Hey hey - I have a few questions about the new AI FTP numbers and how I might pace in a race.
First - I have no issues with the new algo or number or whatever. I’m not fixated on my TR FTP I just have a question about how to translate that number to non-structured training riding.
Say I were doing a 20 or 60 minute climb in a race. With the previous FTP (based off an estimate of a ramp test) I would assume that my pacing strategy would allow me to do a 20 minute climb at full FTP decently. Hard but not max effort. If I did a 60 minute climb I’d do less watts but easy to estimate.
Am I to assume that my new AI FTP number can be considered the same. I should be able to hold that number for 20 minutes? For context I had a 10% boost when the app updated.
Or would my (albeit basic) pacing strategy need to be thought about again as my TR FTP is just a training metric?
I don’t really care either way I just want to try to understand how the TR number translates to non-structured riding.
Sounds like you’ve been misusing ftp to date, are those climbs within a road race or hill climb time trials?
Riding higher than ftp should rapidly fatigue you, at ftp is right on the edge.
In a time trial and all out effort would take me over ftp and I’d collapse at the finish line.
In a road race or gran fondo, I’d be riding hills way below threshold so had plenty for the next hills.
FTP in any system will be the power you can hold without fatiguing around 30-70 minutes depending on your fitness and training, and it’s the same at TR.
i use “TR workouts” to pace myself on outdoor rides. i remember what type of effort i did in workout, how hard was that and how did i feel, and i adapt my ride to it. for example from workout i remeber i can do 2x20 minutes with 5 minutes break at 90% and feel “hard“, so im pretty sure that with right motivation im able to do 3x20 (3 moderate climbs) at a bit higher watts and it wont be all out. at least it worked last year. but i dont see why it shloudnt work with new “AIFTP“, because im pacing on effort i already did.
I’d say the AI FTP is close enough for most cases, even if it’s 5% off you could probably get that much variation based on sleep, fuelling, caffeine etc.
As others have said the best indicator of performance is performance itself. So look back at PBs etc