Power Zone Calculator
Enter your FTP to get all seven cycling power training zones in watts, using the classic Coggan model.
Don’t know your FTP? Estimate it with the FTP calculator.
The basics
Cycling power zones explained
Why zones exist
Different intensities train different parts of your engine, and power zones give each a precise, repeatable target in watts. Because every zone is a percentage of your FTP, two riders following the same plan work equally hard relative to their own fitness, even if their raw numbers are far apart.
The seven Coggan zones
Z1 Active Recovery and Z2 Endurance build your aerobic base and should make up most of your riding. Z3 Tempo and the top of Z3 (often called sweet spot) build sustainable power efficiently. Z4 Lactate Threshold lifts your FTP directly, while Z5 VO2 Max, Z6 Anaerobic, and Z7 Neuromuscular sharpen your ceiling, your repeatability, and your sprint.
Training with your zones
You do not have to plan any of this by hand. In Ride Cave, every workout targets these zones automatically from your current FTP, colour-coded exactly like the table above, and adaptive training plans decide how much time you spend in each. Set your FTP once and the zones follow you everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
How are cycling power zones calculated?
Power zones are defined as percentages of your FTP. The Coggan model uses seven zones: Active Recovery (under 55% of FTP), Endurance (56–75%), Tempo (76–90%), Lactate Threshold (91–105%), VO2 Max (106–120%), Anaerobic (121–150%), and Neuromuscular (over 150%).
What are the 7 cycling power zones?
Z1 Active Recovery, Z2 Endurance, Z3 Tempo, Z4 Lactate Threshold, Z5 VO2 Max, Z6 Anaerobic Capacity, and Z7 Neuromuscular. Each targets a different physiological system, from easy aerobic riding to all-out sprints.
Do I need my FTP to set power zones?
Yes. Every zone is a percentage of FTP, so you need an FTP figure first. If you do not know yours, run a quick ramp or 20-minute test — or use our FTP calculator to estimate it from your weight and fitness.
How much time should I spend in each zone?
Most riders do best with a large base of easy Zone 1–2 riding, a moderate amount of threshold (Zone 4) work, and smaller, focused doses of VO2 max (Zone 5) and above. Polarized and sweet-spot approaches both build from a big aerobic base.