Cycling Power Zones Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the seven Coggan power zones?

As a percent of FTP: Zone 1 Active Recovery <55%, Z2 Endurance 56–75%, Z3 Tempo 76–90%, Z4 Threshold 91–105%, Z5 VO2max 106–120%, Z6 Anaerobic 121–150%, Z7 Neuromuscular >150%. They guide training intensity.

What is FTP and how do I find it?

Functional Threshold Power is the highest average power you can sustain for about an hour. A common field test takes 95% of your best 20-minute average power as your FTP.

What are my zones at 250 W FTP?

Z2 ≈ 140–188 W, Z3 ≈ 190–225 W, Z4 ≈ 228–263 W, Z5 ≈ 265–300 W. Multiply each percentage band by 250 W to get the wattage range.

Why train by power instead of heart rate?

Power is an instantaneous, objective measure of output, while heart rate lags and drifts with heat, fatigue, and caffeine. Power zones let you hit precise intensities from the first pedal stroke.

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Estimates for informational purposes only.

Important Disclaimer: Estimates for informational purposes only.

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results are based on assumptions and may not reflect actual outcomes. Consult qualified professionals in relevant fields before making important decisions based on these results.

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How This Calculator Works

Power-based training divides effort into discrete intensity bands so every workout has a clear, repeatable target. This calculator uses the Coggan seven-zone model developed by Dr. Andrew Coggan and Hunter Allen, the de facto standard in TrainingPeaks, Zwift, and most coaching software. You enter a single number - your Functional Threshold Power (FTP), the highest average wattage you can hold for about an hour - and the tool returns the watt range for each of the seven zones. Everything is anchored to a percentage of FTP, so as your fitness improves and you retest, every zone scales up automatically. The zones progress from Zone 1 active recovery through Zone 7 all-out neuromuscular sprints, each targeting a different physiological adaptation.

Formula / Method

Each zone is a fixed percentage band of FTP. The lower watt bound is FTP × lower%, and the upper bound is FTP × upper%, rounded to whole watts. The Coggan percentages are: Z1 ≤ 55%, Z2 56–75%, Z3 76–90%, Z4 91–105% (straddling threshold itself), Z5 106–120%, Z6 121–150%, and Z7 > 150% with no upper cap because it represents maximal sprint power limited only by your nervous system and leg speed. Note that Zone 4 is centred exactly on your FTP - 100% of FTP sits in the middle of the threshold band - which is why threshold intervals are prescribed as "Z4 work."

Worked Example

Take a rider with an FTP of 250 W. Zone 2 endurance runs from 0.56 × 250 ≈ 140 W to 0.75 × 250 ≈ 188 W - the comfortable, conversational pace that builds your aerobic base on long rides. Zone 4 threshold runs 0.91 × 250 ≈ 228 W to 1.05 × 250 ≈ 263 W, the band you hold during sustained 2×20-minute intervals. Zone 5 VO2-max work sits at 1.06 × 250 ≈ 265 W to 1.20 × 250 = 300 W, used for punchy 3–5-minute repeats. Zone 7 begins above 1.51 × 250 ≈ 378 W - sprints where the target is simply "as hard as possible" for a few seconds.

Common Mistakes

Training Zone 2 too hard. The single most common error is letting endurance rides drift into Zone 3, which adds fatigue without the targeted base-building benefit.

Using a stale FTP. An out-of-date threshold shifts every zone, so a "Zone 2" ride may actually be Zone 3 if your fitness has dropped.

Confusing average and normalized power. Variable-terrain rides should be judged on normalized power, not raw average, when comparing to zones.

Expecting steady wattage in high zones. Z5–Z7 efforts are short and the wattage naturally decays within the interval - aim for the average, not a perfectly flat line.

Treating indoor and outdoor FTP as identical - many riders test 5–10% lower on a trainer, which skews every derived zone.

Tips & FAQ

How often should I retest FTP? Every 4–8 weeks during a focused block; the zones are only as good as the FTP they are built on. Why are there gaps between some zone numbers? The 1% rounding gaps (e.g. 75% to 76%) are cosmetic - in practice Zone 2 ends where Zone 3 begins; just don't obsess over a single watt at the boundary. What is the polarized model? Many coaches now group these seven into three: easy (Z1–Z2), moderate (Z3–Z4), and hard (Z5+), then spend ~80% of time easy and ~20% hard, skipping the "grey zone" middle. Can I use heart-rate zones instead? You can, but power responds instantly while heart rate lags by 30–60 seconds and drifts with heat and fatigue, so power zones are far more precise for short, hard intervals. Why no upper limit on Z7? Neuromuscular power is capped only by your physiology in the moment, not a percentage - a track sprinter might hit 1500+ W for a few seconds well beyond any tidy multiple of FTP.

Cycling Power Zones Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

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