Originally Posted by
vasuvius
Thank you all for the responses. I'm intrigued that FTP to performance in races does not seem to be more highly correlated.
carpediem's experience of racing Cat 3 with an FTP of 2.8 W/kg is very different from others with much higher FTP/kg but struggling in a Cat 5 race.
I don't have any intentions to race, at least not this year. The primary goal is to get stronger so that I can keep up with the group I ride with (some Cat 5 & 4 racers and some very strong non-racers) as I'm tired of getting dropped.
Using a trainer is teaching me some good stuff as I focus on keeping cadence up. On the road, most of my rides are in the low 80 rpm range.
The trainer is helping me work on staying in the 90s and not burning out my legs.
The data is definitely making the trainer rides more pleasant. Hopefully the roads will clear up soon from the snow and ice.
Thanks, V
Even without an on bike power meter, you may enjoy reading the book I grabbed the chart above from. It goes on to explain what kinds of things from a power point of view can matter more than FTP, and even has tests for them and workouts to develop your weaknesses. Many can be done with heart rate, too. Or on a trainer with virtual power.
And for everyone who is ready jump in, note that this will only develop your motor for racing. You still need actual actual group ride and race experience to make it work.