stapfam

I bought a new Heart rate monitor yesterday, as I used to keep getting conflicting signals from my co-rider on the Tandem. It is discorncerting to keep finding that you are running well over your limit when just pootling along thanks to getting interference from the other sender unit. All that has now changed as I got one of the "Own Code" monitors, and we no longer get the conflicting signals from each other.

First proof we had, once we were convinced that everything was working OK, was that as Stuart is 19 years younger than me, we must be putting in equal effort, as the heart rates are around 20 beats apart. Second revelation was that My heart rate, for a given amount of effort, has decreased in the last 6 months. I don't know if it is "age" not allowing the heart rate to go up as high as it used to, or the "Extra" fitness keeping the heart rate down.
Last time I rode on the Tandem on this route, I was getting up to a certain heart rate.On the same hill, at the same speed, and I think effort, I was 10 beats lower. In general, my heart rate was around 10 beats lower than 6 months ago. I could stil get that extra 10, but it was not as tiring, except at one point where I went well over my limit sprinting up a hill so we could beat the Fast Fit rider up it. We did beat him, and when the HR went way over my limit, I still managed to keep pushing to make sure we beat him. Last time I saw that measurement was at least 10 years ago, and once again it was confirmed by my co-rider as he went well over his limit and he felt just as shatterred as I was.

I am quite happy that the effort I have put in down at the gym, has hopefully meant that I am fitter, and that the HR drop is down to the fitness I have gained in the last 6 months. Either that or that "Age" thing is starting to catch me up.

dthoman

Sounds to me like the fitness thing is catching up and keeping the age thing at bay. Keep up the riding.

JavaMan

Same performance but lower heart rate is what training is all about!

Keep up the good work, stapfam!

genec

But there is the catch-22... if you want to continue to improve, you have to work longer and harder... your body seems to adjust to your current rate of effort, and then "rewards" you if you ever cut back on your effort.

My heart rate was 144 for a particular hill and speed... Now it barely tops 118, for the same work, just a couple months later. Well what if I want to push the HR to 144... it takes a lot more effort... odd cycle, eh?

trmcgeehan

At age 67, my maximum heart rate going up a steep quarter mile hill is 122 beats per minute. My resting heart rate is around 52. No matter how hard I exercise, 122 bpm seems to be my max, and it has been this way for the past 20 years.

JavaMan

Your heartrate was 144 before, and now it's 118. Therefore, you are not working as hard as you were before. A heartrate of 118 represents a lower effort than a heartrate of 144. Same speed at lower heartrate (effort) is progress.

Pushing your heartrate back up to 144 takes the same effort it did before. It's not any harder, but now you will be going faster. Going faster at the same heartrate is also progress.

Looks like a win-win situation to me!

oldspark

Wow you guys must be a lot fitter than I am-have been cycling for over a year and if I push it I can easily get my heart rate up over 160 and have had it at 181 going up a long hill at a hard effort.

michaelnel

When mine approaches 150 I feel like it's going to explode!

genec

Yup "it doesn't get any easier, you just go faster... "

JavaMan

I have been cycling for many years, and I can easily get my heartrate up to 170 and beyond on a long climb. It just depends on how hard you push.

A better measure of fitness is your resting heartrate, taken before you get out of bed in the morning. As you get into better aerobic shape, your resting heartrate will probably go down.

stapfam

Last Saturday I did a ride on the Tandem and My co-rider Bonked (Ran out of all body resources) Till he did his heart rate was normal at around 140 going up to 170 on the hills. When he bonked, he could not get his heart rate above 100. He physicaly could not put in the effort to get his heart rate up. 2 years ago I did the same, and my Hr dropped from around 150 to 110. Even on the steepest hill, and really putting in effort it did not go above 115.

As I mainly do distance rides, I try to keep my Hr within the region of 140 to 150, rising to 165 for the steeper hills. Unfortunatley, when my co-rider bonked, I had to raise my HR by 10 to compensate, but still tried to limit to 165 for the hills. Checked the monitor at the end of the ride and at some point I had got to 179, Average for the ride was 147, and I felt fine. Shows what is still possible to do if you put your mind to it.

Heart rate monitors do have their uses, but they are pretty pointless when you overexert yourself. You know when you have done too much and it is time to slow down. On this occasion though, it did help me to be able to constantly put in that extra effort when it was needed, without going over the top and joining the "Lie down quick cause I have done too much" club.

On the resting heart rate, Mine is high at 80 bpm. If I lie still and comotose, then it may drop to 68, but that is not a true resting rate. Why is my resting HR so high as I have been athletic all my life- Better ask my Heart surgeon that next time I see him. As long as my heart keeps beating, then that is all I am worried about nowadays.

blacktom

Heart rate maximums vary with the individual. Some years ago when I was racing (at 55 years old) two of my competitors had maximums of 195 and 155 respectively. Both were faster than me and equally capable. My maximum was 175, closer to the 'standard of 220 - age (220-55 =165). So a lot depends on the individuals physique; are you a hummingbird or a horse!

Brian.

ramius

Have a question for the group:

I had an episode of Atrial Fibulation in Oct. 2003, was in ICU for a week. Not fun. Since then no problems, I've been riding at least a couple of times a week except in the winter. I'd like to purchase a HR monitor to keep an eye on things, but would like to avoid the chest strap thing- to put it bluntly, I've a very hairy chest and when I have to have an EKG at the Dr's they have to shave for the sensors- and I figure a chest strap will have similar problems.

So the question is, can anyone recomend a decent HR monitor without a strap? Don't need a lot of bells and whistles, just basic information.

Thanks in advance. C.

Joe Taylor

[QUOTE=stapfam]Last Saturday I did a ride on the Tandem and My co-rider Bonked (Ran out of all body resources) Till he did his heart rate was normal at around 140 going up to 170 on the hills. When he bonked, he could not get his heart rate above 100. He physicaly could not put in the effort to get his heart rate up. 2 years ago I did the same, and my Hr dropped from around 150 to 110. Even on the steepest hill, and really putting in effort it did not go above 115.

QUOTE]
Sounds like dehydration to me. Was he drinking enough water? When I first started riding again I stoped a ride because I was all done. I was talking to a fellow biker about this later in the day and listed off the symptoms and he said that I had about 6 out of 10 signs of dehudration. Since then I tank up before I head out on a ride.

I think the slow heart rate is natures way of slowing you down so you don't hurt yourself.

Joe

Totoro

No, they don't have the same problems. You just put it over your hair and it reads your heart rate. It would probably even work on a gorilla. Some people put gel on the sensor to help get a reading. I just run mine under warm water for a few seconds before putting it on. That way you don't get any goo on your chest and you help keep your monitor clean.

lrnorup

I am hairy too. No problems with just water on the chest strap. Then your sweat will do the rest of the job

stapfam

[QUOTE=Joe Taylor]Dehydration is understood by myself and my normal co-rider and we make a point of checking each others water intake on our long rides. No cheating allowed as we use camelbacks as our main supply and then carry water bottles for when they need a refill. 1 litre an hour is our our quota, and if possible more. This co-rider was drinking, but he just was not fit enough.

When the heart rate slows to this extent, you are right. it is Natures way of saying slow down. The only time Mine ever went lower-down to 45- was just before I called the Ambulance with a heart attack. Only found it was that low in the Ambulance.

Garfield Cat

So the question is, can anyone recomend a decent HR monitor without a strap? Don't need a lot of bells and whistles, just basic information.

Ok, why do you want one without a strap?

Roody

Very well-put, JavaMan! After my heart attack, I could get my heart rate to target zones just by walking. Then I had to walk faster and faster for the same effects. Eventually it got to the point where I was walking as fast as I possibly could. I had to either start running or find an alternative. I hate running so I chose cycling. And the rest is history.

stapfam

Not really. The problem with the ones that do not need a strap require you to push a button on the unit to measure. Not the ideal thing to do whilst riding, and does not enable you to get a picture of what the heart rate is until you have stopped, pushed the buttons and then had it register.
The strap is not a problem to wear. I even wore it 6 days after the bypass across the chest wound and never felt it.