Benchmark fitness test for newbie

General Discussion
1

Hi everyone, newbie here. Would appreciate some advice.

I want to:

  • Get some sort of baseline measurement of my current fitness, so I can gauge my future progress as I use the app …
  • Ride on one of the maps to do this (I might get into ‘training programmes’ at some point, but I want to start my Zwifting experience by exploring some of the maps).

What’s a good way to get a measurement of my fitness that I can later compare back to?

I’m roughly thinking of a test ride, about 30-45 mins long, on an interesting map, that would give me some stats to compare with in future. But perhaps I’m going about this the wrong way?

Thanks for any and all suggestions! :grinning:

2

hi,

Doing and FTP test is probably what you are looking for. To give you an accurate starting position of your power.

There is long/short and a ramp test versions of them which should roughly give you similar output.

There is also things like just pick a climb route it and see how long it takes.
Ride up the epic kom come should be about 30-45 mins from the beach.

3
  • Ramp-Up Test
  • Power Curve
  • IRL or Virtual Events

A ramp-up test is a quick and effective way to benchmark your cycling fitness at a point intime; however, by closely tracking your power curve over time (provided by Zwift, Garmin, etc.), you get valuable insights into your power output at key intervals, offering a more comprehensive picture of your progress and endurance.

Over time, you’ll discover numerous indicators that gauge your fitness level if you’re observant:

  • Monthly Average Power Output Tracking (e.g., Garmin Connect) – Offers insights into your average power output over time, helping monitor progress.
  • Garmin Devices – Estimate Functional Threshold Power (FTP) without the need for a dedicated FTP test, based on your ride data.
  • Strava – Also provides an estimated FTP by analyzing performance data from uploaded rides, eliminating the need for a manual test.
  • Zwift – Offers FTP estimates through virtual rides and workouts, without requiring a specific FTP test.
  • Climb Portals – Features routes with real-time power output tracking, helping you gauge your climbing power.
  • Alpe du Zwift (ADZ) – A popular virtual climb on Zwift, often used for power and performance benchmarking due to its challenging gradients.
4

Many thanks for this. I have a question, apologies if it’s a daft one.

I’m not primarily interested in my “power”. I’m looking for a measure of fitness. Is power a good measure of fitness?

5

I’d say so.

Your power curve in general will show you improvements in you your max power and duration you can hold the power for.

Plus any training plan will be based on your own FTP to know what levels to push you at

6
  1. Power (especially FTP or watts/kg) is more practical and directly tied to performance, as it reflects how much power you can put into the pedals over time. It’s a more trainable and specific measure that cyclists use to guide their training and measure progress. Power output (especially when measured in watts per kilogram) is crucial for climbing, time trials, and overall cycling performance.
  2. VO2 Max is a measure of your body’s ability to consume and use oxygen during exercise, representing your aerobic potential. While having a high VO2 max provides a good foundation for endurance, it is less trainable than power and often plateaus after a certain point.

Power is generally considered more important because it translates directly to how fast you can ride, especially in real-world conditions. VO2 max sets your ceiling for aerobic capacity, but power tells you how efficiently you’re using your potential.

7

Along with power, the average heart rate you can sustain is a decent measure of fitness.

Without access to a lab, 98% of your 20min average heart rate can be a decent estimate of your Lactate Threshold Heart Rate.

1 Like
8

Thanks a lot for all these comments. I did a ride today, and the app flashed up a message about my FTP. I didn’t take a special note of it, but now I can’t find that stat anywhere.

How can I see what Zwift thinks my FTP is? Thanks again!

9

Sounds like you might have improved your 20min power, Zwift (and other places) take 95% of that value for an estimated FTP.

In Zwift, check your profile from the main menu top centre-right. The FTP figure should now be that 95% figure.

10

I suggest connecting your Zwift account to Strava, and then connect Strava to intervals.icu. Look at power and power-to-weight ratio at different time intervals, plus VO2max. You can look at a lot of useful trends in intervals.icu

11

I think you’re right. The message did say something about an improved FTP.

But I can’t find where the FTP is shown. When I look in my profile the FTP just says 0. It has given me a Racing Score, but no FTP.

Any ideas where else I could look? Thanks!

12

I can now answer that last question (in case it helps any other newbies in future).

The zFTP, zMAP, VO2 max, and other stats are visible by clicking on “My Feed” from the Zwift homepage.

For some reason that wasn’t obvious to me …