Skip to content
The ERG Room

Home » Workouts

Ramp Test

FTP Test workoutAll levels35 minTSS 54IF 0.97

A short, sharp alternative to the 20-minute test: the target climbs every minute until you cannot hold it any more.

25%50%75%100%125%150%175%Warm-up · 5 min @ 45–55% FTPEasy · 3 min @ 50% FTPStep 1 · 1 min @ 56% FTPStep 2 · 1 min @ 62% FTPStep 3 · 1 min @ 68% FTPStep 4 · 1 min @ 74% FTPStep 5 · 1 min @ 80% FTPStep 6 · 1 min @ 86% FTPStep 7 · 1 min @ 92% FTPStep 8 · 1 min @ 98% FTPStep 9 · 1 min @ 104% FTPStep 10 · 1 min @ 110% FTPStep 11 · 1 min @ 116% FTPStep 12 · 1 min @ 122% FTPStep 13 · 1 min @ 128% FTPStep 14 · 1 min @ 134% FTPStep 15 · 1 min @ 140% FTPStep 16 · 1 min @ 146% FTPStep 17 · 1 min @ 152% FTPCool-down · 10 min @ 50–40% FTP0:000:100:200:30
  • Z1 Active recovery · 18:00
  • Z2 Endurance · 4:00
  • Z3 Tempo · 2:00
  • Z4 Threshold · 3:00
  • Z5 VO2max · 2:00
  • Z6 Anaerobic · 5:00
  • Z7 Neuromuscular · 1:00
Power profile in % of FTP. Hover a block for its target; the dashed line is your FTP.

Download

ZWO · ZwiftMRC · TrainerRoad & others

Intervals

SetsStepTimeTarget (FTP)
Warm-up5 min45–55%
Easy3 min50%
Step 11 min56%
Step 21 min62%
Step 31 min68%
Step 41 min74%
Step 51 min80%
Step 61 min86%
Step 71 min92%
Step 81 min98%
Step 91 min104%
Step 101 min110%
Step 111 min116%
Step 121 min122%
Step 131 min128%
Step 141 min134%
Step 151 min140%
Step 161 min146%
Step 171 min152%
Cool-down10 min50–40%

How it works

After a short warm-up, the target rises by 6% of your current FTP every minute. The test ends when you can no longer turn the pedals at the target, not when the file ends. Strong riders may reach the last steps; most stop several minutes earlier.

Ride the ramp in ERG mode. Keep your cadence steady and high, because a falling cadence in ERG mode makes the resistance climb and ends the test early.

Calculating your FTP

Look up your best one-minute average power, usually the last full step you completed, and multiply it by 0.75. If your best minute was 340 watts, your FTP is about 255 watts.

Ramp test or 20-minute test?

The ramp test is shorter, easier to pace and less mentally draining. Riders with a strong sprint can overestimate FTP on it, while diesel-type riders often get a truer number from the 20-minute test. Pick one and stick with it, so your results stay comparable.

Questions

How is FTP calculated from a ramp test?

Take your best one-minute average power from the test and multiply it by 0.75.

When does a ramp test end?

When you can no longer hold the target. The file goes beyond what most riders can reach, so stopping early is normal.

More workouts

MRCZWOERG68 Min

VO2max 5x4

VO2max workout · Advanced

Stress: 87   Intensity: 0.87

MRCZWOERG58 Min

30/30 Intervals

VO2max workout · Intermediate

Stress: 57   Intensity: 0.77