What Is a Good FTP? Watts, W/kg & How to Improve
FTP explained for cyclists — how it is measured, why watts-per-kilogram beats raw watts, typical ranges by rider level, and the training that actually raises it.
Functional Threshold Power, or FTP, is the highest power a cyclist can sustain in a roughly quasi-steady state for about an hour. It is the single most useful number in structured cycling: it anchors your training zones, tracks your fitness over a season, and lets you compare efforts fairly.
How FTP is measured
You rarely ride a full hour all-out to find it. The two common tests are:
- 20-minute test: warm up, ride 20 minutes as hard as you can hold evenly, and take 95% of your average power. The 5% discount approximates the drop from 20 minutes to a full hour.
- Ramp test: power steps up every minute until you cannot continue; FTP is estimated as about 75% of your best one-minute power. It is shorter and easier to pace but a little less individual.
Once you have a number, drop it into the FTP & power-zone calculator to get your full set of training zones.
Watts vs watts-per-kilogram
Raw FTP in watts tells you how much power you make; watts per kilogram (W/kg) tells you how fast that power will actually move you uphill. On a climb you are mostly fighting gravity, so a light rider with modest watts can drop a heavier rider who makes more total power. On the flat, where aerodynamics dominate, raw watts matter more.
| Rider level | Approx. FTP (W/kg) |
|---|---|
| New / recreational | 2.0–3.0 |
| Trained amateur | 3.0–4.0 |
| Strong club racer | 4.0–5.0 |
| Elite / professional | 5.5–6.5+ |
Work out your own figure with the power-to-weight calculator.
How to raise your FTP
Threshold rises from a mix of high-volume aerobic riding and targeted intensity. The classic sessions are sweet-spot intervals (88–94% of FTP) and threshold intervals (95–105%), built up over weeks, on a base of easy endurance miles. Because FTP is a moving target, retest every 4–6 weeks and reset your zones each time. For a complementary view of your sustainable power and anaerobic capacity, see the critical power calculator.
Questions
What is a good FTP in watts?
It depends entirely on body weight, so watts alone are misleading. A useful recreational cyclist often sits around 2.5–3.5 W/kg, a strong amateur racer 3.5–4.5 W/kg, and elite road pros 5.5–6+ W/kg at threshold. A 75 kg rider at 3 W/kg has an FTP of about 225 W.
How do I test my FTP?
The common field test is a 20-minute all-out effort: take your average power for the 20 minutes and multiply by 0.95. A ramp test, which raises power until failure and takes about 75% of your best minute, is shorter but slightly less precise.
Is FTP or power-to-weight more important?
For flat and time-trial efforts, raw FTP in watts matters most. For climbing, watts per kilogram is the better predictor because you are mainly lifting your body against gravity.