heart rate - am i broken?

[kedab]

or is it my hrm?

a bit of background for you...i'm 5'7" and 9st 3lb - in my pants.

I used to smoke - I quit 2 years ago. I used to drink - I quit 2 years ago. I got married, 2 years ago

anyhoo - I've never had great endurance, still can't run for toffee but I can cycle for as far as my little legs will keep turning but according to my hrm, my heart rate never drops below 170 - it starts out as this, it continues as this for the vast majority of my rides with occasional forays in to the 180's and yesterday, it peaked at 204! that was probably when I got a bit of fright from the hgv I've mentioned elsewhere.

my diet isn't terrible though it could be better and my one remaining vice - fatty meats, could do with being expunged.

is this just the way i'm built, or is there something I can do? I never feel like the old ticker's about to pop and these days I don't sweat buckets like I used to when riding...i'm comfortable on the bike until my legs start to tie up so I feel the pain in my legs rather than my lungs.

like I say, just wondering.

 

[Lee_M]

what's your resting heart rate?

 

[Rob3rt]

Some people are high tickers.

 

[Canrider]

How old are you? How fast are you cycling? How far are you cycling? What's your heart rate when you're resting?

There is massive variation around the 'average' figures for maximum heart rate--apparently within an Olympic rowing team there were max rates between 160 and 200 bpm, all for rowers of about the same age. I used to run track and would be at the high side of 220 after a sprint finish.
So this may just be the way your body operates--ask yourself if you'd be worrying if you *weren't* wearing an hrm while riding?

 

[ianrauk]

Have you been to see a doctor to get your heart rate measured properly rather then worrying over a cycle computer.

 

[HLaB]

My HR sits about that level when I'm doing a decent cycle usually, varying between 100 and 199bpm, depending on the intensity of the ride; I've occasionally hit over 200 but I think thats down to interference; I feel broken today but I wouldn't put it down to my HR

 

[Herzog]

How do you feel when you're ticking over at 170 (using RPE scale - http://www.brianmac.co.uk/borgscale.htm)?

 

[GrasB]

Some thing else to think about. When doing motorsport sprints & hill climbs my HR is up at 95-110% HRmax for cycling! So maybe something other than the exercise is also elevating your HR when on the bike.

 

[Norry1]

Have you checked your HR by feeling your pulse? Occasionally I've seen HRMs double the count.

If you really are at 170 most of the time I'd have a check with the Docs just to be sure.

 

[ColinJ]

I did a 5 hour ride once where my rate only fell below 150 bpm on long descents and was frequently at 180 bpm, with a peak of 198 bpm (!) but to be at 170 + bpm for an entire ride does sound a tad high! Perhaps it is natural for you, but it wouldn't hurt to check it out with your doctor to be on the safe side.

 

[Garz]

Borrow another HRM to rule it out.

 

[MrJamie]

I think the numbers vary a lot from person to person, I use my HRM more for running but I've had average 180bpm over an hour before and peaking at about 200. The thing I wanted to comment on though is that you said it starts off like this, which I don't think it should, but more like a steep curve. Surely when you're stopped at a junction or whatever it starts dropping?

 

[DCLane]

It varies. My resting rate is now down to 38 (was 70+ 2 years ago) and peaks at 182.

Rather than the high point, a lot is about how quickly it goes down.

 

[Crackle]

I think the numbers vary a lot from person to person, I use my HRM more for running but I've had average 180bpm over an hour before and peaking at about 200. The thing I wanted to comment on though is that you said it starts off like this, which I don't think it should, but more like a steep curve. Surely when you're stopped at a junction or whatever it starts dropping?

If you don't know your max then watching the drop is a good call as is ruling out a dodgy HR monitor/strap.

 

[kedab]

Have you been to see a doctor to get your heart rate measured properly rather then worrying over a cycle computer.

no, no i haven't - point taken.