Setting Up FTP & Power Zones

If you train with a power meter, one number matters more than any other: your FTP. It's the anchor point for everything else. Your training zones are calculated from it. Your workout intensity is measured against it. Without an accurate FTP, all the other numbers are just noise.

What FTP actually represents

FTP stands for Functional Threshold Power — the boundary between effort you can sustain for a long time and effort that will eventually force you to back off. It's often described as your "one-hour power," though in practice the relationship between FTP and what you can actually hold for 60 minutes varies from rider to rider.

What matters is the concept: below your FTP, you're in sustainable territory. Above it, you're on a clock. The harder you go above threshold, the faster you'll need to ease up.

This makes FTP a useful reference point for describing intensity. A ride at 75% of your FTP is solidly aerobic. A ride at 95% is right at threshold — hard, but manageable. A ride at 120% is a short, sharp effort that can't last long.

Finding your FTP

A common field test: warm up thoroughly, then ride as hard as you can sustain for 20 minutes. A typical starting estimate is 95% of that 20-minute average power — though the actual ratio varies between individuals. Some riders can hold closer to their 20-minute power for a full hour; others drop off more. It's a reasonable starting point, not a precise conversion.

If you've never tested, or it's been a while, FormBeat can estimate your FTP from your ride data. We look at your best sustained efforts and calculate a reasonable starting point. It won't be as precise as a proper test, but it's enough to get meaningful analysis. You can also try our FTP Calculator to estimate your threshold from a recent effort.

Why zones matter

Once your FTP is set, FormBeat calculates seven training zones — from easy recovery spinning to all-out efforts. Each zone has a purpose:

Zone 2 (endurance) builds your aerobic base. For riders with plenty of training hours, this is where a large share of time typically goes — though the right mix depends on your schedule, goals, and training phase.

Zone 4 (threshold) is where you expand your sustainable power — hard 20-minute efforts, tempo intervals.

Zone 5 and above are for short, intense work that builds top-end power and VO2max.

Knowing which zone you're in transforms aimless riding into purposeful training. Use our Power Zones Calculator to see what your zones look like at any FTP.

Keep it current

Your FTP changes as your fitness changes. After a few months of consistent training, it's probably higher than when you last tested. After time off, it's probably lower. How often to retest depends on how fast your fitness is changing — during a build phase it might shift in a few weeks, while during maintenance it can stay stable for months. A good rule of thumb: update it when your "hard" efforts start feeling suspiciously comfortable.

An outdated FTP means your zones are wrong, your metrics are misleading, and you're training in the dark. Keep it honest.