Max. Heart Rate while riding

[Happytime]

I know everyone's HR is different, but what is the max you've ever reached?

I hit a new high last weekend while doing my hill surges/intervals: 193 (twice)
My previous max was 191, although my calculated max is supposed to be 187. (When running or swimming, I can get into the high 180s, but never topped 190) My instructions were to bring my HR back down to 130 between intervals, but I could only manage a low of 140 while still moving up a hill. That seemed kind of high, as my resting HR (post wakeup, pre-coffee) is 49.

[herbm]

I think I hit 180...usually my high is 175ish

[thomson]

It has been about 20 years since I measured but when I did intervals, the highest I could get my HR was 184. I could see it rise linearly with effort until it reached the 180s and it just flattened. I assumed that was my max heart rate as I could not get it any higher. But on my rest intervals, I could get it less than 100.

I think you can only bring your heart rate down to 140 because you were still climbing. My rest intervals were going so slowly that there was very little activity. You can test this by just pulling over and letting your heart rate subside to see how quickly and far it recedes. It may not be better training that way but may answer some questions you have. In fact, you should probably mix up the length of the intervals ranging between 1 minute and maybe 10 minutes or more (obviously the intensity level will have to change accordingly). Each day you do intervals, do the same length but do different lengths on different days. Adding the hills vs. flats is also a good variety.

The reason your heart rate has a higher maximum while bicycling vs. running or swimming is that bicycling is cool. I don’t know what that means but just didn’t want to waste an opportunity to say it.

[Happytime]

I've done plenty of interval training on the flats for my tri training, Jim, but never hit higher than 185. On my hill surges, I intentionally clicked up into harder gears and stood in my pedals at the steepest pitches. I scaled back when I became afraid of lightheadedness (which usually happens in warm weather) but I was fine as the morning was foggy and dizzly... my kinda weather! :D

And yeah, bicycling is cool.

[thomson]

I've done plenty of interval training on the flats for my tri training, Jim, but never hit higher than 185. On my hill surges, I intentionally clicked up into harder gears and stood in my pedals at the steepest pitches. I scaled back when I became afraid of lightheadedness (which usually happens in warm weather) but I was fine as the morning was foggy and dizzly... my kinda weather! :D

And yeah, bicycling is cool.


I am a few units short of my cardiologist degree but I don’t think it is unusual for your max heart rate to vary. The 212-age formula, implies that the max heart rate declines with age. Maybe you are just getting younger??

[Happytime]

I am a few units short of my cardiologist degree but I don’t think it is unusual for your max heart rate to vary. The 212-age formula, implies that the max heart rate declines with age. Maybe you are just getting younger??


I don't think it varies that much. I think my HR on the flats, running or swim is lower for different reasons. Riding on the flats (in drops or aerobars) or running, I can't push my HR beyond a certain point without feeling a negative impact on my back or knees. With swimming, I just reach the other end of the pool too quickly to keep the effort steady. My flip turns are awkward (gotta work on those), so I get into oxygen debt for the wrong reasons. And I try not to get my HR too high while ocean swimming... I don't want to risk an empty tank when dealing with currents and riptides. Bok bok bok...

[thomson]

I was confused, I was focusing more on how your max heart rate is increasing (slightly) over time (191 to 193) and not that it differs in different activities. I think your explanations on the latter are spot on.

[jsigone]

I like to ride at 173-178.

183 is almost redline for me but I can hold it there, I seem to blow up at 187-190. I hit 183 a few times up Baldy over the weekend but got up to 188 on Cruiser Canyon yesturday:eek: On the baldy ride, I was between 173-178 almost the entire day climbing and down to 105-110 on the down hill of GRR and GMR.

[BigSean]

I have hit 196 and held 193 for several minutes, but the end result was a massive headache. I prefer not to exceed 178 and aim for a more comfortable 173-175 when climbing.

[bitingduck]

It's been years since I've used an HRM, but 194 during a VO2max test (years and years ago)

[tprevost]

I've gotten up in the 180's but prefer to keep it below 170 on long sustained climbs and below 180 for repeats etc... (it doesn't take much to get it up there at this point :rolleyes: )

[Scootcore]

a very long time ago i hit 208...i can regularly hhit 203 on hard climbsthough..

[blue_nose]

Reached a max of 195 during a HR test. About 191 is my max on the road in an all out sprint or hill climb.

[Vireo]

Reached a max of 195 during a HR test. About 191 is my max on the road in an all out sprint or hill climb.


Resting HR 52. After 2 or 3 days off the bike I might hit 48. On long climbs (Palomar) 168-172 HR. On shorter climbs (2-3 miles) I stay 176-180. On sprint climbs (Torrey Pines 1 mile or less) 188-195 about 5-6 minutes of effort. And Max I have seen 201 as recently as 2 months ago.

[Happytime]

Thanks for the responses! I'm glad this is not unusual. Some of my tribuddies routinely reach 200, but if I mention hitting 190 to non-tri folk, they look at me like I'm going to have a heart attack or something.

[Vireo]

Thanks for the responses! I'm glad this is not unusual. Some of my tribuddies routinely reach 200, but if I mention hitting 190 to non-tri folk, they look at me like I'm going to have a heart attack or something.

Actually my experience is just the opposite. Most tri people I know and don't know but I meet through the store are so anal about their Ironman HR and Half HRs and so on. Triathlons are about conservation and pacing. Most roadies I know and ride with know that blowing up the other guy on a climb means they will have to take themselves to the other level (190HR and then some).

[voltman]

I actually my experienc is just the opposite. Most tri people I know and don't know but I meet through the store are so anal about their Ironman HR and Half HRs and so on. Triathlons are about conservation and pacing. Most roadies I know and ride with know that blowing up the other guy on a climb means they will have to take themselves to the other level (190HR and then some).

Unless you're Faris al-Sultan.

[ovoleg]

For as long as I've been riding I've never used a HR monitor hehe.

[Happytime]

I actually my experienc is just the opposite. Most tri people I know and don't know but I meet through the store are so anal about their Ironman HR and Half HRs and so on. Triathlons are about conservation and pacing. Most roadies I know and ride with know that blowing up the other guy on a climb means they will have to take themselves to the other level (190HR and then some).

You're right about Ironmen/70.3 people. But I'm referrring to the sprint- and short course specialists I ride with. Less slow twitch than the typical IM, more focus on interval/sprint training. Plus, most of my tri friends started off in track-and-field, not cycling.
Don't know about roadies, because I rarely hang out with them. Most of the ones I've met in my area are not very friendly.

Unless you're Faris al-Sultan.

He doesn't count. He wears a man-bra.

[Vireo]

You're right about Ironmen/70.3 people. But I'm referrring to the sprint- and short course specialists I ride with. Less slow twitch than the typical IM, more focus on interval/sprint training. Plus, most of my tri friends started off in track-and-field, not cycling.
Don't know about roadies, because I rarely hang out with them. Most of the ones I've met in my area are not very friendly.



He doesn't count. He wears a man-bra.


and a Speedo

[Happytime]

and a Speedo

Yes, the man smuggles budgies like no one else.

[Vireo]

You're right about Ironmen/70.3 people. But I'm referrring to the sprint- and short course specialists I ride with. Less slow twitch than the typical IM, more focus on interval/sprint training. Plus, most of my tri friends started off in track-and-field, not cycling.
Don't know about roadies, because I rarely hang out with them. Most of the ones I've met in my area are not very friendly.


He doesn't count. He wears a man-bra.


Yeah well don't take it personal most Roadies don't hang with Tri people or vice versa. Me... I ride with anyone who is safe and fun to be with and likes to go long.

[voltman]

And a bandana.

[ovoleg]

Most people I see on aero bars and triathlon gear, I pass like they're standing still. They really are about energy conservation instead of going fast/sprinting all over the place.

I'd like a cheap HR monitor but I dont like wearing a chest strap and such, is there one that you guys recommend?

[Happytime]

Yeah well don't take it personal most Roadies don't hang with Tri people or vice versa. Me... I ride with anyone who is safe and fun to be with and likes to go long.

Very different attitude, I've found. I haven't met many racing-type roadies who are the team player-type, way too uber-competitive for my tastes. The people in my tri club are almost the opposite. They are so perky and gushingly eager to enfold you into their Cult of Tri they're almost scary.

Of course, that differs from the Cult of SoCal-BF!

I think.... :rolleyes:

[4mirswimr]

my 2 cents, in my experience max HR varies day to day and workout to workout but generally stays in a relevant range. I'm surprised that you can't redline or occasionally hit higher Max rate running hill repeats in PV also. Might be you had one to many cups of coffee before the bike hill repeats though:D (conversely, on the bike you are using the largest muscles in the body at max power so maybe it makes sense)

[Chucklehead]

when i first got back on the bike a few months ago, i was riding with jschen and reached a point where i was bouncing off of 203 for a few minutes on one climb. that was the fat talking, not the effort. now i'm down in the very low 180's on a hard effort, and 190 on a chest popper.

[roadfix]

I haven't use a HRM in 6 years but I used to regularly hit 200 where I felt like I was going to explode.

[Vireo]

when i first got back on the bike a few months ago, i was riding with jschen and reached a point where i was bouncing off of 203 for a few minutes on one climb. that was the fat talking, not the effort. now i'm down in the very low 180's on a hard effort, and 190 on a chest popper.


and what were your HR's the day we rode together do the words "RIGHT TURN!" bring on physiological changes? I think Lombardi might chime in on "SPRINT, SPRINT, SPRINT"

[blue_nose]

Thanks for the responses! I'm glad this is not unusual. Some of my tribuddies routinely reach 200, but if I mention hitting 190 to non-tri folk, they look at me like I'm going to have a heart attack or something.

One thing to keep in mind that Max heart rate is not a determinant of level of fitness. If you took a sampling of max heart rates on the pro tour, you would find a range of riders from the 180’s into the low 200’s. Max heart rate is pretty much genetically determined.

Fitness and your ability to perform well on a bike is determined by increasing the amount of power you can put out over a period of time. There is an abundance of information on BF about LT (Lactate Threshold) and FTP (Functional Threshold Power) if anyone wanted more info.

As an example, I measure how my training is progressing by doing a ride up the outer Torrey Pines grade. I like to do this at different periods throughout my training program to measure how my fitness is increasing or decreasing.

Looking at my heart rate over the past few rides of the one-mile grade, there are virtually no differences. For the beginning of the climb I average in the high 170’s. Towards the end of the climb my heart rate starts getting into the 180’s and reaches the 190's at the sprint at the end. However, as I build up my training throughout the year my time to complete this rides will gradually decrease. My heart rate is equal on each ride, but as my training program progresses, I am able to put more power over the 6-minute climb.

[Chucklehead]

and what were your HR's the day we rode together do the words "RIGHT TURN!" bring on physiological changes? I think Lombardi might chime in on "SPRINT, SPRINT, SPRINT"


i went into the low 190's that day:mad: i backed it off a little before i detonated near the top. i learned a lot that day from both the climbing and the sprinting, and it's been showing in my riding lately. in terms of climbing, my limits are higher than i thought they were. and before that little sprint session, i felt really awkward sprinting in the drops. now it's the only place i sprint from, and it really helped me while bonzai'ing down GMR on saturday.

[DaveSANYYZ]

Highest for me is 200. I didn't have much sleep the week prior, and in my weekly SDBC C- ride up Torrey Pines, I sustained 200 for a few minutes. It kind of hurts. :p

Since then, I've only hit 200 a few times, but never sustained for more than a few seconds since I now know I should back off.

[WhiteCarbonDude]

I've maxed out at 205 before but I thought I was going to pass out. My max is 186 according to the scale. When I'm in shape I normally run at 177 on long sustained climbs and I have a hard time getting to my max but if I take a week off my HR goes up to 186 on the flats.

[Vireo]

BTW, I am going to derail this thread.

Since buying a powermeter 2 years ago, I haven't focused on HR. I use my wattage output to measure my fitness and performance. And ONCE you get a power meter you won't even pay attention to your HR. You may glance at it during your transition from HR training to Power training and then you will eventually ignore your heart rate.

[Indolent58]

I wear a HRM mainly for the reassurance that my heart is still beating.

[Happytime]

BTW, I am going to derail this thread.

The nerve. Speaking for myself, I could never resort to such a thing.

I wear a HRM mainly for the reassurance that my heart is still beating.

Indolent has a heart?! :p

[roadfix]

I've been ignoring my heart rate for severals years now.
But I should, on occassion, use my HRM when I'm at home...:D

[spingineer]

I wear a HRM, but hardly ever look at it. Maybe I should just chuck it? I don't need a HRM to tell me I am still alive.

[Indolent58]

I wear a HRM, but hardly ever look at it. Maybe I should just chuck it? I don't need a HRM to tell me I am still alive.

Maybe what I should really be doing is to wear the HRM at work. That's where I am most likely to have doubts about being alive.

[bitingduck]

Very different attitude, I've found. I haven't met many racing-type roadies who are the team player-type, way too uber-competitive for my tastes.

Try track...It's much more like your tri experience and might help your TTing.

There's an upcoming Ladies Only Track Session (http://lavelodrome.org/Events/LadiesDay/LadiesDay.htm) at ADT (in Carson) on Saturday.

[DaveSANYYZ]

Since reading the Cyclist Training Bible, I have used it to pace myself on the last century (SD Encinitas). I seem to be able to do better than before, where I no longer have a periodic waves of 30min@11mph and 30min@18mph after ~50 miles (although it can be fueling related). I do seem to be going slower than I can on shorter rides though (30-40 miles), and always wanted to ride longer when I finished the route. Once I get my new toy and finish reading through the training book, I'll see whether it's better than HRM for pacing myself.

[DaveSANYYZ]

Maybe what I should really be doing is to wear the HRM at work. That's where I am most likely to have doubts about being alive.I think wearing it in a bar is much better. A quantitative measure of which girl is prettier. ;)

[Pheard]

I hit 206 on a climb, it was 90 degrees out and I had a bandanna on. Shortly after I got a sharp pain in my head, and I couldn't catch my breath.

[Go_Fast]

I know everyone's HR is different, but what is the max you've ever reached?

I hit a new high last weekend while doing my hill surges/intervals: 193 (twice)
My previous max was 191, although my calculated max is supposed to be 187. (When running or swimming, I can get into the high 180s, but never topped 190) My instructions were to bring my HR back down to 130 between intervals, but I could only manage a low of 140 while still moving up a hill. That seemed kind of high, as my resting HR (post wakeup, pre-coffee) is 49.


my heart rate was much higher when i rode you...i mean...rode with you.

[Go_Fast]

BTW, I am going to derail this thread.

Since buying a powermeter 2 years ago, I haven't focused on HR. I use my wattage output to measure my fitness and performance. And ONCE you get a power meter you won't even pay attention to your HR. You may glance at it during your transition from HR training to Power training and then you will eventually ignore your heart rate.


i have to agree...since getting my PT and (still) learning how to use it, i've started doing the same thing.

[DaveSANYYZ]

But wouldn't power data give you progress in the performance sense, while HR indicates whether you're going to kill yourself?

I guess I'll finish reading that training book and find out. :p

[Happytime]

my heart rate was much higher when i rode you...i mean...rode with you.

http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/nono.gif

Now don't you go there, young man... You're still on Double Secret Probation from that last "meat" remark.


Try track...It's much more like your tri experience and might help your TTing. There's an upcoming Ladies Only Track Session (http://lavelodrome.org/Events/LadiesDay/LadiesDay.htm) at ADT (in Carson) on Saturday.

I thought about this, Chris. But it's kinda like why I don't drink wine... I really can't afford another expensive hobby!

[zzzwillzzz]

i don't have a hrm but borrowed one in the early 90's for a little while. i did a 7 mile time tt as part of a stage race. 192-197 for about 13 minutes. i don't know what my max is in a sprint, i'm guessing from the tt that it was over 200, probably a little less now that i'm old

[bitingduck]

I thought about this, Chris. But it's kinda like why I don't drink wine... I really can't afford another expensive hobby!


Only $10 to try it...

[Happytime]

Only $10 to try it...

So said the neighborhead heroin dealer...! :D