Different bike different ftp?

Hello All.

TL;DR on road bike i had ftp 213, on MTB i have ftp 179. Is it normal ?

Since last year i was training regularly, i used plan builder, so my workouts were 3-4 times per week.
I was using all the time road bike. My ftp was increasing but i was using AI FTP detection. My FTP changed from 163 ( measured by AI, 3.June.2024) to 213 (measured by AI 18.July.2025)

After that i decided to sell my road bike which was sava vegur 2.0 and bought grand canyon 6.0 2025, so i would say there is a big difference in geometry and how rider is sitting etc.

But suddenly i wasn’t able to finish any workout, everything was hard and i had to drop the powers. So i decided to perform ramp test and result was 172 FTP. Which is drop around 20%.

Is this normal or did anyone here encountered such different ftp between two bikes ?

Thanks a lot for any feedback, i will continue no Mather what to reach my goal 4w/kg.

Three questions:

  • How much experience do you have with structured training?
  • How have you been measuring power? Did you e. g. use a power meter on your road bike in addition to a trainer?
  • Do you have a fan?

HI OreoCookie,
I am member of TR since 2022 on and off with some breaks, before i was using zwift for training. So i would say i have some experience with that.
I am measuring power with my trainer which is Elite Suito, nothing else.
Yes i am using fan all the time.

Typically, a more upright position is more conducive to producing more power. So maybe it is lack of experience with the ramp test? How many ramp tests have you taken so far?

Hey @tomer186 :slight_smile:

If I am reading this correctly, you are performing workouts and testing your power with the Elite Suito using a road bike vs. an MTB.

If that’s the case, then it’s entirely possible that the FTP drop comes from switching from a road bike to an MTB, even on the same trainer, such as the Suito. Having a more upright MTB position can change the muscle recruitment and make power feel harder to sustain. Plus, you’ve got drivetrain differences that can subtly affect power readings.

This can also be the reason you tested lower on the Ramp Test had you performed it on the road bike. However, many factors can affect your Ramp Test like fatigue, sleep, nutrition, temperature, etc…

What’s good to note is that your fitness doesn’t disappear from one day to the next, so the root cause is likely coming from just switching your setup to an MTB.

I see your current FTP is 179 now. How are the interval workouts feeling? If they are feeling Hard but doable, then I would keep the current FTP as your Progression Levels will fine-tune each training zone to where they should be at the current FTP.

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HI Thanks for Answer.

what you are saying makes 100% sense. I didnt lose any fitness because i feel amazing on the bike when i am in the real world, also i can see that i have a lot of PR on strava segments lately.

My current ftp is 179 thats correct, interval workouts feel good, as you mention they are hard but doable.
I will continue working out, it just scared me that my FTP changed so drastically only by swapping bike.