Free Tool

FTP CALCULATOR: 7 CYCLING POWER ZONES

Enter your FTP and get seven continuous whole-watt ranges as practical starting targets for structured training.

YOUR FTP (WATTS)

Enter a recent FTP from the same test protocol you plan to repeat. Need an estimate first? Use the FTP test calculator.

Looking for an age-and-gender comparison rather than training zones? Use the masters FTP calculator by age and gender.

Quick answer

Enter a recent FTP and this calculator converts it into seven conventional cycling power ranges. It returns continuous whole-watt bands with no gaps. These are starting targets, not measured lactate or ventilatory thresholds: two riders with the same FTP can still have different power-duration profiles and responses.

WHAT IT DOES

This is a transparent percentage conversion, not a laboratory test or a complete training prescription. It turns one FTP value into seven whole-watt ranges so a workout written in power zones has usable targets. Every watt belongs to exactly one range.

It is the general FTP calculator for training-zone intent. If the question is how your FTP compares with riders of the same age and gender, use the separate masters benchmark calculator.

WHO IT'S FOR

→Cyclists who have a recent FTP and need power targets for a structured plan
→Riders setting cycling power zones in a head unit or training platform
→Coaches and self-coached athletes checking a transparent percentage table
→Anyone repeating an FTP protocol who wants gap-free whole-watt ranges

HOW IT WORKS

The calculator applies conventional Coggan-style upper boundaries: Zone 1 up to 55% of FTP, Zone 2 above 55% to 75%, Zone 3 above 75% to 90%, Zone 4 above 90% to 105%, Zone 5 above 105% to 120%, Zone 6 above 120% to 150%, and Zone 7 above 150%. After rounding an upper boundary down to a whole watt, the next zone starts one watt higher. That prevents gaps and overlaps.

01
Use a current, repeatable FTP
Take FTP from a protocol you can repeat under similar conditions. Multiplying a 20-minute test by 0.95 is one common field estimate, but ramp, 20-minute, hour and critical-power tests are not interchangeable.
02
Enter FTP in watts
Input a value from 50 to 600 watts. The calculator does not judge whether the number is physiologically valid; it only converts the value you provide.
03
Read the continuous ranges
Each displayed whole-watt range begins immediately after the previous one ends. For a 280 W FTP, Zone 2 is 155–210 W and Zone 3 is 211–252 W.
04
Calibrate in training
Use the ranges as starting targets. Adjust the session with breathing, RPE, heart rate, repeatability and coaching context because fixed percentages do not locate individual physiological thresholds.

EXAMPLE CALCULATIONS

Example A: 280 W FTP

· FTP input: 280 W
· Whole-watt boundaries

Z1: 0–154 W · Z2: 155–210 W · Z3: 211–252 W · Z4: 253–294 W · Z5: 295–336 W · Z6: 337–420 W · Z7: 421 W+.

Example B: 180 W FTP

· FTP input: 180 W
· Whole-watt boundaries

Z1: 0–99 W · Z2: 100–135 W · Z3: 136–162 W · Z4: 163–189 W · Z5: 190–216 W · Z6: 217–270 W · Z7: 271 W+.

LIMITATIONS

The output is only as current and repeatable as the FTP input. A 20-minute FTP estimate is related to, but not interchangeable with, critical power or laboratory lactate landmarks. Fixed percentages also cannot describe every rider's sustainable duration above FTP. Finally, a seven-zone power table is not the same thing as the three-zone models used in training-intensity-distribution research, so this calculator cannot prescribe a universal 80/20 week.

When to see a coach

Use a coach or sports scientist when test protocols disagree materially, the same percentage produces very different responses between riders, or you need zones tied to lactate, ventilation, race demands and a complete training plan rather than a generic percentage model.

SOURCES & TRUST

Author

Anthony Walsh — Cycling Coach & Podcast Host

Evidence sources

TrainingPeaks: Cycling Power Zones Explained — published Allen-Coggan percentage-zone reference
Valenzuela et al. 2020, Reliability of Functional Threshold Power — FTP20 reliability and 95% field-test convention
Karsten et al. 2021, Critical Power and FTP20 — limits of agreement between critical power and FTP
Morgan et al. 2022, FTP and Lactate Thresholds — boundary on substituting FTP for laboratory lactate landmarks
Jeffries et al. 2022, Time to Exhaustion at FTP — individual variation in sustainable duration at estimated FTP
Rosenblat et al. 2025, Training Intensity Distribution — evidence boundary for universal polarised-versus-pyramidal claims

Reviewed by Anthony Walsh — method and primary-source verification · Last reviewed 26 August 2026

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is FTP in cycling?+

FTP stands for Functional Threshold Power. It is a practical cycling performance marker used to scale workouts and compare repeat tests. It is often described as power near a quasi-steady effort, but a calculated FTP is not a guarantee that every rider can hold that wattage for exactly one hour.

How do I calculate my FTP?+

One common field protocol multiplies mean power from a 20-minute test by 0.95. That factor is an estimate, not a universal physiological conversion. Ramp tests, longer time trials and critical-power models can return different values, so use the same protocol when tracking change. Roadman's FTP test calculator compares the available protocols.

What are the seven cycling power zones?+

This calculator uses Zone 1 up to 55% of FTP, Zone 2 above 55% to 75%, Zone 3 above 75% to 90%, Zone 4 above 90% to 105%, Zone 5 above 105% to 120%, Zone 6 above 120% to 150%, and Zone 7 above 150%. Labels can differ across platforms, so keep the selected model consistent with your plan.

Why do Roadman's watt ranges have no gaps?+

Percentage boundaries often land between whole watts. Roadman rounds each upper boundary down, then begins the next zone one watt higher. At 280 W FTP, Zone 1 ends at 154 W and Zone 2 begins at 155 W. Every whole watt therefore belongs to one zone, with no overlap or missing target.

How often should I retest FTP?+

Retest when the value is stale enough to distort sessions, after a meaningful training block, or when repeatable workouts show the current targets no longer fit. There is no single interval that suits every rider. Keep the device, protocol, environment and preparation as consistent as practical before comparing results.

Are FTP and critical power the same?+

No. They are strongly related performance markers, but published studies report limits of agreement large enough that they should not be used interchangeably for individual training decisions. Critical power is fitted from multiple efforts across the power-duration curve; FTP is commonly estimated from one field protocol.

Which Roadman FTP calculator should I use?+

Use this FTP calculator when you want seven training-zone watt ranges. Use the FTP test calculator when you need to estimate FTP from a test result. Use the masters FTP calculator by age and gender when you want an age-graded W/kg percentile rather than training zones.