The eFTP definition indicates that “the algorithm requires just 1 max effort of between 180 seconds and 30 minutes”
A few days ago I modified the “eFTP minimum duration” that was set at 240 seconds (I think that is the default value as I do not remember changing it before) to 120 seconds, because that is the longest continuous segment duration I can ride in my training loop before a downhill shows and wanted to see if it could be used to get eFTP estimates.
In the following ride I got a new updated eFTP reading while doing an all out effort in the segment. At the time I did not pay attenton to the “180 seconds and 30 minutes” requirement/recommendation but I got a result with a setting less than that.
So my questions are:
What is the minumum reliable “eFTP minimum duration” setting?
If anyone here has done eFTP testing with different minumum durations settings, were the results similar, meaning the same or closeby model power curves were used to get them?
Ramp tests exist because many riders want frequent updates on progress without the strenuous regimen of a 20 or 60 minute test. Because those don’t replicate the traditional FTP test very accurately, results derived from those tests have been renamed or footnoted with their origins and other tests have followed with newer names. Some tests even claim the FTP test is obsolete and theirs is the true measure. And, to be fair, there are so many ways to improperly run an FTP test that its results can be suspect. Cadence, warm up , prerun HIIT spikes, etc all affect the results. Cadence especially can bump up the results, huge difference.
In the end it doesn’t matter. Comparison of results obtained from the same method will yield evidence of improvement. If application of those results to a real world scenario are useful, even better. It doesn’t matter if the watts obtained from ramp tests can’t be held for 60 or even 20 minutes if that number is helpful in some manner towards someone’s training. Because in the end it’s the “work” being done in training that is the important part.
Your x seconds on part of your course, assuming your efforts and the conditions on the rest of the course are exactly the same, may yield you useable results, but I wouldn’t presume that accurately reflects the number given in a 60 or 20 minute properly run FTP test.