Road Cycling - HR monitor - must have, or just a toy?

I was thinking of getting a HR monitor. However, to qualify the title of the thread (I know the asnwer could be both), I am NOT a competitive cyclist, except with myself and the clock. I don't race, and don't intend to. I do, however, like to improve and get faster/stronger. My last few 50 mile rides have been done between 19 - 19.5 mph. I'd like to start changing my rides up a bit - do some distance one ride, and then do some intervals. There are a few roads that I could do in a curcuit that have some nice rises - nothing huge but pretty long (it is Illinois, afterall). Will a HR monitor help me out here or is it really just for serious racers? I've read about HR zones and I "get" the idea, but unless I intend to race is it a waste of money. My FlightDeck has everything else, though I usually just leave it on cadence & mph display.

Cheers,
MacMan.

Must have.
Not having one is like a race car driver not having a tacho :)

Well all types of monitoring devices (speed, distance, avg. speed, HR, max HR, etc) can be useful to someone interested in tracking progress or tracking how one improves.

You are right, it can be useful or useless depending on how important you see the device as being and how willing you are to track this information.

I am also interested in one to keep check of my exertion. For some reason, my heart can feel like it's at 100bpm when it's actually like 180. I want something to keep me in check.

Must have.
Not having one is like a race car driver not having a taco :)

Ummmm ... OK. Fair enough. Don't suppose you could elaborate? I may be being very dumb here though as I really don't get the taco reference at all :D

Well all types of monitoring devices (speed, distance, avg. speed, HR, max HR, etc) can be useful to someone interested in tracking progress or tracking how one improves.

You are right, it can be useful or useless depending on how important you see the device as being and how willing you are to track this information.

OK, so does it really come down to the tracking? I mean, if I get one and follow it religiously, will it yield a substantially higher level of improvement in my riding ability than if I just went with "how I feel" at the time of riding in terms of pushing myself or holding back? Essentially, is being able to target a specific HR via the monitor going to pay significant dividends over not having one and just riding?

Thanks.

A Heart Rate monitor’s usefulness can not be maximized until you have your Lactic Threshold zones. Until then the numbers are somewhat trivial. Because honestly what does 160bpm mean to you? Nothing really.

A Heart Rate monitor’s usefulness can not be maximized until you have your Lactic Threshold zones. Until then the numbers are somewhat trivial. Because honestly what does 160bpm mean to you? Nothing really.

Well, the bpm tells me what training zone I'm in. According to all the info I've been reading anyway! Like endurance training, speed training, etc.

Well, the bpm tells me what training zone I'm in. According to all the info I've been reading anyway! Like endurance training, speed training, etc.
that’s true, but how do you know what zone1 corresponds to? When you get your HRM it will ask you to set your zones, you can’t really just do it on a whim because then it means nothing.

Also, for what its worth, Marco Pantani never trained with one. =)

Don't most hrm's come with a guide to calibrating your zones?

that’s true, but how do you know what zone1 corresponds to? When you get your HRM it will ask you to set your zones, you can’t really just do it on a whim because then it means nothing.

Ah! I see. Thanks. Assuming I do get one of these toys, what is the best way to get a zone measurement so as to set it in the monitor?

A tachometer in a car measures revs, so, even though you may have a speedo, the taco tells you how hard your motor's actually working. So, it lets you know how hard your heart is really working, regardless of your percieved exertion. I suppose if you really wanna know everything, you might wanna look at a power meter too, but that's another issue, and another expense.

Your percieved exertion can be misleading. Sometimes, you might be lacking motivation, and you think you're hammering along a 85% of your maximum, then you look at your monitor only to find you are 'bludging' at 75%. The same thing can occur if your legs are sore from previous training -- you feel like you're working hard when you're not. The opposite can occur if you're racing or riding in a competitive training ride; the adrenalin makes you think you're got some head-room, then you look down to find you HR is 195!! I can't stand riding without one.

Hope that made sense.

If you're worried about cost, the basic Polar is about $85 USD. I have the Polar A5, which is about $135 USD.

It's a tool, but hardly a necessity. With experience and some on-the-bike tests, you can develop a pretty good feel for what your various thresholds are, and what level of effort you are riding at any given time. An HRM lets you put numbers with that, and can add timers and other bells and whistles that can assist training efforts. Most have alarms that you can set to notify you when you're riding too hard, or too easy.

A tachometer in a car measures revs, so, even though you may have a speedo, the taco tells you how hard your motor's actually working. So, it lets you know how hard your heart is really working, regardless of your percieved exertion. I suppose if you really wanna know everything, you might wanna look at a power meter too, but that's another issue, and another expense.

Your percieved exertion can be misleading. Sometimes, you might be lacking motivation, and you think you're hammering along a 85% of your maximum, then you look at your monitor only to find you are 'bludging' at 75%. The same thing can occur if your legs are sore from previous training -- you feel like you're working hard when you're not. The opposite can occur if you're racing or riding in a competitive training ride; the adrenalin makes you think you're got some head-room, then you look down to find you HR is 195!! I can't stand riding without one.

Hope that made sense.

If you're worried about cost, the basic Polar is about $85 USD. I have the Polar A5, which is about $135 USD.

OH. MY. GOD!!!!! Shoot me now. For some insane reason, I really really really thought you meant a Taco. As in food. Taco Bell, etc. I need to see a Doctor. This is dumbassitis on a scale heretofore never seen :o

Honestly, I do know what a tachometer is. Really. I do ....

Ummmm ... OK. Fair enough. Don't suppose you could elaborate? I may be being very dumb here though as I really don't get the taco reference at all :D

I do believe he is refering to a "tachometer" (sp?), which just in case you don't know, is a cadence meter for a car. It's a very rough estimate of how hard the car is working.

I have a HR monitor, and I've gotten much better since I started training in responce to my heart rate, instead of how I "felt". Get the monitor.

I do believe he is refering to a "tachometer" (sp?), which just in case you don't know, is a cadence meter for a car. It's a very rough estimate of how hard the car is working.

I have a HR monitor, and I've gotten much better since I started training in responce to my heart rate, instead of how I "felt". Get the monitor.

I know. I'm an idiot. See my post above ... :o

OH. MY. GOD!!!!! Shoot me now. For some insane reason, I really really really thought you meant a Taco. As in food. Taco Bell, etc. I need to see a Doctor. This is dumbassitis on a scale heretofore never seen :o

Honestly, I do know what a tachometer is. Really. I do ....

Sorry, I shoudn't have been presumptuous, and I probably should've written, "tacho" :)

While I'm at it, if you're gunna do intervals, I'd be gettin' one.

Sorry, I shoudn't have been presumptuous, and I probably should've written, "tacho" :)

While I'm at it, if you're gunna do intervals, I'd be gettin' one.

I think I'm going to look into it. Like I said, I'm no racer, but I do enjoy this and want to take it seriously enough when I'm out riding. Anything that will help me learn and become better has to be a good thing!

Thanks.

I think I'm going to look into it. Like I said, I'm no racer, but I do enjoy this and want to take it seriously enough when I'm out riding. Anything that will help me learn and become better has to be a good thing!

Thanks.

Even if you're not gunna go 'hard core', monitors are a very fun toy :D
Have you seen how sexy the top range Polar ones are? Oooooooo, baby :)

If you're worried about cost, the basic Polar is about $85 USD. I have the Polar A5, which is about $135 USD.

I might have those prices wrong; it's been a long time since I bought mine. According to Joe Gardner (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=53315) the Polar A1 is $49, and the Polar A3 is $79.
Wow!

Even if you're not gunna go 'hard core', monitors are a very fun toy :D
Have you seen how sexy the top range Polar ones are? Oooooooo, baby :)

Even if I never looked at my Polar 710i's HR display it's an essential training tool for me. After downloading data I've got things like temperature, pace, av. speed, total climbing, time and distance for every ride. Basically I just add a few comments after each ride and I've got a training diary.

Since Feb 1 2003 I've used the Polar for every ride except for the week that I had to send the unit for warranty service.

I have had one for many years from Nashbar (store brand) that works great - I think on sale at $39-49 or in that range. This one is basic with a watch, HR and max/min settings and elapsed time.

It works great for what I want. I use it mostly in winter while on trainer to make sure my heart is getting where I want it to get. During outside riding season, I wear it as a matter of interest, as if I am climbing a hill - well, I just have to climb that hill, forget the HRM!

The more features, the more you pay.

I think it is a training tool. My wife thinks it's a toy.

I'm like you -- not a racer, but someone who's interested in the data and feedback it provides. I have the Polar S510 with the cadence sensor. I paid ~$200 for it. Kinda expensive for a "toy," and I wished I had stepped up to the 710, but my wife would have definitely freaked about that. Maybe one day I can upgrade and give her my 510...

So, it's probably somewhere between a training tool and a toy -- depending on how much you spend on it and how much you use it. The more you use it the less of a toy it is. : )

I have one and used it since 90. I will not train without one. Like F1 I just d/l my 710 and review my data after the fact. Been training closer to my zones this year and doing better in my goals. When I raced I use one, but I taped the screen so no one could see how hard I was working. After the race I would d/l my chart. Amazing to see how hard you work. Like been noted there are days when I think I am working hard till I see the numbers and others when I am just motoring along and the number are hign. I listen to my body now and watch my numbers. JMO

I've had one for years. The only time I look at my zones are on the slow recovery ride days. I set my zones specifically for these days. I set my low end, really low, like 60 so I never reach below that. Then set my high end at 160. I don't want to exceed 160 on my easy days so if my alarm starts beeping I know I need to back off.

On training rides I just like to see what my tickers doing. I'm nosy.

I run a high heart rate compared to most if those I ride with. I just ride for fun mostly but we do a lot of hard riding. I like to use it mostly to keep from going too hard on my easier days. This helps ensure that I get some recovery time between harder rides. On harder days if I'm feeling good I don't watch it...just ride as hard as I can. If I'm feeling "off", on a hard day, I try to keep from spending too much time in the 180's so I don't get to "cooked".

Thanks for all the replies! I'm going to get one and see what my HR gets up to whilst eating a taco ... :D

Yeah dang, I thought he was talking about tacos (like taco bell) too! Like WTF? :lol:

Tach is how it's usually abbreviated I think.

RacerX is correct tach is the abbv.
Macman, try Sally Edward's book on HR training. "The heart rate monitor book for cyclists". S Edwards & S Reed. Her site has zone info also. Heart Zones (http://www.heartzone.com/index_ns.shtml)
If you are using a mac and safari or mozilla the info is on the far right and down. Page is skewed on a mac.

I got a HR monitor this winter (late January) because I became addicted to spinning classes. Have gone 6 to 7 days a week. With spring here I don't go to spinning classes on days I road ride otherwise I'm spinning on the days I dont road ride.

They (spinning) make such a big deal of being in certain HR zones that I felt I had to get a monitor.

In the spinning classes it was ok. Gives you something to fiddle with although I found after awhile that if I followed the instructor's program I was pretty much dead on in the zones they wanted.

Plus you need to know your max HR (some say lactate threshold is better to know) or your zones are useless using the 220 minus your age (at least for many people me included). My max HR is much higher than the formula.

I started to sour on the monitor when I began to use it outside on the road. It was cold (barely above freezing) it was my first rides of the season, etc. and my HR was so high it was freaking me out. Probably no higher than other years under similar circumstances, but I never paid it any attention.

Knowing it (HR) was sky high didn't really help either as I was not over doing it or going full out so that throttling back was not really an option.

I stopped wearing it outside after awhile and felt much more comfortable without it.

Kept it for spinning until I dropped the watch on the locker room floor and one of the buttons stuck and the watch was kyboshed. Luckily I had bought it at Costco and they will give you your money back on just about anything as long as you keep the bill.

Gave it back and didn't replace it and can't say I miss the HR monitor one bit.

Just my experience, thought I would share.

I got a HR monitor this winter (late January) because I became addicted to spinning classes. Have gone 6 to 7 days a week. With spring here I don't go to spinning classes on days I road ride otherwise I'm spinning on the days I dont road ride.

They (spinning) make such a big deal of being in certain HR zones that I felt I had to get a monitor.

In the spinning classes it was ok. Gives you something to fiddle with although I found after awhile that if I followed the instructor's program I was pretty much dead on in the zones they wanted.

Plus you need to know your max HR (some say lactate threshold is better to know) or your zones are useless using the 220 minus your age (at least for many people me included). My max HR is much higher than the formula.

I started to sour on the monitor when I began to use it outside on the road. It was cold (barely above freezing) it was my first rides of the season, etc. and my HR was so high it was freaking me out. Probably no higher than other years under similar circumstances, but I never paid it any attention.

Knowing it (HR) was sky high didn't really help either as I was not over doing it or going full out so that throttling back was not really an option.

I stopped wearing it outside after awhile and felt much more comfortable without it.

Kept it for spinning until I dropped the watch on the locker room floor and one of the buttons stuck and the watch was kyboshed. Luckily I had bought it at Costco and they will give you your money back on just about anything as long as you keep the bill.

Gave it back and didn't replace it and can't say I miss the HR monitor one bit.

Just my experience, thought I would share.


I have the same results when I get outside. I cannot sustain the same high HR working indoors on my trainer that I do on the road.

But I look at it from another perspective, you just cannot substitute real outdoor training. The indoor work is just a supplement to maintain a base in the off season. Just goes to show how much harder, and better, the road work is.

Get the monitor you will be a better rider if you use it wisely.

I have the same results when I get outside. I cannot sustain the same high HR working indoors on my trainer that I do on the road.

But I look at it from another perspective, you just cannot substitute real outdoor training. The indoor work is just a supplement to maintain a base in the off season. Just goes to show how much harder, and better, the road work is.

Get the monitor you will be a better rider if you use it wisely.

I agree. I was quite disappointed after putting so much sweat into the spinning program at how little it did for me on the road. Not by measuring HR but more by how I felt.

After a month on the road I have been going back to spinning on rain or really high wind days and I was amazed at how much harder I could go on the spinner after being out on the road. I still have no plans on getting a new HR monitor.

Ummmm ... OK. Fair enough. Don't suppose you could elaborate? I may be being very dumb here though as I really don't get the taco reference at all :D

I drive n RX7 that will blow up if it goes much over 8000 RPM, so a tacho is important. I think the reference is to making sure you don't push your heart too far and cause damage (or death). Just a guess, but I bet that is it.

BTW - I agree with him!! I don't always track my stats as I should, but it is good to have that beep beeep beep to let me know if I am in or out of a zone. Unfortunately, I still tend to ride with a higher HR than I would like, byt training will change that I hope. The monitor also can train you to feel when you are at certain levels much like spinning at specific cadences trains you to recognize them by feel.

I run a high heart rate compared to most if those I ride with. I just ride for fun mostly but we do a lot of hard riding. I like to use it mostly to keep from going too hard on my easier days. This helps ensure that I get some recovery time between harder rides. On harder days if I'm feeling good I don't watch it...just ride as hard as I can. If I'm feeling "off", on a hard day, I try to keep from spending too much time in the 180's so I don't get to "cooked".

DON'T WAST YOU'R TIME. MONITOR THE SCENERY AND RIDE THE BIKE. IF YOU HAVE TO ASK YOU DON'T NEED ONE.