*Available to cyclists who ride with a connected power meter.
Maximum Mean Power Curve (MMP Curve) is a graph that represents the maximum average power you stably output while cycling over different durations. The horizontal axis represents time (1s - 4hr), and the vertical axis represents the maximum average power corresponding to that time.
The shape of your maximum average power curve reflects your cycling ability. Cycling abilities correspond to different durations as follows:
Duration | Corresponding cycling ability |
1s-30s | Instant explosive power |
30s-5min | Short-duration / high-intensity endurance |
5min-20min | Moderate to high-intensity endurance |
20min-60min | Long-term endurance |
1h-4h | Ultra-long endurance |
Track training effectiveness and adjust training based on your curve
The Maximum Mean Power Curve (MMP Curve) can also reflect your recent training status. After a period of training, if the peak power at a certain time point has increased compared to last month, it indicates that your targeted training has been effective (e.g., power improvement within the 5-20 minute period after focused interval training). If there is no change or a regression, it may be due to insufficient training intensity, inadequate recovery, etc., and adjustments to your training intensity is needed for targeted improvement.
Understand your personal abilities and plan for racing
Before competitions, according to the characteristics of different power curve types, plan in advance the ways of exerting power in different race scenarios, such as:
- Sprint specialists (with excellent power output from 1s to 30s): Accelerate at full power in the last 300m - 500m of the race.
- Climbing specialists (strong power output from 5min to 20min): Maintain the corresponding power range during climbs to avoid premature energy depletion that could impact performance in the second half.
- Endurance specialists (stable power output for over 1 hour): During long-distance rides, maintain power output within the aerobic zone to conserve energy.
The above race situations can be adjusted according to individual circumstances, and during any race, adjusting your gearing, maintaining cadence targets, and fuel replenishment should also be part of your strategy.