Originally Posted by
prj71
DMC...I'm sure the increased heart rate has to do with the thrill and adrenaline rush from enduro riding.
Going downhill at speed is a full body beat down. At the racing levels, adrenaline rushes or thrilla are few and far between. Most guys are long past that stage in their riding career. John Tomac himself once said that downhill was a more severe workout than cross country, with higher heart rate spikes —- But just not spread out over 2hours like a cross country race
Different sport, but alsoone where the athletes are worked to the max is motocross, with heart rates routinely in the 180’s. I had a cycling colleague once question that because after all, the motorcycle must be doing all the work