How hard do you ride?

[Alex321]

I probably should have written 'age expected maximum heart rate' or similar.

Those are VERY imprecise, even the best ones. And there are a number of different6 calculations around.

But at best, they can only give you what the average expected for your age would be. Some people will have a max rate higher than average. others will be lower.

 

[Alex321]

I'm 70 and could hit 178 about 18 months ago. The last 12 months I've spent recovering from a major crash so couldn't get near it at present.

The point though is taking 178 as my max because I could, under extreme effort, hit it is no different than your pin and a list. There's a big difference between the highest rate one regularly hits and those which happen ocassionally. My 178 was at the end of the third of three cat 3 climbs!!! Not an every day event.

It is very different to sticking a pin in a list.

The maximum I can possibly reach for a few seconds is the very definition of max heart rate.

 

[craigwend]

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Those are VERY imprecise, even the best ones. And there are a number of different6 calculations around.

But at best, they can only give you what the average expected for your age would be. Some people will have a max rate higher than average. others will be lower.

I agree. But, for a recreational cyclist like me who wants to stay reasonably fit, the 220-age metric will do me just fine.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Yes, I agree with your point. It would seem logical and I don't have the knowledge to argue against it. My thinking is that using a maximum I've achieved once in recent years is a bit misleading. I have a low HR and using my max of 178 means I'd rarely get out of the theoretical Z1/2.

I feel the age calculation is sufficient for me as a keen, club level rider. Interestingly each of the main calculators give me a range of results:

220 - 70 = 150
214 - (0.8 x age) = 158
206.9 - (0.67 x age) = 160
211 - (0.64 x age) = 166

Once I've regained my fitness I feel 158/160 is the realistic rate. Overall though I'm just interested in having known numbers I can monitor for any worrying changes.

Your last sentence makes real sense to me.

I just use the metrics available from eg Garmin Connect to 'keep an eye' on my health etc.

Not into big performance improvements at my age. More into year on year variations.

 

[Webbo2]

The only way to get your maximum heart rate is to do a max heart rate test. You people need to stop b*gger about or not ride with your HR strap on . Or just wear it as a head band.

 

[Ian H]

The only way to get your maximum heart rate is to do a max heart rate test. You people need to stop b*gger about or not ride with your HR strap on . Or just wear it as a head band.

Stop and bugger about, you say. Yup, I've been known to do that, commonly known as 'faffing' in the long-distance cycling community. Any other advice?

 

[PaulSB]

The only way to get your maximum heart rate is to do a max heart rate test. You people need to stop b*gger about or not ride with your HR strap on . Or just wear it as a head band.

Let's hear your considered advice and details of how to carry out a maximum heart test instead of your rather rude interruptions.

 

[CXRAndy]

Well no if I reach max HR I cannot sustain that for any period, less than a minute I'd think otherwise I'm blowing up. My point is just about every ride I am hitting max HR either by design or by fact that is needed to get up a hard climb.

You need to have a flat route or get on an indoor turbo setup and use one of them many riding platforms to choose easier rides/workouts.

Re fitness you get fitter by building a big aerobic base doing Z1/Z2 rides then add on a little high intensity interval training. The intervals should be done near the end if you're mixing it in with Z1/Z2 rides. If you're hitting max HR early on in your rides, it shoves your metabolic energy systems out of fat burning into glycogen consumption. Then it takes a good long while to return to back to fat burning metabolism, maybe not at all if the next hill is just around the bend.

Its not that you're not very fit, but you could get fitter if you wanted by dialling back some of your rides

 

[CXRAndy]

The only way to get your maximum heart rate is to do a max heart rate test. You people need to stop b*gger about or not ride with your HR strap on . Or just wear it as a head band.

For most, a long climb attacked or sustained sprint will get you within a few beats of maximum. That's good enough for just about everyone, whether its 179 or 181, it matters not for just a couple of thumps

 

[Binky]

The only way to get your maximum heart rate is to do a max heart rate test. You people need to stop b*gger about or not ride with your HR strap on . Or just wear it as a head band.

Not especially helpful advice there. Most of us who have ridden for a reasonable period of time will have a pretty good idea of what their max HR is. Will the figure be as accurate as a laboratory done test? No, but it suffices for this i think. Mine I know is around the 165 mark. Most I've seen recently was 2 years ago at 171 during a long extemely hilly ride. After being really warmed up let's say 10-15 miles and I go hard on a steep climb I can feel I am getting close to blowing up and HR will be around 165. So I use that figure and so far it's worked OK. 220-age would put it at 154.

 

[Marchrider]

I never knew cyclists were so strongly interested in such stuff, I have absolutely no idea what my max heart rate is, or wish to find out

why do you want to know, and what happens if you accidentally go above that maximum, do you die ? I suppose you can't really answer that, but it must be a possibility

what do you do when driving, do you try and keep the rev counter one notch below the red zone muttering to yourself, "I'm entitled"

 

[Binky]

My original reason for asking was to see if I'm the only one who gets near to max most rides. I know it's probably not a wise thing to do but given hilly area where I live and my usual style of riding it happens. I use HR and keeping an eye on when I get near to my perceived max to try and ease off so I don't completely blow up and have to stop. Yes this has happened a couple of times!

I assume you are a cyclist though as on this forum? If so why is it a suprise that some want to know HR?

 

[yello]

Getting up a 15% incline takes effort no matter what.

True that. I can be in my littlest gear and it seems no easier. Heart thumping, grinding, toughing it out.

No chance of the fabled 'recovery ride' around here, much too bumpy. Unlike @Dogtrousers , I use the turbo trainer to have an easy ride.

 

[yello]

TBF to 220 - age, I think it is there or therearounds for many folk. It's certainly a good starting point (in the absence of one) ... IF it concerns you. Personally, I'm not overly bothered about the number.

My max is higher than the calc but not by a lot. Obviously, I know when my ticker is thumping, and that's what I ride to. I doubt I'm going to keel over for being a count of 1 over the calc. I back-off only it it feels like I ought. That said, nobody has ever accused me of riding smart.