FTP calculator

FTP (functional threshold power) is the highest power you can hold for about an hour. Estimate it from a test: 95 % of your 20-minute average, 90 % of two 8-minute efforts, or 75 % of your best minute in a ramp test. Enter your result below to get your FTP and all seven Coggan power zones in watts.

Calculator

Test you did

Average power over the 20 minutes

Body weight (optional)

Estimated FTP

250W

3.33 W/kg

How does 3.33 W/kg compare? →

Zone	Name	% of FTP	Watts	Use it for
Z1	Active recovery	0–55 %	0–138 W	Recovery spins and warm-ups
Z2	Endurance	56–75 %	139–188 W	Long aerobic rides, most of your training time
Z3	Tempo	76–90 %	189–225 W	Steady tempo and long climbs
Z4	Threshold	91–105 %	226–263 W	Threshold intervals and time trials
Z5	VO2max	106–120 %	264–300 W	3 to 8 minute VO2max intervals
Z6	Anaerobic capacity	121–150 %	301–375 W	30 second to 2 minute hard efforts
Z7	Neuromuscular power	> 150 %	376+ W	All-out sprints under 15 seconds

Sweet spot (88–93 % of FTP): 220–233 W

FTP = 95 % of 20-min power, 90 % of 8-min power, 75 % of best ramp minute. Zones: Coggan 7-zone model.

How the FTP calculator works

FTP, or functional threshold power, is the highest average power you can sustain for roughly an hour. Riding a full hour all-out is hard to do well, so most riders estimate FTP from a shorter test and apply a correction factor. This calculator supports the four common tests and one "I already know my FTP" option. It is one of the free LeCoach cycling calculators.

Test	What you do	FTP formula
20-minute test	Warm up, then ride 20 minutes as hard as you can at an even pace	95 % of 20-minute average power
2 × 8-minute test	Two 8-minute all-out efforts with 10 minutes easy between	90 % of the average of both efforts
Ramp test	Power rises every minute until you cannot hold it	75 % of your best 1-minute power
60-minute effort	A full hour all-out, for example a time trial	100 % of 60-minute average power

The correction factors exist because shorter efforts are partly fuelled by anaerobic energy you cannot sustain for an hour. The shorter the test, the bigger the correction.

Worked example. You ride a 20-minute test at an average of 263 W. Your estimated FTP is 263 × 0.95 = 250 W. If you weigh 75 kg, that is 3.33 W/kg.

Your power zones

Once you have an FTP, every training intensity becomes a percentage of it. The calculator uses the seven-zone model developed by Andrew Coggan, the model most structured training platforms use by default, and the one in our guide to cycling training zones.

Zone	Name	% of FTP	At 250 W FTP	What it trains
Z1	Active recovery	up to 55 %	up to 138 W	Blood flow and recovery
Z2	Endurance	56–75 %	139–188 W	Aerobic base, fat use, durability
Z3	Tempo	76–90 %	189–225 W	Sustained aerobic power
Z4	Threshold	91–105 %	226–263 W	FTP itself
Z5	VO2max	106–120 %	264–300 W	Maximum aerobic capacity
Z6	Anaerobic capacity	121–150 %	301–375 W	Short, repeated hard efforts
Z7	Neuromuscular	above 150 %	376 W and up	Sprint power

Sweet spot, 88 to 93 % of FTP, sits across the top of Zone 3 and the bottom of Zone 4. It gives a lot of threshold-like training for less fatigue, which is why it is popular with time-crunched riders. At 250 W, sweet spot is 220 to 233 W.

Which FTP test should you choose?

There is no single best test. The best one is the test you can repeat the same way every time.

Ramp test: short, easy to pace and less painful. It suits riders new to testing. It overestimates FTP for riders with a strong anaerobic capacity, because a big sprint lets you last an extra minute or two at the end. If your threshold intervals feel impossible after a ramp test, that is the likely reason.
20-minute test: the classic. It needs good pacing; starting too hard is the most common mistake. It suits riders with some testing experience.
2 × 8-minute test: easier to pace than 20 minutes and less dependent on mental toughness. It tends to read slightly high for riders who fade over longer efforts.
60-minute effort: the most direct, but few riders can produce a true hour at full effort outside a race.

Read more in our comparison of FTP tests for cyclists.

Want this worked out for you every day? LeCoach builds your training around your own numbers.

Try LeCoach for free

Common mistakes

Testing tired. A test after a hard week gives a low FTP, and your zones end up too easy for weeks. Test after one or two easy days.
Mixing indoor and outdoor numbers. Many riders produce 3 to 10 % less power indoors. Set your zones from the environment where you do your structured work. Our article on why indoor and outdoor FTP differ explains why.
Pacing the 20-minute test like a sprint. Aim for an even effort; if the last five minutes are your strongest, you started about right.
Never retesting. FTP moves with training. Zones from last season are probably wrong now.
Treating FTP as the goal. FTP is one number. Endurance, repeatability and how long you can stay close to threshold matter as much for most events.

When the numbers change

Your result is an estimate, and some situations call for adjusting it:

After illness or a break, expect FTP to be lower and retest after two to three weeks of riding.
At altitude, aerobic power drops. Above about 1,500 m, expect a few percent less and adjust targets rather than your FTP.
In heat, the same power costs more. Keep zones the same but expect to hold the lower end of each range.
For long events, riding at 70 to 80 % of FTP is a more useful pacing target than FTP itself. The cycling speed calculator shows what that means in speed.
For heart rate training, set separate heart rate zones. Heart rate and power zones do not map one to one.

What to do with your FTP

Enter your FTP and zones in your training platform. If you use Intervals.icu, set them in your sport settings so structured workouts and Intensity Factor are calculated correctly. Then use the TSS calculator to score your sessions and the watts per kg calculator to see how your FTP compares with other riders.

If your FTP is lower than you hoped, our guide is my FTP too low? puts it in context, and the FTP improvement plan shows how to raise it.

LeCoach uses the FTP and zones from your Intervals.icu profile for every workout it builds, and can schedule FTP tests into your plan at the frequency you choose, so your zones keep up with your fitness.

Sources

Allen H, Coggan A, McGregor S. Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 3rd edition. VeloPress, 2019.
Coggan AR. Power training levels. TrainingPeaks.
Intervals.icu power-profile percentiles.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate my FTP?

Do a 20-minute all-out test and multiply your average power by 0.95. A 263 W average gives a 250 W FTP. You can also use 90 % of two 8-minute efforts, 75 % of your best minute in a ramp test, or your full 60-minute power if you have done a real hour all-out.

What is a good FTP?

FTP on its own says little because heavier riders produce more watts. Compare FTP per kilo of body weight instead. Among trained cyclists who ride with a power meter, the middle of the field is about 3.3 to 3.4 W/kg for men and about 3.1 W/kg for women. Use the watts per kg calculator to see where you sit.

Is the ramp test accurate?

For many riders it is close, but it depends on your profile. Riders with a strong sprint or big anaerobic capacity often get an FTP that is too high from a ramp test. If threshold intervals at that FTP feel unsustainable, use a 20-minute test or lower your FTP by a few percent.

How often should I test my FTP?

Every 6 to 8 weeks during structured training is enough for most riders. Retest sooner if intervals clearly feel too easy or too hard, after a training block focused on threshold, or after a break of two weeks or more.

Why is my FTP lower indoors?

Indoors you lose the cooling airflow, the bike does not move under you and pacing feels different. Many riders produce 3 to 10 % less power on the trainer. Use your indoor FTP for indoor workouts. A strong fan helps more than anything else.

What are the 7 cycling power zones?

Zone 1 active recovery (up to 55 % of FTP), Zone 2 endurance (56–75 %), Zone 3 tempo (76–90 %), Zone 4 threshold (91–105 %), Zone 5 VO2max (106–120 %), Zone 6 anaerobic capacity (121–150 %) and Zone 7 neuromuscular power (above 150 %). This is the Coggan model.

What is the difference between FTP and critical power?

Both describe the boundary between sustainable and unsustainable effort. Critical power is calculated from two or more all-out efforts of different lengths and is usually a few percent above FTP. For setting training zones the difference matters little, as long as you use one method consistently.

What is the average FTP?

Among trained cyclists who ride with a power meter, a typical FTP is about 250 W for men and 180 W for women, or about 3.3 and 3.1 W/kg. The average for all cyclists, including those who never train with structure, is lower. Compare your own number with the watts per kg calculator.

What is the average FTP by age?

The power levels in our calculators cover all ages together, so we do not publish an age table. Endurance power tends to decline slowly with age, and much more slowly in people who keep training. Compare yourself with your own numbers from previous seasons rather than with an age chart.