Critical Power Cycling Coach: Training Personalized to Your Critical Power
Direct answer
QT2 Systems coaches cyclists and triathletes using Critical Power. Your QT2 coach calculates your Critical Power and W′ from three maximal efforts of 3, 6, and 12 minutes, anchors your bike zones to them, and then personalizes your training week to week with StressLogic, our framework for deciding how much training stress to apply. Single-sport cycling 1-1 Coaching starts at $225 per 28 days, delivered remotely by real coaches.
For riders who have outgrown a single number
If you have trained with power for a while, you have probably anchored everything to FTP. FTP is not wrong, but it is an approximation: a single test standing in for where your body moves from stable to unstable. Critical Power measures that boundary directly. For experienced riders, that is where better training decisions start.
What is Critical Power?
Critical Power is the boundary between physiological stability and instability: the line between intensity you can sustain and intensity that will eventually force you to stop. Typically it is an intensity you can hold for somewhere between 30 and 70 minutes, depending on the athlete and their durability.
- Below Critical Power: the body can reach a steady state; primarily aerobic.
- Above Critical Power: lactate accumulates more rapidly and anaerobic contribution rises; fatigue has an expiration date.
- W′ (W prime): the finite amount of work you can do above Critical Power before failure, your anaerobic capacity.
Read the full explainer: What Is Critical Power - and Why Should You Care?
How QT2 tests Critical Power
The QT2 bike test is three maximal efforts: 3 minutes, 6 minutes, and 12 minutes. Following the linear model Dr. Phil Skiba demonstrated, we plot total work (average power × duration) against duration. That relationship is linear, so the three efforts give us a line of best fit:
- The slope is your Critical Power.
- The y-intercept is your W′.
No lab required.
How a QT2 coach personalizes your training from Critical Power
- Zones anchored to your physiology. Once Critical Power is set, zones stop being arbitrary percentages. Your coach maps intensity across energy systems relative to your CP.
- Your W′ matters too. Two riders with the same Critical Power can, and should, get different workouts, because their W′ differs.
- Retesting tells your coach what changed. For example, if CP holds steady and W′ rises, you gained anaerobic capacity without shifting your threshold; if both decline, you are carrying fatigue or the stimulus was not enough.
- Critical Power is the entry point, not the whole system. CP does not choose your weekly load or account for life stress, sleep, or injury risk. Your coach does that with StressLogic and QT2.0.
- One language across bike and run. Triathletes get Critical Speed on the run, so bike and run training share the same model.
Coaching options and pricing
| Service | Single-sport (cycling) per 28 days | Triathlon/multisport per 28 days |
|---|---|---|
| QT2.0 1-1 Comprehensive Coaching | $275 ($300 with a Master Coach) | $425 ($500 with a Master Coach) |
| QT2.0 1-1 Coaching | $225 ($250 with a Master Coach) | $350 ($400 with a Master Coach) |
| Base+ Coaching | $205 | $275 |
| Base+ Coach Support (includes CP/CS testing and analysis) | $115 | $155 |
Most services require a 16-week minimum commitment. Compare every detail on the service comparison page or take the Services Quiz.
Want to start with the numbers? Try the free Critical Power and Critical Speed analysis.
Why QT2
- 1,000+ athletes coached and 20+ years of coaching (as of September 30, 2026)
- 98% athlete retention rate over a six-month period
- Real coaches make every decision; software handles the paperwork
- QT2 coaches, including Tim Snow, QT2 Master Coach, coach remotely, and are located all over the country
FAQ
What is a Critical Power cycling coach?
A coach who sets and adjusts your training from your Critical Power and W′ rather than a single FTP number. At QT2, your coach uses those results to anchor your zones, then personalizes your weekly training load with StressLogic.
How is Critical Power different from FTP?
FTP estimates threshold from a single effort. Critical Power is calculated from multiple maximal efforts across different durations, so the stability boundary comes from the relationship between intensity and time instead of being inferred from one test.
How do you test Critical Power?
With three maximal efforts of 3, 6, and 12 minutes. Total work for each effort is plotted against duration; the slope of the line is Critical Power and the intercept is W′.
What is W′?
W′ (W prime) is the finite amount of work you can do above Critical Power before failure: your anaerobic capacity.
Do you coach cyclists who don't race triathlon?
Yes. QT2 offers single-sport coaching for cyclists, with bike intensities anchored to Critical Power.
How much does Critical Power cycling coaching cost?
Single-sport, per 28 days: QT2.0 1-1 Comprehensive Coaching $275 ($300 with a Master Coach), QT2.0 1-1 Coaching $225 ($250 with a Master Coach), Base+ Coaching $205, and Base+ Coach Support $115. Most services require a 16-week minimum commitment.
Is Critical Power all QT2 uses to build my training?
No. Critical Power and Critical Speed are the anchor for intensity. Your coach also manages weekly training stress with StressLogic and accounts for life stress, recovery, and how you respond.
Can I get my Critical Power analyzed before hiring a coach?
Yes. QT2 has a free Critical Power and Critical Speed analysis page.
How do I get started?
Fill out the new athlete coaching inquiry form.