How hard do you ride?

[Ridgeway]

I guess the question is really what you are trying to achieve ?

If it’s improvement in fitness then riding hard all the time is not the best way to achieve that. Riding good amounts to get “volume” and then having specific focused sessions where you then ride hard is much better. For me two effort sessions a week and then rest is Z1/2 volume based. I’m not able to push myself to find new limits (improvements) if i try to ride hard all the time, i just get tired and then make half hearted efforts when needed.

Z1 on climbs is OK for me, i like to keep my HR at 125/130bpm but i do avoid stuff above 10% for volume efforts. The length of the climb is irrelevent in that case.

And max HR is to me nothing i even look at. Average HR on an effort certainly is though, last decent effort was 2wks back on Sa Calobra with 37.22mins at 142bpm (max was 165 on that effort and my personal max is around 174 these days). So to me it’s much more about how long i can hold those watts for, as long as my pump is doing what it should then I’m happy, much happier though if the watts are where they should be😁

You need to learn to go slow to go fast😉

 

[Binky]

I'm not trying to achieve anything. It was more a question to see what others do. I probably should try and limit efforts, the majority of my rides are sub 40miles so almost inevitably(for me) I try and smash it. Yesterday was a longer ride so I did make a concerted "effort" to go easier.

I guess point is more from a medical/health standpoint as whether it's wise as I get older to regularly get near max HR. This is not place for that.

As you mention Sa Colobra that's a great example of being able to judge effort and keep within a limit as average grade only 7% although it is a long one. Well it seemed it to me!

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I'm not trying to achieve anything. It was more a question to see what others do. I probably should try and limit efforts, the majority of my rides are sub 40miles so almost inevitably(for me) I try and smash it. Yesterday was a longer ride so I did make a concerted "effort" to go easier.

I guess point is more from a medical/health standpoint as whether it's wise as I get older to regularly get near max HR. This is not place for that.

As you mention Sa Colobra that's a great example of being able to judge effort and keep within a limit as average grade only 7% although it is a long one. Well it seemed it to me!

I know this is common knowledge but constantly smashing it does catch up with you and cause your fitness to plateau.

I am at the more extreme end for a recreational cyclist, I was on a steady regime of 18-20,000km a year. Mainly long zone 2 rides (3-4hrs) with plenty of hills at Z4 with some turbo sessions (usually threshold stuff) and the odd 90min tempo ride.

Zone 2 rides depending on conditions and terrain generally around 17-19mph and tempo stuff 20-22mph.

I got fit but your power quickly peaks as you are just repeating and never recovering.

Over the last six months I have relaxed a bit and reduced volume by around 10-15% and knocked the longer rides back about intensity wise. Interestingly I am now seeing power at all zones up by as much as 10% for the same rpe. I thought I was just going harder at first but 3 odd months of the same numbers would suggest I have improved power with the quality over quantity approach.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

always strike me as even more vunerable to other road users specifically

Opposite way round , more vulnerable on your upright bike.

 

[PaulSB]

It may be for you, but it really is an outdated method to workout your max HR and training zones.

For me my max HR is about 20 BPM higher than the 220-age.

I know my max HR from indoor racing on Zwift. Outdoors I never go to maximum. I also ride an ebike mostly these days outside trips

Yes, I fully agree it is an outdated method but, for me, it works. I don't really want to push myself in structured tests to get a result I'm pretty sure of already. If done to FTP tests, agony. For an older, fit club rider the max I can hit over a 13 minute all out effort is sufficient.

How well it works across the population or for younger more dedicated athletes is definitely open to question.

 

[Binky]

Opposite way round , more vulnerable on your upright bike.

Well I see those who are lying almost completely flat and it doesn't appeal at all.
Why do you ride a recumbent as a matter of interest?

 

[yello]

I guess point is more from a medical/health standpoint as whether it's wise as I get older to regularly get near max HR.

It's a good question. There's been plenty of opinion and perspective offered, I hope you've been able to glean something of use.

Tbh, it's also a question I've pondered. As I've said, I don't train. I just ride. I'm not a smart rider either in that I don't think of zones etc. I go as I feel. As I age, I'm not so sure that's a good thing because it hurts more than it once did - maybe I'm foolishly sub-consciously measuring myself by past standards and trying to replicate. Hiding to nothing there. So @Ridgeway 's question is probably to the nub of it.

I guess the question is really what you are trying to achieve ?

I go out primarily for the mental health benefits. Cycling puts me in a good state of mind. I track the numbers because I'm a collector (and I've outgrown stamps and train sets) but I don't use those numbers for anything other than comparison. I'm reconciled to riding as I ride. I'm not trying to be fitter, faster or more efficient (or whatever) - though those things might well happen as a natural result. It's enough for me just to be out and on my bike.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Well I see those who are lying almost completely flat and it doesn't appeal at all.
Why do you ride a recumbent as a matter of interest?

Some discussion here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ridin-the-beam.301379/

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Why do you ride a recumbent as a matter of interest?

Comfort and speed over long distance. I ride long distance brevets, think 200 mile plus a day, for a number of days.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Well I see those who are lying almost completely flat

No more completely flat than you are completely upright on your bike. You need to improve your observation skills during your occasional sightings. Plus remember recumbent bikes (and trikes) take many different shapes and forms. Recumbent just describes the seating arrangement. Cars have a recumbent seating position, but you wouldn’t see an MG Midget and a Range Rover as the same.

 

[Binky]

Ah always the little dig eh.

I won't mention those shorts you wear....chortle.

 

[CXRAndy]

Well I rode 80miles today, how much further do you suggest?

That's plenty unless 100 miles is your target 👍

 

[CXRAndy]

Bike gearing plays a part then. This metric is getting ever complex. Can I just ride my bike please?

Yes, you've got to be able to turn the gear over without stalling the legs on any hill.

If you gear down so you can maintain your natural cadence, any hill can be done in Z2.

I use a triple crank and a11-40 cass for cycling up mountains of Europe of Canaries islands. I can/could spin over 80 rpm for hours

 

[Bonzothechippy]

I used to wear a Garmin watch, I showed a friend who’s a surgeon, he just laughed at me. No idea why 🤷‍♂️
I gave it to my daughter so she could count her steps 🤣
To the question ‘how hard do you ride’ most days I’m totally knackered when I get home. If I’ve been over the hills my leg muscles get spasms when I relax them.
However, I have a 75 mile ride at the weekend and could do with some advise on slowing down a bit so the ride is within my comfort zone. It’s a sportive and I have no intensions of racing anyone. My weekend rides are around 50 miles over a few big hills.

 

[matticus]

I asked MattGPT* the question
"Is 220-Age still considered a good rule for HRMax?"

I've summarised his its answer (for your tiny minds) below:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11153730/ 2001 Jan
Background: The age-predicted HRmax equation (i.e., 220 - age) is commonly used as a basis for prescribing exercise programs, as a criterion for achieving maximal exertion and as a clinical guide during diagnostic exercise testing. Despite its importance and widespread use, the validity of the HRmax equation has never been established in a sample that included a sufficient number of older adults.
...
Conclusions: 1) A regression equation to predict HRmax is 208 - 0.7 x age in healthy adults. 2) HRmax is predicted, to a large extent, by age alone and is independent of gender and habitual physical activity status. Our findings suggest that the currently used equation underestimates HRmax in older adults. This would have the effect of underestimating the true level of physical stress imposed during exercise testing and the appropriate intensity of prescribed exercise programs.


*The leading pseudo-science AI engine