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Cycling Power (FTP) Calculator

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Estimate your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) from a 20-minute test and get your 7 Coggan power training zones in watts instantly and free.

Written by · Reviewed by the thecalcu.com team · Last updated July 23, 2026

Coggan Power Training Zones

Zone% FTPWatts
Zone 1 — Active Recovery< 55%0–131W
Zone 2 — Endurance56–75%132–179W
Zone 3 — Tempo76–90%180–214W
Zone 4 — Threshold91–105%215–250W
Zone 5 — VO2 Max106–120%251–286W
Zone 6 — Anaerobic Capacity121–150%287–357W
Zone 7 — Neuromuscular Power> 150%358–∞W

Estimated FTP

238W

Estimated as 95% of your best 20-minute average power — the highest power you can sustain for approximately one hour.

What is a Cycling FTP?

The Cycling FTP Calculator estimates your Functional Threshold Power from a 20-minute maximal test effort, using the standard 95% adjustment factor, and generates your personalized 7-zone Coggan power training zones in watts. Enter your best 20-minute average power, and get your FTP plus a complete zone chart instantly.

FTP is the foundation of structured power-based cycling training. For a complementary aerobic fitness measure, see the VO2 Max Calculator.

Why Use a Cycling FTP Calculator?

Manually applying the 0.95 adjustment factor and then calculating seven separate zone boundaries as percentages of FTP is repetitive arithmetic that's easy to mess up, especially when zone boundaries shift every time your FTP changes after a retest.

This calculator produces your complete, ready-to-use training zone chart in watts instantly, so you can immediately program structured intervals into your training plan or bike computer.

Who Should Use This Calculator?

Cyclists who train with a power meter and want to establish or update their FTP-based training zones.

Cycling coaches setting personalized power zones for athletes after a benchmark FTP test.

Triathletes using power-based bike training as part of a multi-sport program.

Indoor trainer/Zwift users setting up structured workout zones based on a recent FTP test result.

What Insights Does This Calculator Give You?

Estimated FTP, the primary result, the power (in watts) you can sustain for approximately one hour.

Complete 7-zone training chart, all Coggan zone boundaries in watts, ready to program directly into a bike computer, smart trainer app, or written training plan.

Percentage-of-FTP context, each zone's percentage range alongside its wattage, so you understand not just the number but the training intent behind each zone.

How to use this Cycling FTP calculator

  1. Complete a 20-minute maximal effort test, ideally on a flat or steady climb course, pacing as evenly as possible for the full 20 minutes.

  2. Enter your average power from that 20-minute effort, in watts.

  3. Read your estimated FTP, automatically calculated as 95% of your 20-minute average power.

  4. Review your 7 training zones, each zone's wattage range and percentage of FTP, ready to use in structured training.

Show formula & methodology ↓Hide formula & methodology ↑

Formula & Methodology

FTP estimation formula: FTP = 20-Minute Average Power × 0.95

Coggan 7-zone model (% of FTP):

  • Zone 1, Active Recovery: < 55%
  • Zone 2, Endurance: 56–75%
  • Zone 3, Tempo: 76–90%
  • Zone 4, Threshold: 91–105%
  • Zone 5, VO2 Max: 106–120%
  • Zone 6, Anaerobic Capacity: 121–150%
  • Zone 7, Neuromuscular Power: > 150%

Worked example (20-minute power = 250W):

FTP = 250 × 0.95 = 237.5W (rounded to 238W)

Zone 2 max = 238 × 0.75 = 178W

Zone 4 max = 238 × 1.05 = 250W

Zone 6 max = 238 × 1.50 = 357W

Note: The 95% adjustment and the Coggan zone percentages are population-level approximations from Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan's power training methodology. Individual physiology varies, a directly measured 60-minute time trial power output is the gold-standard FTP measurement if available.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FTP in cycling?

FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is the highest average power, in watts, a cyclist can sustain for approximately one hour, and it's the foundational metric used to set structured power-based training zones for cycling.

How is FTP estimated from a 20-minute test?

FTP is commonly estimated as 95% of your best 20-minute average power output, since most cyclists can sustain slightly higher power for 20 minutes than they could for a full 60 minutes, the 0.95 factor adjusts the 20-minute result down to approximate true one-hour threshold power.

Why 95% specifically, and not some other percentage?

The 95% factor comes from Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan's original power-based training methodology (documented in 'Training and Racing with a Power Meter'), based on observed relationships between 20-minute and 60-minute maximal efforts across many trained cyclists, it's an approximation, not a fixed physiological law for every individual.

What are the 7 Coggan power training zones?

The 7 Coggan zones, as percentages of FTP, are: Zone 1 Active Recovery (<55%), Zone 2 Endurance (56-75%), Zone 3 Tempo (76-90%), Zone 4 Threshold (91-105%), Zone 5 VO2 Max (106-120%), Zone 6 Anaerobic Capacity (121-150%), and Zone 7 Neuromuscular Power (>150%).

How should I use these training zones in my workouts?

Different zones target different physiological adaptations, Zone 2 builds aerobic endurance base, Zone 4 improves lactate threshold, Zone 5 builds VO2 max, and Zones 6-7 develop anaerobic capacity and sprint power. Structured training plans typically prescribe specific zones for specific workout types.

Is a 20-minute FTP test as accurate as a real 60-minute time trial?

A 60-minute all-out time trial gives the most direct FTP measurement, but it's physically and mentally demanding to execute correctly. The 20-minute test (with the 0.95 adjustment) is the widely used practical alternative, offering a good estimate without requiring a full hour of maximal effort.

How often should I retest my FTP?

Most structured training plans recommend retesting FTP every 4-8 weeks, or after a significant training block, since FTP changes as fitness improves (or declines), and training zones based on an outdated FTP will no longer accurately reflect your current effort levels.

Does FTP apply only to cycling, or also to running?

FTP originated in cycling power-meter training but the same threshold-power concept has been adapted to running with power meters, and a similar 'lactate threshold pace' concept is used in running with the [Race Time Predictor Calculator](/race-time-predictor-calculator/) and [Marathon Pace Calculator](/marathon-pace-calculator/) for pace-based training.

What if my actual FTP doesn't match this estimate?

The 95% rule is a population-level approximation, some cyclists' true FTP is closer to their raw 20-minute power (less than 5% drop-off), while others see a larger decrease. If you have a directly measured FTP from a lab test or 60-minute time trial, use that figure over this estimate.

Why does Zone 7 have no upper power limit?

Zone 7 (Neuromuscular Power) covers maximal sprint efforts that are limited by neuromuscular power output and phosphocreatine energy systems rather than by any percentage-of-FTP ceiling, so it's conventionally left open-ended above 150% of FTP rather than assigned a fixed upper bound.

How does FTP relate to aerobic fitness measures like VO2 max?

FTP and VO2 max both reflect endurance fitness but measure different things, VO2 max measures maximal oxygen utilization capacity, while FTP measures the highest power sustainable near the lactate threshold. See the [VO2 Max Calculator](/vo2-max-calculator/) for a complementary aerobic fitness estimate.
Also known as
FTP calculator cyclingfunctional threshold power calculatorcoggan power zones calculatorcycling training zones calculator