What Is FTP in Cycling?

FTP is not just a number to brag about. It is a practical anchor that structures everything in a training plan:

• Training zones. Every zone-based system in cycling -- Coggan, Polarised, Sweet Spot -- uses FTP as the reference point. When you generate power zones, each zone is a percentage of FTP.
• Workout intensity. A coach might say "ride at 88-94% of FTP for 20 minutes." Without knowing your FTP, that instruction is meaningless. With FTP, it translates directly into a watts target on your head unit.
• Progress tracking. If your FTP was 220 W in January and 245 W in April, you have clear evidence that your training is working. No guesswork, no subjective feeling.
• Race pacing. Knowing your FTP helps you set realistic targets for time trials, climbs, and long rides. Going out at 110% of FTP in a 40 km time trial is a recipe for blowing up.

FTP is a field-based proxy for your lactate threshold -- the exercise intensity at which lactate production starts exceeding your body's ability to clear it. Above this point, fatigue accumulates exponentially rather than linearly.

In a laboratory, this threshold is measured precisely with blood lactate samples. In the real world, cyclists approximate it with time-limited power tests. A 20-minute all-out effort, multiplied by 0.95, is the most common protocol. Other methods include 8-minute tests, 5-minute tests, and ramp tests -- each applying a different multiplier to estimate one-hour capacity.

The concept was popularised by Dr. Andrew Coggan and Hunter Allen in Training and Racing with a Power Meter. While the exact relationship between FTP and lactate threshold varies between individuals (Borszcz et al., 2020), FTP remains the most practical threshold metric available without laboratory equipment.

"Good" depends entirely on context. A 200 W FTP might be excellent for a 55 kg climber (3.6 W/kg) and modest for a 90 kg rider (2.2 W/kg). That is why watts per kilogram (W/kg) is usually a better comparison metric than raw watts.

The most important comparison is against your own past results. A 15 W increase over a training block is meaningful regardless of where you sit on the scale.

Once you know your FTP, you can split your effort range into zones. The Coggan model defines seven zones, each targeting a different physiological adaptation:

• Zone 1 (Active Recovery): Below 55% of FTP. Easy spinning to promote blood flow.
• Zone 2 (Endurance): 56-75% of FTP. The foundation of aerobic fitness.
• Zone 3 (Tempo): 76-90% of FTP. Moderate intensity for building sustained power.
• Zone 4 (Threshold): 91-105% of FTP. Work near your limit to push FTP higher.
• Zone 5 (VO2max): 106-120% of FTP. Short, hard efforts to improve aerobic ceiling.
• Zone 6-7 (Anaerobic/Neuromuscular): Above 120% FTP. Sprints and peak power work.

Use our power zone calculator to generate your personalised zones from your current FTP value.

The most common approach is the 20-minute test: ride as hard as you can sustain for 20 minutes, then multiply the average power by 0.95. This accounts for the fact that most people can hold slightly higher power for 20 minutes than they could for a full hour.

Other protocols include 8-minute tests (multiply by ~0.90), 5-minute tests (multiply by ~0.85), and ramp tests (take 75% of the final completed minute's power). Each has trade-offs in terms of pacing difficulty and reproducibility.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, read our complete guide to FTP testing. You can also use the FTP calculator to enter your test data and get an instant result with zone generation.

• Setting FTP too high. If you cannot complete threshold intervals at your FTP, it is set too high. An inflated FTP means every zone is shifted upward, and your endurance rides become tempo rides. Ego-tested FTP is worse than a conservative estimate.
• Never retesting. FTP changes with fitness. If you tested three months ago and have been training consistently, your zones are likely outdated. Retest every 4-8 weeks.
• Comparing across different conditions. Indoor FTP and outdoor FTP can differ by 5-10% due to cooling, motivation, and terrain. Compare like with like.
• Treating FTP as an identity. FTP is a training input, not a score. It fluctuates with fatigue, illness, heat, and life stress. A temporary dip does not mean your fitness has regressed.