Getting Started with Cycling Power Training: From Buying a Power Meter to Designing Your First Workout Plan

Introduction

A few years ago, power meters were exclusive gear for professional riders, with prices often exceeding NT$30,000, putting them out of reach for amateur cyclists. But as technology has advanced, today you can buy a reliable pedal-based power meter for under NT$15,000, letting your training evolve from “feel” to “data.”

Power (measured in watts) indicates how much energy you’re outputting each second. Unlike heart rate, which is affected by external factors like temperature, emotion, and fatigue, power is an objective measurement that reflects, in real time, exactly how much force you’re producing right now. With a power meter, every minute of your training has a clear intensity marker.

Types of Power Meters and Buying Recommendations

Power meters on the market can be divided into five categories based on where they’re mounted:

Recommended entry points for Taiwanese riders: Favero Assioma Uno (pedal-based, dual-leg measurement) or Stages Cycling (Shimano crank-based) are currently the best value entry-level choices, and both are easy to find at bike shops and online in Taiwan.

Step One: The FTP Test

After buying a power meter, the first thing to do is measure your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). FTP represents the maximum average power you can sustain for one hour, and it serves as the baseline for calculating all power training zones.

The 20-Minute Test (Most Common Method)

1. 20-minute warm-up: Ride easy in Zone 1–2, with 3×1-minute slightly harder efforts mixed in
2. 5-minute all-out effort: Ride as hard as possible for 5 minutes (to clear out glycolytic energy)
3. 5-minute recovery: Pedal very easy
4. 20-minute time trial test: Ride all-out, trying to keep power as even as possible (don’t go out too hard in the first 10 minutes)
5. 15-minute cool-down

FTP Calculation: 20-minute average power × 0.95 = estimated FTP

For example: a 20-minute average power of 250W gives an estimated FTP of about 238W.

Alternative: The Ramp Test

Platforms like Zwift and TrainerRoad offer a “Ramp Test” feature, where power increases every minute until you can no longer continue, and 75% of the highest power sustained for a full minute is taken as your FTP. This is less taxing than the 20-minute test, but may slightly underestimate FTP for some riders.

The Seven-Zone Power Training System

Once you have your FTP, you can calculate seven training zones (based on the system developed by American exercise scientist Dr. Andrew Coggan):

Designing Your First Power-Based Workout Plan

Once you have your FTP number, it’s recommended to start with the following three workout types:

Workout One: Sweet Spot Training (twice a week)

• 15-minute warm-up (Zone 1→2)
• 2×20 minutes, holding 88–93% of FTP
• 5-minute recovery between sets (Zone 1)
• 10-minute cool-down
• Purpose: The most efficient training for raising FTP, ideal for riders with limited training time

Workout Two: VO2max Intervals (once a week)

• 20-minute warm-up
• 5×4 minutes, holding 110–118% of FTP
• 4-minute recovery between sets (Zone 1)
• 15-minute cool-down
• Purpose: Expands your cardiopulmonary ceiling and drives breakthroughs in FTP

Workout Three: Zone 2 Long Ride (1–2 times a week)

• 90–180 minutes, holding 56–75% of FTP (should be able to hold a comfortable conversation)
• Purpose: Builds a solid aerobic base and improves fat-burning efficiency

Using Power Data to Track Progress

Retest your FTP every 8–10 weeks to see whether the number has improved. Besides FTP itself, W/kg (watts per kilogram) is a more useful metric for comparing across different body weights:

• Typical amateur riders: 2.0–3.0 W/kg
• Advanced amateurs: 3.0–4.0 W/kg
• Elite amateurs (able to race in open categories): 4.0–5.0 W/kg
• Professional riders: 5.5–6.5 W/kg (climbing specialists can be even higher)

Practical Advice

Avoid “power anxiety”: Some riders, after getting a power meter, stare at the numbers on every single ride, which ends up taking the joy out of cycling. It’s a good idea to alternate between “data training days” and “feel-based riding days” — on casual long rides, don’t worry about watching your power, just ride by feel, and save the precise numbers for the days you’re executing a structured workout.

Applications in Taiwan: With Taiwan’s abundance of mountains, a power meter is especially valuable for climbing training — power lets you precisely control your climbing pace, avoiding the common mistake of going out too hard at the start and blowing up later. It’s an essential pacing tool for long climbs like Wuling and Alishan.

Conclusion

A power meter is a tool, not magic. It transforms your training from a vague sense of “perceived effort” into precise “data management,” but what ultimately drives your progress is still the execution of every pedal stroke and the discipline of your recovery. Get your power meter, measure your FTP, and start your first workout plan — the numbers will tell you just how real your progress is.

Related Reading

• Power Meter Buying Guide: Error and Application of Single-Leg vs. Dual-Leg Power Meters
• The Complete 2025 Power Meter Buying Guide: From Beginner to Advanced Choices
• Buying and Calibrating Power Meters: How Accuracy Errors Affect Your Training Data
• The Complete Guide to Bicycle Power Meters: Brand Accuracy, Installation, and Usage Tips