Ramp test vs AI FTP? Restart training plan?

1

Hi all, this forum has been a fantastic resource so far!

I started training for the Leadville 100 for 2025 in January of last year, and just based my training off what Trainerroad AI calculated (~300). In other words, I didn’t do a ramp test prior to starting the plan, I went based off feel (yes I know, in hindsight I should have done a test).

Regardless, I saw the best gains I’ve ever gotten on that plan and I completed >95% of my workouts without fail. Unfortunately, by the end of July, I got COVID, which forced me to punt my registration to 2026.

I rode mostly for fun until January, when I started another plan in anticipation of Leadville 2026. Once again, I stuck with AI FTP, and I only have failed 1 workout since then. However, with the introduction of the new Trainerroad AI, I noticed my workouts get significantly harder and I started accumulating much more fatigue.

For my most recent block, Trainerroad AI calculated my FTP would drop from 314 to ~305 ish. During this block I was sick briefly and did not complete 2-3 workouts while I was sick, but when I returned I hit all my workouts no problem.

Between the estimated drop from the new AI FTP and my general fatigue, I began to grow skeptical of my FTP. I also logged into intervals.ICU and saw that it calculated my eftp at 270 instead of 300-314. As a result, I took a ramp test, lo and behold, it landed at 288, and on intervals.icu estimated at 281.

So now I’m wondering, for Leadville do I restart a brand new plan knowing I was doing base before at a higher ftp (and completing the workouts on it)? I’ve attached my ramp and intervals.icu data for reference (one line goes until July 2025 when I got COVID, the other two are recent numbers) and my calendar is here: TrainerRoad

Also what does it mean that I completed the workouts despite having a lower FTP? Does it mean my anerobic engine is just better built atm than my base? To be clear, I do not care if my FTP is high or not, I just want to train at the right level so I can maximize my gains.

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Restarting your plan won’t be of any real use. I’d continue on with what you’ve got in place right now. There’s tons of time between now and Leadville for more base training. :+1:

Just do your best to follow the plan closely and answer your post-workout surveys honestly.

3

Thank you Eddie! So you think the ramp test was more accurate than AI FTP even though I was completing my workouts on the AI FTP?

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Generally speaking, yes, AIFTP is a better way to find FTP than a Ramp Test.

How did yesterday’s workout feel? Make sure you add an RPE survey that describes how the work felt!

There are a few things that I’m seeing on your calendar. Do you mind if I share?

5

Hi Eddie!

Yes I’m fine with you sharing go ahead! Totally have an open mind about this stuff.

eddie 6

It looks like you’re not super consistent with your threshold workouts. You’ve missed a handful recently, and your schedule seems to change pretty often.

On February 9th, you knocked out a level 2.2 Threshold workout and rated it as “Hard,” but the week before, you failed a 2.2 due to “Intensity.”

Do you remember both of these sessions? If so, what stood out to you about how they felt?

It’s tough to decipher what the best workout is for you if we’re getting wildly different outcomes from similar workouts.

I think consistency is key here, both in your training and in how you rate the work you’re doing.

Looking back, I do think that your FTP was a bit high previously, and while we did lower it a few times, I’m not sure it was enough.

Let me know your thoughts here and I can keep digging in. :+1:

7

I recall the 2.2 session I failed as too difficult because it was asking me to hit 320ish power for 2 minutes, the following week the 280ish power with shortened higher end power (the 320 peaks) allowed me to recover bettwer between intervals. In other words I was more comfy hoolding 280 power with shorter higher end intervals vs longer higher end intervals with lower power between.

Does that help at all? And do you think I should roll with the 288 number from the ramp test? Also can you explain why Trainerroad FTP was estimated so much higher than intervals.icu?

Thanks again for taking the time eddie, really appreciate the support!

8

You could certainly try setting your FTP to 288 to see how things feel.

It’s hard to compare our calculation of FTP to another platform. There are far too many ways to calculate FTP. Certain methods reward specific rider types, while ours is designed to be much more level across the board.

Let me know if this helps and how things go moving forward. :+1:

9

It might help people if we have an idea of how TR defines their FTP.

For instance I do all of my testing as a long form effort, typically 40-50ish minutes.

In comparing to TR if the TR version of ftp was something one can hold for 20-30 minutes typically (or whatever it is) that would be very helpful in adjusting expectations for pacing and having an actual way to compare a more traditional definition of FTP to how TR is using it now.