Neverpedia
Pace & effort
Zone 2
Easy endurance riding at 55–75% of FTP — the foundation of aerobic fitness.
Zone 2 is the endurance zone — roughly 55–75% of FTP, or about 70–80% of LTHR. It is the foundation of aerobic fitness and the most under-respected zone in amateur training.
How it is measured
- Power: 55–75% of FTP (Coggan model).
- Heart rate: Below LTHR by 20–30 bpm for most athletes.
- Feel: You can hold a full conversation. If you have to break sentences to breathe, you are not in zone 2 anymore.
Why it matters
Zone 2 drives long-term aerobic adaptations — mitochondrial density, capillary growth, fat-oxidation capacity — that high-intensity work cannot. Most elite endurance athletes spend 70–80% of their training time in zone 2.
Common misconceptions
- Zone 2 is not "slow." On a fit rider it can still be a respectable pace.
- Riding zone 2 with one hard 5-minute push every 20 minutes is not zone 2 anymore.
- Heart-rate drift makes long zone 2 rides creep into zone 3 if you go by feel. Watch the data.
Related concepts
LTHR, FTP, Threshold.