Classic.

I talk to my bike all the time while riding. Don't see the big deal.

Well then why don't you just plug your data into Goldencheetah (free) and it will calculate your CP and go from there?

I don't know which tread was more entertaining - this or the one on maintenance resurrected from nine years ago

Definitely this one.

Uh, guys, now that the OP is gone, I was thinking.....Do you think maybe it would have been better if we HAD told him about the advanced breathing/talking techniques that the rest of us already use?

Nah, his mates probably took a long time figuring those out. Would be mean to take away their advantage just because he took the effort to get in to an argument online.

Haven't used Golden Cheetah before but I just downloaded it. Here's my CP from the interval session on Tuesday. From what I've read CP is roughly equal to FTP.

Ok....that's only 1 file and it puts your FTP at 200w. Do you only have 2 files total?

Let me clarify - put a ton of your files together and look at that curve for all files. Read the 1hr cp. that's your FTP. FTP is you CP value at 60 minutes. That's it's definition.

The other way is doing a 20 minute FTP test. Then take 95% of that average power. If we do that with the curve you have up there you end up at roughly 200-220 - again agreeing with everything we have been saying since our first posts in this thread.

I put two files in and got the same number (269w). CP and FTP are essentially equal from what I've read.

Critical Power#5 (Critical Power) is also a very useful means of estimating FTP. It explores the relationship between work performed (kJ) and duration (seconds). Essentially all you need is at least two (or more) maximal efforts of at least three minutes and less than 30 minutes duration, say one of five minutes and another of 20 minutes, although the choice is arbitrary and up to the individual. You then enter the average power and durations ridden into the Critical Power model. The model will calculate what is called "Critical Power", which is essentially equivalent to FTP (or at least a very good estimation of FTP).

Alex's Cycle Blog: The seven deadly sins

Exactly. Re-read that. Especially about the part about doing 20 minutes and then calculating your FTP.

You're not answering the question. Where is your other data? Are you this new to power work and yet arguing with us who've been doing it for years? If not you'd have tons of files for us to look at and you'd have an actual power test.

Again....FTP is cp at 60 minutes. Yours according to the only file you posted is roughly 200.

Dunbar, assuming you're using your power data for training purposes you do realise that if you actually listen to what everyone is saying about your FTP and based you're training around it you'd actually see more improvement?

I don't think that's what this thread is about or it would have been over 3 pages ago. No idea what the OP is looking for but actual answers don't seem to be it.

I figured I might try and bring some sense back into it.

Sorry mate, but you're wrong again. You need to re read it. And the software is calculating CP, not me, so it's not like I'm making this stuff up.

Essentially all you need is at least two (or more) maximal efforts of at least three minutes and less than 30 minutes duration, say one of five minutes and another of 20 minutes, although the choice is arbitrary and up to the individual.

I'm not wrong. Have been doing this for years.

Your interpretation of your FTP is incorrect.

Back to what I said before it's not a penis measuring device. You should provide some more files, do a test and see for yourself. Not doing so is blatantly lying to yourself for seemingly no apparent reason. I'm guessing that based on the fact that you only have 2 power files total and have to go search out absolutely everything you want to post on the topic that you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

You still haven't answered the simplest question:
1. Do you have more power files?
2. Have you done a 20 minute test with a power file to show your performance.
3. If not why have you not done one since the beginning of this thread and now. It takes 20 minutes.

Being SoCal I can understand that you may not have a trainer on hand to do the test easily but there are plenty of racers around there. Racers have trainers to warm up on. Go ask one to borrow it. Do the test and post it.

I seriously don't understand why you won't. If you're right then your test will easily show that. I'm sitting here in Chicago looking at 2 measly power files, but based on those files...your FTP ain't the 280-something you first assessed it to be. You can get some free coaching here and just take the test and email the file to me. You should know my email address. It's psimet at psimet. Super complicated. Even though this isn't a penis measureing device I can see you're very unsure of actually posting more data than what you have shared and feel the need to not share it so send it to me privately.

For more information on what FTP actually is just go to the guy who invented the concept - Joe Friel. 3 seconds of googling for a definition comes up with:

Source: Joe Friel's Blog: Functional Threshold

If you think your FTP is 280 or 250 or 260....then show us the files where you have maintained a majority % of that number for over an hour. TT or race files help and are best as you'll be going hard enough.

You might want to re-read the link below. So far, you've demonstrated limited knowledge of the accepted methods to estimate FTP.

Andy Coggan's Seven Deadly Sins | Two Wheel Blogs

This thread is pure gold.

OK,you win the prize for troll of year. The decade maybe. Even a quick reading of that blog indicates that you've got it wrong and psimet has it right. For example,

"The job of Critical Power testing is to use a couple of short Critical Power tests to estimate power output for a longer term, such as 60 minutes. Because Functional Threshold Power and Critical Power at 60 minutes are very close, an estimate of CP60 (Critical Power at 60 minutes) is a good proxy for Functional Threshold Power."
--https://www.twowheelblogs.com/training-with-power/critical-power-testing

psimet has been extremely patient with you and provided a ton of useful information. And your response has been....priceless on the internet, but totally rude and really close to pyscho. God help the people around you IRL.

This is like a car crash. We all know we should look away, but somehow....

Maths izz hardz.

That's 300W for what? 7-8 minutes? At most?

By 10 minutes you're down to 280ish - and fading FAST.

If your FTP is really what you claim, you can hold that power for an hour. If you can't hold that power for an hour, your FTP ain't what you claim.

It's really that simple.

It doesn't ****ing matter what you can do for shorter intervals, even if you fudge the numbers by 25W. Because your anaerobic capacity is masking your aerobic numbers for those shorter intervals - and that's why you're fading FAST by 7-8 minutes into your intervals.

And if you can't talk when you're doing a "moderate" pace, you're lying to yourself about the pace being "moderate".

I'd love to see you post a file from a trainer session where you held even 250W steady for 60 minutes. 250W plus or minus 10W for 60 minutes with absolutely no stops. If your FTP is really where you say it is, you'll be able to do that no problem.

Naaah, I'm betting he just reads the "if you hold X power for Y minutes, your FTP is Z" stuff. Which ain't true when applied to shorter intervals for anyone with a large enough anaerobic capacity. Pretty much what Psimet has posted.

And it sure doesn't help that he's fudging numbers to boot.

Seems like he's a bad liar, even to himself. Maybe if he keeps at it he'll learn then be embarrassed two years from now about this thread.