Cycling Power Zones Calculator
Calculate personalized cycling power zones based on your Functional Threshold Power (FTP)
Calculate Your Power Zones
Choose how you determined your FTP
Your known FTP in watts
Your Training Power Zones
Zone 1 - Recovery
Description:
Active recovery, easy spinning
Training Time:
30-40% of total training
Purpose:
Recovery rides, warm-up, cool-down
Typical Intervals:
N/A - Continuous easy riding
Zone 2 - Endurance
Description:
Aerobic base building, conversational pace
Training Time:
30-40% of total training
Purpose:
Base endurance, fat burning, aerobic development
Typical Intervals:
1-6+ hours continuous
Zone 3 - Tempo
Description:
Tempo pace, moderately hard but sustainable
Training Time:
10-15% of total training
Purpose:
Aerobic capacity, race pace for longer events
Typical Intervals:
20 minutes to 2+ hours
Zone 4 - Lactate Threshold
Description:
At or slightly above FTP, hard sustainable effort
Training Time:
5-10% of total training
Purpose:
FTP improvement, lactate threshold development
Typical Intervals:
8-40 minutes (2x20, 3x15, etc.)
Zone 5 - VO2 Max
Description:
Very hard, unsustainable for long periods
Training Time:
5-10% of total training
Purpose:
VO2 max development, neuromuscular power
Typical Intervals:
30 seconds to 8 minutes
Zone 6 - Neuromuscular Power
Description:
All-out efforts, sprint power
Training Time:
<5% of total training
Purpose:
Anaerobic capacity, sprint power development
Typical Intervals:
10-30 seconds all-out
Race Intensities by Distance
How to Test Your FTP
🚴♂️ Ramp Test (Recommended)
Duration: 15-25 minutes (less demanding)
Protocol: Start at easy pace, increase power every minute until failure
FTP Calculation: 75% of maximum 1-minute power achieved
Advantages: Less physically demanding, also provides max heart rate
⏱️ 20-Minute Test (Traditional)
Duration: 20 minutes all-out effort
Protocol: 10-min warm-up, 5-min recovery, 20-min all-out, cool-down
FTP Calculation: 95% of average 20-minute power
Advantages: Time-tested, widely accepted standard
💪 60-Minute Test (Gold Standard)
Duration: 60 minutes at threshold
Protocol: Maximum sustainable power for 1 hour
FTP Calculation: Average power = FTP (no adjustment needed)
Note: Most demanding but most accurate
Testing Tip: Retest your FTP every 6-8 weeks or after significant training changes. Test at the end of a recovery week for best results.
Optimal Training Distribution
80/20 Rule: Spend 80% of training time in easy zones (1-2) and 20% in moderate to high intensity zones (3-5).
Power Meter Setup
Power meter installed on bike (crank, pedal, or hub)
Bike computer or smartphone app to display power
Regular calibration and zero-offset procedures
Training analysis software (TrainingPeaks, Strava, etc.)
Power Training Tips
Focus most training in Zone 1-2 for aerobic base
Use Zone 4 intervals to improve FTP
Zone 5 work improves VO2 max and power
Power is more reliable than heart rate
Retest FTP every 6-8 weeks
Understanding Cycling Power Zones
What is FTP?
Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is the highest power you can sustain for approximately one hour. It represents your lactate threshold and forms the basis for all training zones.
Why Use Power Zones?
- •Objective training intensity regardless of external factors
- •Precise workout execution and consistency
- •Track fitness improvements over time
- •Optimize race pacing strategies
Physiological Zones
Aerobic (Zone 1-2)
Fat burning, base endurance, recovery
Aerobic Threshold (Zone 3)
Sustainable pace, tempo efforts
Lactate Threshold (Zone 4)
FTP training, threshold intervals
Anaerobic (Zone 5-6)
VO2 max, neuromuscular power
Training Zone Applications
Base Building Phase
Focus 80-90% in Zone 1-2, build aerobic capacity and fat oxidation
Build Phase
Add Zone 3-4 work, develop lactate threshold and sustainable power
Peak Phase
Include Zone 5-6 intervals, sharpen anaerobic power and race fitness