Cycling power zones are bands of intensity set as percentages of your functional threshold power (FTP), the highest power you can hold for about an hour. Each zone trains a different part of your fitness, from easy recovery spinning to all-out sprints. Enter your FTP below to see your watts for every zone.
Power zones calculator
Enter your FTP to see your watts for each zone.
| Zone | % of FTP | Your watts |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery | Below 56% | Below 140 W |
| Endurance | 56–75% | 140–188 W |
| Tempo | 76–87% | 190–218 W |
| Sweet Spot | 88–94% | 220–235 W |
| Threshold | 95–105% | 238–262 W |
| VO2max | 106–120% | 265–300 W |
| Anaerobic | 121–150% | 302–375 W |
| Sprint | Max efforts | All-out |
These are WattAscent's eight zones, based on Andrew Coggan's power training levels.
Where power zones come from
The zone system most cyclists use was developed by exercise physiologist Dr. Andrew Coggan. His seven “power training levels” run from Active Recovery to Neuromuscular Power, each defined as a percentage of threshold power (Coggan, 2016).
Coggan built the levels from exercise physiology principles and about two decades of lab and field experience with cycling training zones (Coggan, 2016). Almost every training app, coach and power meter uses them or a close variation.
WattAscent uses eight zones. They follow Coggan’s boundaries at the bottom and top, with one change in the middle. Coggan’s Tempo level runs 76–90% of FTP and his Lactate Threshold level runs 91–105%. WattAscent pulls out 88–94% as its own Sweet Spot zone, which straddles the top of Coggan’s Tempo and the bottom of his Threshold level.
Sweet Spot isn’t one of Coggan’s numbered levels, and coaches define it a little differently. Peaks Coaching Group, for example, describes it as 88–92% of FTP (Peaks Coaching Group, via Bikerumor). Giving it its own zone makes it easier to prescribe and track.
The 8 zones at a glance
| Zone | % of FTP | What it trains | How it feels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery | Under 56% | Recovery between hard days and between intervals | Very easy spinning |
| Endurance | 56–75% | Your aerobic base | “All day” pace, easy to talk |
| Tempo | 76–87% | Muscular endurance for long, steady efforts | Takes concentration, conversation gets halting |
| Sweet Spot | 88–94% | Aerobic fitness and FTP, at a manageable cost | Comfortably hard |
| Threshold | 95–105% | The power you can sustain for about an hour | Hard, close to time-trial effort |
| VO2max | 106–120% | Your maximal aerobic capacity | Very hard, no talking |
| Anaerobic | 121–150% | Short, hard efforts for attacks and short climbs | Severe |
| Sprint | Maximal | Peak power and snap | All-out |
The “how it feels” column follows Coggan’s descriptions and perceived-exertion ranges for each level (Coggan, 2016).
What each zone does
Recovery (under 56% of FTP)
Recovery riding is easy spinning. Coggan notes that this intensity is too low to drive significant adaptation on its own (Coggan, 2016). That’s the point: you use it to recover between hard days, between intervals, or on social rides.
The hardest part is staying in it. A short hill or a stronger friend will pull you out of Recovery fast.
Endurance (56–75% of FTP)
Endurance is the foundation of your training. Coggan describes it as “all day” pace, with low leg fatigue, and says daily sessions at this level are possible with enough carbohydrate (Coggan, 2016).
Many riders call this “zone 2.” Most of your weekly riding time belongs here, even if you’re short on time. Our zone 2 training guide covers how to ride it well indoors and out.
Tempo (76–87% of FTP)
Tempo is steady, comfortably hard riding, like a brisk paceline. Coggan’s description is that it requires concentration and conversation becomes halting (Coggan, 2016).
Tempo builds muscular endurance for long, steady efforts. Peaks Coaching notes it’s common on group rides and long-course triathlon bike legs (Peaks Coaching Group, via Bikerumor). It’s also where many riders drift on “easy” days without meaning to.
Sweet Spot (88–94% of FTP)
Sweet Spot sits just under threshold. You get a strong aerobic stimulus for less fatigue than full threshold work, so you can do more of it and recover sooner.
Peaks Coaching Group describes using it in 20-minute intervals to get a threshold-like training effect (Peaks Coaching Group, via Bikerumor). It’s a staple for riders building FTP on limited time. See how to increase your FTP for how it fits alongside other work.
Threshold (95–105% of FTP)
Threshold efforts sit around your FTP. Coggan describes them as just below to just above time-trial effort, usually done in 10 to 30 minute repeats, and mentally taxing (Coggan, 2016).
This zone directly targets the power you can hold for about an hour. It’s demanding, so a little goes a long way.
VO2max (106–120% of FTP)
VO2max intervals push your maximal aerobic capacity. Coggan’s guidance is intervals of about 3 to 8 minutes, and he notes that conversation isn’t possible and the work is hard to sustain beyond 30 to 40 minutes in total (Coggan, 2016).
These sessions hurt, so plan easy days around them.
Anaerobic (121–150% of FTP)
Anaerobic efforts last roughly 30 seconds to 3 minutes and cause severe fatigue (Coggan, 2016). They build the capacity you need for attacks, short steep climbs and surges in a race.
Because they’re so short and hard, power targets here are a guide. You go as hard as the interval allows.
Sprint (maximal)
Sprints are very short, all-out efforts, such as jumps and standing starts. Coggan notes that this level stresses your muscles and nervous system more than your metabolism (Coggan, 2016).
There’s no percentage of FTP for this zone. Your target is your best effort, with full recovery between sprints.
If you have a heart condition or any health concerns, check with your doctor before doing hard intervals.
Power zones vs heart rate zones
Heart rate zones work, but they have limits. Coggan’s own table pairs each power level with a heart rate range, then notes that the link is hard to pin down because heart rate varies and each rider’s power-to-heart-rate relationship differs (Coggan, 2016).
Heart rate also lags. In short intervals it may not climb to the target range before the effort ends, and in the hardest efforts it’s not a useful guide at all (Coggan, 2016). In long rides it can drift upward even at steady power, a well-known effect called cardiovascular drift (Souissi et al., 2021).
Power measures the work you’re doing right now. That’s why structured indoor training on a smart trainer uses power targets. Heart rate is still useful alongside it, especially for spotting fatigue or for rides without a power meter.
Your zones are only as good as your FTP
Every zone is a percentage of FTP, so an FTP that’s off shifts every zone with it. Set FTP 10% too high and your Endurance rides become Tempo rides, and your Threshold intervals become VO2max intervals you can’t finish.
FTP also changes. It rises as you get fitter and falls after time off. Our guide to what FTP is explains how it’s measured and estimated.
WattAscent handles this with Adaptive FTP, which re-checks your FTP every two weeks from your rides and tests, so your zones move with your fitness. Read how it works in Adaptive FTP.
How to use your zones
A few practical rules make zones useful instead of confusing:
- Ride the easy days easy. Keep Recovery and Endurance rides in their zones, even when you feel good.
- Make hard days count. Sweet Spot, Threshold and VO2max sessions should be focused, with full recovery around them.
- Check your mix. If most of your riding ends up in Tempo, you’re probably going too hard on easy days and too easy on hard days.
- Update your FTP. Recheck it regularly so your zones stay accurate.
WattAscent sets every workout’s targets from your zones and adjusts them as your FTP changes. If you want structured, adaptive training that does the math for you, start training.
Frequently asked questions
How many cycling power zones are there?
Coggan’s system has seven levels, from Active Recovery to Neuromuscular Power (Coggan, 2016). Some apps and coaches add or split zones. WattAscent uses eight, with Sweet Spot as its own zone.
What zone is zone 2 in cycling?
In Coggan’s seven-level system, zone 2 is Endurance, 56–75% of FTP. In WattAscent it’s the Endurance zone with the same range. Other systems, especially heart rate systems, can define zone 2 differently, so check which one you’re using.
What percentage of FTP is sweet spot?
There’s no single official definition. WattAscent uses 88–94% of FTP, and Peaks Coaching Group describes it as 88–92% (Peaks Coaching Group, via Bikerumor).
Should I train with power or heart rate?
Power is better for setting interval targets because it responds instantly and isn’t affected by heat, fatigue or drift. Heart rate is still worth recording, since it shows how your body is responding to the work.
How often should I update my power zones?
Whenever your FTP changes, which happens as you get fitter or after time off. WattAscent re-checks FTP every two weeks. If you train elsewhere, update your zones after every FTP test or estimate.
References
- Coggan, A. (2016, updated 2026). Power Training Levels. TrainingPeaks. link
- Peaks Coaching Group. Power Training Zones 101. Bikerumor. link
- Souissi, A., Haddad, M., Dergaa, I., Ben Saad, H., & Chamari, K. (2021). A new perspective on cardiovascular drift during prolonged exercise. Life Sciences. link