Do roadies ever stop talking about FTP, or is it just a never-ending cycle of my FTP is higher than yours one-upmanship, completely ignoring the fact that its just a number that doesnt necessarily translate to real-world performance or success in actual bike racing.
Can someone explain to me why FTP has become the ultimate metric for road cyclists, and why its seemingly impossible to have a conversation about training or performance without it being mentioned at least five times.
Is it just a case of cyclists being obsessed with data and numbers, or is there actually some deeper significance to FTP that Im missing.
And whats with the constant need to compare and compete with others when it comes to FTP - cant we just focus on our own individual progress and goals, rather than trying to one-up each other with our power numbers.
And dont even get me started on the whole FTP is the only thing that matters crowd - what about endurance, tactics, bike handling skills, and all the other factors that actually contribute to success in bike racing.
Can we please just have a conversation about cycling that doesnt revolve around FTP for once.