Ramp test
A ramp test is a short cycling fitness test in which the target power rises in small steps, usually every minute, until you can no longer keep up. Your best one-minute power from the test is used to estimate your functional threshold power, typically at 75% of that value.
How a ramp test works
After a short warm-up, the resistance climbs by a fixed amount — often 20 watts — every minute. There is nothing to pace: you simply hold each step for as long as you can. Most riders finish in 15–25 minutes, far less than a 20-minute all-out test plus its long warm-up.
Ramp test versus 20-minute test
The ramp test is easier to repeat and harder to get wrong, which makes it good for tracking progress. It leans on your one-minute power, though, so riders with a strong sprint can see an FTP that feels too high on long intervals. If threshold efforts feel impossible after a ramp test, lower your FTP a few percent or try a 20-minute test.
In The Next Race
The Next Race's benchmark week and every plan with bike sessions start with a ramp test. When you finish, the app estimates your FTP and offers to save it, which sets the power targets for the rest of the plan.