Turbo Trainer Advice

Ah ok not tried Zwift yet, so possibly. I’m at the stage where I’m just trying things out and thinking aloud on what I think will work best for me.

For what it's worth, TR is the nuts for me. I'm not interested in VR stuff though, and I like the numbers feedback and no-brainer training schedule / plans.

Yeah I definitely like the numbers side and for the hard workouts that will work well for me but on the rest low load days I was thinking VR stuff might be a nice change...

Anyone got a trainerroad referral code for me? I need to do a RAMP TEST

RAMP TEST

That was yesterday. It's one-legged sprint drills today

Another day another ramp test l; 200 this time went through the test much better today. Think I should have deleted yesterday’s though as think it was using it for the test which didn’t help...

Ramp Tests should be the same every time. It's not adjusted to your FTP. You just stop further along as fitness increases.

What's the go with this Calendar? Used to be able to start a Training Plan and now you can't unless you load a browser and fanny about? What's that all about?

The increments and starting points surely vary depending on your ftp though..?

This might break LFGSS but you are wrong... I’ve just checked.
Maybe still suffering concussion :-)

Nope, always the same*

*The warmup may differ slightly however: https://blog.trainerroad.com/new-ramp-test-makes-ftp-testing-more-efficient-and-less-stressful/

There are different protocols (ie 15w vs 25w increase per min) for RAMP TESTS - not sure which one TR uses, but so long as you are consistent in the protocol you use it will always start at the same point and increase at the same rate - the difference in how long you can cling on for gives you an approximation of your MAP, which can then be used to set your FTP/zones.

I suspect because you FTP is always relatively similar.

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Yes, that's what I'm doing. To make it slightly easier I made a workout in Training Peaks as per a standard protocol and calculate using this:
https://zwifthacks.com/app/map-ftp-calculator/
I start at 150w though.

Checked what?

The above are images from what I believe are the same test protocol.
First ramp is different...
I believe because of the difference in FTP informing it

No, the whole point of the ramp test is that it is standardised.

You always start at the same point (typically 100 or 150w depending on the test protocol) and the target power increases at a constant rate. You "simply" ride at the (increasing) target power until you cannot continue to sustain that power.

The warmup may vary according to your FTP, the actual Ramp Test should not.

So what’s the explanation to the difference if the first targets?

Ah, I see - they are setting the initial starting level slightly differently between the tests.
That seems like a poor decision, but given its at such a low intensity it shouldn't have much bearing on your overall result.

That's the warmup. The ramp should be the same each time. If they're not it's not a proper Ramp Test. What wattage is the first (non-warmup) block at in each?

"even if a rider overestimates their FTP coming into the Ramp Test, the test starts at such a low intensity and ramps up so gradually that we’ll always get a usable and accurate estimate of their FTP."

So they are slightly adjust the start power. But it's so low as to be irrelevant. Not what I expected but I've only done it twice since reactivating.

The difference are more likely related to the second one being only 17min, with no cadence and with dropouts towards the end? Did something go wrong? Was that the uncalibrated test?

Hmm I think under normal circumstance as long as the estimate was close it wouldn’t matter.
The difference of 100 Watts I’d suggest makes it quite different...
What I’m expecting is when I redo it on Friday it’ll give me an accurate reading of around 230-240

Yeah but that wouldn’t effect what the targets are for each ramp, only the outcome.
The FTP is informing that, at least on the TR one.