Dreading a long, lonely threshold effort? A ramp test estimates your FTP from one short, steadily rising effort: take your best one-minute power and multiply it by 0.75.
This guide sits within the wider topic of training with power.
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| FTP estimate from best one-minute power | 75% |
| Earlier TrainerRoad multiplier | 78% |
| Typical starting power | 100 W |
| Typical step size | 20 W every minute |
| Typical test length | 16-20 minutes |
| Worked example: 340 W last full minute | 255 W estimated FTP |
These figures come from Gneta’s FTP testing guide and SMART Bike Trainers’ write-up. Figures can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What a ramp test actually is
FTP, or functional threshold power, is the highest average power you can sustain for roughly an hour. Testing it directly is brutal, so shorter protocols were developed to estimate it.
The ramp test swaps a long, evenly paced effort for a staircase. Power rises every minute until you cannot turn the pedals at the target any more, and your result comes from the last steps you completed.
According to the SMART Bike Trainers write-up, the older popular method was the 20-minute test, and TrainerRoad’s earlier plans also used a 2×8 minute format. The ramp format was introduced as a gentler alternative to those.
How the test is run, step by step
Exact numbers vary by platform, but the shape is always the same. Gneta describes starting at a low wattage, usually 100 watts, and increasing by 20 watts every minute.
- Warm up with easy spinning. The SMART Bike Trainers description has the first part of the workout at around 50% of your FTP.
- Let the target rise every minute. Do not surge ahead of it.
- Keep going until you can no longer hold the target power.
- Note the best one-minute power you completed.
- Multiply that figure by 0.75 to get your estimated FTP.
Typically, the test lasts between 16 and 20 minutes, and it does not get really uncomfortable until the final minutes. That makes it far easier to face than a long steady effort.
Working out your number
The maths is a single multiplication. Gneta gives an example: if the last full minute you completed was at 340 watts, your estimated FTP is 340 × 0.75 = 255 watts.
Note that the ramp test result depends heavily on one minute of effort. A bad day, a poor warm-up or a stuck trainer calibration changes that minute and therefore your whole result.
Why the multiplier is 75%
The factor is a practical choice, not a law of physiology. SMART Bike Trainers reports that TrainerRoad originally started around 78%, then dropped it to 75% after analysing how athletes performed in later threshold and VO2 max workouts.
That history is a useful reminder. If the multiplier was adjusted once because the results felt too hard in training, it is a tuned estimate and not an exact measurement.
Gneta points out the same weakness: the 0.75 multiplier has the same individual variation problem as the 0.95 multiplier used in the 20-minute test. Some riders will land above their true threshold and some below.
Ramp test or 20-minute test?
Neither is perfect, and they trade different strengths. Roadman Cycling’s comparison lists the ramp test as good for accuracy at ±3-5%, against better at ±2-3% for the 20-minute test.
- Pacing: the ramp has no pacing difficulty because the target is progressive, while the 20-minute test requires you to hold a steady effort.
- Time: about 20 minutes in total for the ramp, against about 45 minutes with warm-up for the 20-minute test.
- Repeatability: high for the ramp, moderate for the 20-minute test because pacing varies.
- Bias: the ramp test can overestimate FTP for riders with strong anaerobic capacity.
Those ratings come from one coaching site, not a controlled study, so treat them as a guide. No peer-reviewed validation of the 75% factor turned up in the sources reviewed for this page.
The key practical warning is from Gneta: an FTP from a ramp test is not directly comparable to one from a 20-minute test. Pick one protocol and stay with it, so changes in your number are easier to interpret.
Once you have a number, it feeds your cycling training zones, which are set as percentages of FTP. If the estimate is a little high, the hardest zones will feel punishing, which is the same signal TrainerRoad used when it lowered its multiplier.
Afterwards, review what you recorded. Your bike power data from later threshold sessions tells you whether the number was realistic or needs trimming.
- Test in similar conditions each time: same trainer, same time of day, similar freshness.
- Rest before the test so one hard minute is not wasted on tired legs.
- If threshold sessions feel consistently too hard, lower your FTP and try again.
- If you are strongly anaerobic, be sceptical of a flattering result.
Common mistakes that skew the result
Most bad ramp tests come from preparation, not from the protocol. A few habits are worth fixing before you press start, because the whole estimate hangs on a single minute of effort.
- Starting tired: a hard block of riding the day before can cost you the last few steps, which drags the estimate down.
- Surging early: pushing above the target in the middle steps burns energy you need at the end, so the final minute suffers.
- Changing the setup: a different trainer, a recalibrated power meter or a different bike can shift the number without any change in fitness.
- Poor cooling: heat raises heart rate and makes the final steps harder, so use a fan and keep drinks within reach.
- Treating the result as fixed: your FTP moves with training, illness and time off, so a number from months ago may no longer fit.
None of these needs special equipment to fix. They simply mean you repeat the test under the same conditions, which is what makes the comparison between two results meaningful.
It also helps to decide in advance what counts as the last completed minute. If you stop part-way through a step, use your highest continuous one-minute average power, which may span two steps, rather than guessing a figure in between.
Who the ramp test suits best
Roadman Cycling suggests the ramp test if you are new to FTP testing or struggle with pacing. Those riders benefit from a protocol where the trainer sets the target and the only decision is whether to keep going.
If you have raced or trained for years and know how to hold an even effort, a steady 20-minute test may fit you better. Plenty of riders simply use both at different times, as long as they never mix the two numbers when judging progress.
A good habit is to log the test date, the protocol, the trainer and the final result in one place. Over a season that short record shows whether your number is climbing, flat or drifting, and it helps you decide when a retest is worthwhile.
Whatever you choose, treat the output as a working estimate. Zones built on it should be checked against how real sessions feel, and adjusted when the evidence says so.
Frequently asked questions
What is a ramp test?
Show answer
It is a short test where power rises in regular steps until you fail. Your estimated FTP is 75% of your best one-minute power, as described by SMART Bike Trainers.
How long does a ramp test take?
Show answer
Typically between 16 and 20 minutes, according to SMART Bike Trainers. Roadman Cycling puts the total at about 20 minutes, against about 45 minutes with warm-up for the 20-minute test.
Can I compare ramp test and 20-minute test results?
Show answer
Not directly. Gneta says an FTP from a ramp test is not directly comparable to one from a 20-minute test, so track progress with one protocol.
Why might my ramp test number be too high?
Show answer
Roadman Cycling says the ramp test can overestimate FTP for riders with strong anaerobic capacity. The fixed multiplier also fits some riders better than others.
