Ask “what is a good FTP?” in any cycling forum and you get two useless answers: inflated bragging and “it depends.” Here is the honest version, with real numbers: what FTP actually measures, what typical values look like for different riders, why watts per kilogram is the number that matters, and how triathletes specifically should use it.
What FTP actually is
Functional Threshold Power is the highest power you can sustain for roughly an hour — the tipping point between effort you can hold steadily and effort that accumulates fatigue by the minute. Every structured bike plan builds its zones from it, which is why it is the first number a coach asks for.
Raw watts vs watts per kilogram
Raw FTP decides who wins flat time trials; W/kg decides everything else — climbing, accelerating, and fair comparison between riders. A 90 kg athlete holding 270 W and a 60 kg athlete holding 180 W are the same rider at 3.0 W/kg.
| FTP (W/kg) | Where that typically sits |
|---|---|
| Under 2.0 | New to structured riding |
| 2.0–2.7 | Recreational rider / typical first-season triathlete |
| 2.8–3.5 | Solid age grouper; mid-pack 70.3 bike splits live here |
| 3.6–4.2 | Strong age grouper, front of the amateur race |
| 4.3–5.0 | Elite amateur / Kona-qualifier territory |
| 5.0+ | Professional cyclists and triathletes |
Treat the bands as orientation, not judgment: typical values differ between men and women (women’s W/kg bands run roughly 0.3–0.5 lower at equal competitive level, largely reflecting body-composition physiology), and decline gently with age. The only comparison that pays rent is you versus you last season.
How to test your FTP (without hating your life)
- 20-minute test: warm up thoroughly, ride 20 minutes all-out but evenly paced, multiply average power by 0.95. The classic, brutally honest.
- Ramp test (Zwift and most apps): power increases every minute until failure; the app estimates FTP. Less dreadful, slightly less accurate for diesel-engine endurance athletes — it flatters punchy riders.
- Retest every 6–8 weeks in the same conditions (same trainer, same time of day). Indoor FTP often reads 5–15 W lower than outdoor; keep the comparison apples-to-apples. Our Zwift vs Rouvy guide covers the testing platforms.
What triathletes do differently with FTP
Cyclists race at threshold; triathletes must not. The art of the triathlon bike leg is riding below FTP and running well afterwards:
- Sprint: 85–95% of FTP
- Olympic: 80–85%
- Ironman 70.3: 75–82%
- Full Ironman: 68–75%
Every point above these ranges is borrowed from your run with interest — the mechanism behind every 70.3 marathon-shuffle. Pair these targets with our long-course pacing guide and the fueling math that makes them sustainable.
Raising your FTP on triathlete hours
- Sweet spot (88–94% FTP), 2 × 20 minutes, twice a week. The best fitness-per-hour deal in cycling.
- One genuine VO2 session a week in winter: 5 × 3 minutes at 110–120% FTP. Raises the ceiling your threshold lives under.
- Keep the long ride easy. Zone 2 volume is what lets the hard sessions actually be hard — the same 80/20 logic as our heart-rate zone guide.
- Do not test-chase. Six weeks of consistent work beats any testing protocol trick.
FAQ
Is 200 W a good FTP?
At 65 kg it is 3.1 W/kg — a solid age-group number. At 95 kg it is 2.1 — early-days territory. The watts mean nothing without the kilograms.
How fast can FTP improve?
New riders commonly gain 15–25% in their first structured year; experienced riders fight for 2–5% a season. The curve flattens — which is why pacing and aerodynamics eventually buy more speed than watts.
Do I need a power meter for triathlon?
For 70.3 and Ironman racing, it is the single highest-value equipment upgrade after a bike fit: it is the only honest pacing tool when race-day adrenaline lies to you.
