment choices, get a great position on the bike and ride strategically. That is the formula for success.

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Flesh and bone here checking in with a similar goal, but at 50+ yrs old and subpar genetics the prospect is dim. It’s nice to have something to push for though… and yes, I agree, it’s often demoralizing to read how some of these untrained cats jumped in the game at my current FTP.

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2.9something and flirting with 3.0 :joy:

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I was once a 4.5+w/kg rider and now I strive to break 3.0w/kg.

What happened? Life

I had kids, I discovered that I love food and the biggest thing was I didn’t want to waste 15+hrs a week of my life riding a bike. 6-8hrs a week is plenty if you are fortunate to get that.

Don’t worry about others and do this for fun and enjoy your journey and routine.

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Oh hi there fellow mere mortal. 3.0w/kg is also a goal of mine. Funny enough i’m probably going to reach it through weight loss mostly (keep FTP intact while losing a few pounds)

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I’ve got a 19-month old son who recently went through a 2 month sleep regression where I couldn’t train and I work a busy job as an engineer at a startup company. When things are good, I can train 3-4 hours a week at best. The best fitness I ever had was about 3.3w/kg a few years ago, right now I’m sitting around 2.7 and trying to get up to 3 for the year. I still enjoy going out and pushing myself in 6 hour TTs and gravel races even if I’m slow. It’s all about the process and discipline, not absolute speed😉

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I finally started TR at the end of January after a lifetime of biking. I had no idea what to expect, but figured I’d be about 2 W/kg. I actually started at around 1.8, so I was only slightly surprised and bummed, but figured it just is what it is. With ~20 W gain and ~5# weight loss, I have recently crossed into 2 W/kg. I guess my next goal is 2.5, then 3. I had dreams of 4 W/kg, and maybe one day, but the numbers for that are pretty hard to imagine for myself.

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I’ve found my people in this thread :star_struck::star_struck::star_struck:

Sitting at 2.5 w/kg with a good chunk of weight to lose. If i can figure that out, hitting 3.0+ w/kg could be doable.

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The easiest way to have a high w/kg is to be light or loose weight. It sounds simple but in itself hard/complex haha. When I was at my best cycling fitness I was 130lbs @ 5’9" and had 2-2.5% body fat.

The thing to remember is just because you have say a 2.5w/kg ratio doesn’t mean you cant punch above your fitness level.

That is the beautiful thing about cycling, there is so much tactics/passion and will power. Now that I am heavier and have all the experience I can dish out 1300-1400 watt sprints… Something scrawny ass me could have never done.

I just have to make it there and if you ride smart its possible.

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another mere mortal here with big (read unrealistic) ambitions to get to 400 (“yea right” as per inner critic…)
got into cycling 2014, got into training in 2017, first FTP test 178, current FTP 302 mid 30s, still under 4W/kg :frowning:
just need the scale to go a couple of kgs down or my ftp a few points up

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I will leave this quote from Christoph Strasser here

“The joy in reaching a goal lasts only briefly," Strasser says, “real satisfaction comes in the small daily steps on the way there.”

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Yes, for me to get to 3 watts/kg would be a dream come true. I’ve been training steadily for 3 years, and am stuck below that number. To add to the irony, 12 years ago when I was racing, my FTP was well over 3 watts/kg. Don’t take 9 years off. Age conspires against us.

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