Originally Posted by
Bob S
Used standard calc: 220 - age = 145. I started serious riding again about 8 years ago after turning around from more than ten years so seriously declining health. Had a hard time doing 4 miles on flat roads before I turned it around. So I am using a more conservative 140 and riding around 90% + most of the time.
That is a poor way to set max HR for cycling. It works for doctors and their stress tests and other things because that is how their metrics and things they are looking for are based. But it's not a true measure of how fast you might be able to run your heart while cycling.
My calculation comes to 157. But that is what I can comfortably maintain for an hour or two. When I do max efforts to climb a hill for sixty seconds or so, I'm easily pushing 175 sometimes bumping into 180 bpm.
If your cardiologist hasn't given you any reason to maintain at or below a particular number, then you can run your heart as fast as you want for as long as you can. Sure, when you first start doing that you might feel a little light headed, sick to your stomach or about to pass out, but once your body gets used to your heart going that fast, it's not a problem. Other than your ride will be shorter if you try to keep max HR for the entire time.