OK. So having bought a Stages powermeter, and getting some great advice from people on here, particularly from Alex Simmons's posts and also from his website, so that I could train more effectively, I wanted to calculate my FTP so I could then train in the various zones. So according to Alex and other websites I have been looking at I needed a road, preferably going slightly uphill to minimise external factors such as wind resistance etc, where I can put in a solid 20 minute effort (and preferably longer) without having outside 'disturbances' that would affect the reading such other vehicles, intersections, traffic lights, and any downhill bits.
Not easy to find such a road in Sydney. So I went to Thailand to find one, and here is the ride:
http://www.strava.com/activities/87913151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And here is the segment meeting all the above criteria for the FTP test in particular:
http://www.strava.com/activities/87913151#1823139418" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My Stages powermeter indicates an average power output of 316W for the 32 minute 23 second effort, which was effectively a 30 minute time trial. So using Alex's formula and taking 93% of that to convert it, means an FTP of 294, +/- 3%. But in my opinion this powermeter reads generally too high. I have noticed this not just on this occasion, but on many occasions when climbing around Sydney, McCarrs, Galston, Bobbin, Pie in the sky etc and comparing my actual power output readings from my powermeter with other riders actual power output reading from their powermeter. (as opposed to the Strava power guestimations). You can see that most of the riders with powermeters who have climbed this hill considerably faster than I did it with supposedly lower power outputs. So something is wrong. Either my powermeter reads too high, or their powermeters are reading too low. As mentioned already, I am of the opinion that mine is reading to high because I have seen this repeated on many climbs.
Now I understand that in the big scheme of things that the output a powermeter shows is not important, as long as the output is consistently consistent over time so that one can see if their output is increasing as a result of one's training. However, why not have an accurate reading as well? Especially when it comes to FTP. I want to be able to compare my FTP with, say, Chris Froome's FTP. So if Chris Froome's SRM powermeter is highly accurate, which I assume it is given SKY's time and money investment in cycling and in Chris Froome, then I want my Stages to be accurate too. I dont want my powermeter telling me my FTP is comparable with Chris Froome's FTP because my powermeter is grossly overestimating my power output.
So to cut to the point, is anyone able to take a look at the segment above and estimate my FTP more accurately than my powermeter?
By the way, the road up to Doi Tung was in absoloutely magnificent condition. It was like West Head in Sydney top to bottom, as are nearly all the mountain roads in Thailand. and I have been on quite a few of them. For a supposedly third world country, Thailand's roads put ours to shame.