Manual FTP throwing off prediction

I wasn’t talking about just “some other” FTP test, but specifically TR’s official FTP tests, which is were used to set workout levels in the recent past. I mean I’d sign up for a plan, and very early on there’d be an FTP test as part of it, and that would establish the workout levels. After some weeks, a test would be repeated. These test do nothing now other than serve as a workout?

Sorry, “some other FTP test” was sloppy of me. TR’s official FTP tests don’t necessarily give results that line up with the new definition of FTP (“level 3 Threshold workouts are “hard””).

The old tests function as workouts, and, as with workouts, give you some information about your PDC. It’s not “nothing”. But the number you get from an old TR FTP test might be higher or lower than the new TR AI FTP.

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Just an update. I accepted the prediction. In 7 days it has me at 272 which is almost bang on what I tested. The problem is I’m currently spinning at 83 watts on lazy mountain. I’ve run out of intensity increases in Zwift so I’m at a blistering 103 lol. I’m guessing in 7 days it will increase but I have a threshold workout that’s probably to going to be an endurance ride in the meantime.

AIFTP is TR’s preferred option compared to the other manual tests, however, I believe they still work the same way. i.e. they will give you an FTP number and that number will be used to set your training.

I’ve seen a few posts by TR staff indicating manual tests are the “fix” if an athlete believes their AIFTP is incorrect.

I don’t think this is correct (edit: I was wrong, see confirmation from Eddie below). @eddie @SeanHurley @Caro.Gomez-Villafane - can you clarify? If someone does a manual test using a TR test within TR, will the resulting FTP become the FTP that the AI uses to program the training? Or is it just taken into account by the AI, which will still set its own number?

Why not just manually pick a harder workout if you know it’s crazy low? Or are you experimenting with just letting the AI do its thing?

FTP tests like Ramp Tests and 20-minute tests should still set your FTP afterward, but TR will still only give you workouts based on what it thinks you can do based on the data.

In that way, it’s not really any different than manually setting your FTP.

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Got it. I stand corrected!

Yep. That happened to me when I got started with the new TR AI. I thought the initial AI FTP was wack and it was suggested by TR that I do a TR ramp test. Unfortunately the WX has been terribly nice so instead of doing a test or plan workouts, I’ve only been doing unstructured outdoor rides. These upload to TR and the TR AI keeps ticking along updating the plan and FTP predictions with only that input, which is actually pretty cool.

Out of interest, if you use an FTP test to set your FTP, does this disable FTP prediction like setting the FTP manually does?

I was taking the advice from TR to accept and let it do its thing. I was hoping it would catch up quicker. My threshold over unders will be hard to replace if it has me super low again because it’s just basing off that 183.

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Gotcha. Yeah, I had to manually lower mine recently to try to get a better baseline. I was hoping it would catch up quicker too. It keeps giving me threshold workouts based on my 10, 12, etc. minute power from VO2 workouts, but those workouts are high/low/high/low whereas SS and TH are asking me to hold the wattage for long periods. It’s just not an apples to apples comparison.

I’m hoping that after I spend some time at a lower manual FTP doing SS and TH work, it will learn me better.

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Similar situation here. I am entering my FTP manually. I was hoping it would adjust but after a month it still wanted me 10 watts higher. I moved it up 5 watts to see how I would do. I have been managing VO2 fine but threshold are challenging.

Tuesday I did a VO2 workout that basically had power bests greater then all of last year for almost all of the workout. So I am getting stronger but the threshold workouts are more challenging then I would like. Still completing them but I am back to the debate of do the threshold workouts really make sense.

Makes me wonder how they determine the FTP as the watts I do from repeat short bursts is higher then what I can do with steady state riding. I likely just need more time on the threshold rides.

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Yeah, it’s been quite a while since I did a good amount of SS or TH work, so it just doesn’t really have much to work with. I’m hoping I can teach it and get back to using the full functionality.

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When running FTP detection for you last week, I got 271, so I’m not sure why you keep getting served that figure of 183..

It’s saying I have two days until my new predicted ftp kicks in. Which is the same that I have it set to. So I would do my workout at my manual ftp and then accept the 183 so I could continue the countdown.

I just fixed this for you. You should be able to run AI FTP Detection when you log in now. I think you’ll get a better figure now. Let me know what you find!

Looks like I’m all set. Thanks for your help!

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