VELOARCHITECT

The ramp test produces the Athlete's full power-duration curve from a single session. Starting at a sub-FTP wattage and increasing 1 watt per second until the Athlete can no longer sustain the ramp, the protocol produces a continuous record of power vs. duration. The Athlete's FTP is derived from the curve at the duration matching their race profile (e.g. 20-minute equivalent power × 0.95, or 60-minute equivalent power × 0.98). Veloarchitect dispatches this template when the Athlete needs a full power-duration recalibration, not just an FTP number update.

The ramp test is the most information-dense FTP test. A single 30–60 minute ramp produces the Athlete's full power-duration curve, which the Adaptive Workout reads to dispatch the correct intensity for any race profile. The protocol is harder than a steady-state 20-minute test — the Athlete's Failure Horizon tightens rapidly during the ramp, and the post-ramp recovery window is the longest of any test template. Veloarchitect dispatches the ramp test when the Athlete's longitudinal record needs a curve-level recalibration, not a single-point FTP update.

Protocols: Protocol 10 — Adaptive Workout; Protocol 11 — Failure Horizon

Worked Example — ramp test for a 12-week block recalibration

Athlete: 36y/o, 274W FTP (from 8-week-old 20-minute test), 1.55 W/bpm. Ramp test duration: 38 minutes. Power-duration curve: 5-min equivalent 322W, 20-min equivalent 286W, 60-min equivalent 254W. Derived FTP for 40K TT profile: 286W × 0.95 = 272W. Derived FTP for 10-mile TT profile: 322W × 0.92 = 296W. Adaptive Workout rewrites the next block at the 40K profile (272W threshold). Mechanical Efficiency: 1.55 → 1.58 W/bpm post-test (small shift). Failure Horizon projection tightens to 96 hours post-test.