msu2001la

This might be a dumb question, but I would assume these guys all wear HRM's, and they (or their trainers) monitor their heart rates and analyze the data after each stage.

Can the trainers get "real time" heart rate info from the riders during the stages? Also, I notice lots of guys don't appear to wear chest straps (when they unzip during climbs, for instance). Do these guys not track their heart rates, or do they have some other way of measuring it?

Thanks.

TheRealNicola

I'm pretty sure the trainer's can get real time info on the heart rates. Not sure how but i would think that they do.

I've noticed that a couple people seem to have hr monitors on their neck, it may be something else but thats just what I notice.

redfooj

they were tracking them on the VS broadcast , at the very least on the last stage , so if TV gets the info im sure the trainers have them too

bigfred 

I'm not sure how many of the riders are wearing HR monitors. Heart rate is a fairly course measure. I imagine most of them are using crank mounted power meters and simply basing any adjustments they might be making with regard to effort on those. Once you're racing, other than during TT and perhaps certain hill climbs, you're going the pace of the peleton or break away. Either you've got it, or you don't.

msu2001la

I do see a lot of power meters as well. Is it safe to assume that teams have "real time" info on this as well? I seem to recall Versus having wattage/power info on the riders that they're tracking.

I'm just curious as to how much real-time data the trainers get on these guys. Also, wondering if the race radio ban would have any effect on this data?

Quel

During the Stage 1 time trial someone I was watching with noticed LA was wearing a heart monitor band around his chest.

But like someone else said, I imagine it isn't quite as useful on another stage where you are hanging with the peleton.

merlinextraligh

Any power meter is also going to collect HR data. Lot's of people howeverr choose not to bother with the HR strap when they use a powe meter.

Also, with the exception of the TT stages, I don't think you'll see many rides basing their effort on the power meter in the race.

Most people racing with power meters don't look at them during a race, or do so very infrequently.

I doubt the tour riders would be different in that regard.

julian

Heart rate monitors are useful. I have used them in the past, but after a while you get to know where you are. Plus since I am not a racer, it was real depressing to see how wimpy I was. For me to get over 150BPM is a real pain in the side.

umd

And you apparently haven't learned that the HR number means nothing compared to other people.

Dolomiti

It's a gauge of proper fitness isn't it? I mean, if you can't reach your max heart rate, then that must mean something is wrong (like weak legs), not allowing you to put a full aerobic output? It feels like I have this problem at times but I don't have a HR monitor.

umd

Key words: "compared to other people"

julian

Well there is certainly a range that many people fit in. I have had it pegged at over 180 BPM for around 1/2 hour, and it was sheer misery. But then I didn't use it for a long time and I forgot how uncomfortable it was to get it over 150 BPM.

It is a great training tool, and it can tell you a lot of things, like if you are recovered, getting sick etc.

umd

But 150 for you may be completely different than 150 for someone else. You can't use those numbers to compare between people. A higher number does not mean you are working harder than the other person.

julian

But a higher number means that I am working harder. I don't know where you saw me comparing myself to others? Like most things there is a bell curve and as you age your max rate declines. The heart rate formulas do have some basis in fact.

But you can have the floor and the last word, to prove what, I don't know.

umd

I was basing it off "since I am not a racer, it was real depressing to see how wimpy I was". A HRM can show you that you aren't riding as hard as you could, but what is "wimpy" but a comparison to others? A HRM will not tell you that you are "wimpy". Yes, you will lose some of your max HR as you age but it has pretty much been shown it is not at the rate of 1bpm/year, and the 220-age "forumula" has absolutely no basis in reality for predicting what someone's max HR is or should be.

I'm not trying to prove anything, it's just a common misconception that people have about HR. If that's not what you meant then I apologize but that's how it appeared to me.