[Closed] Max Heart Rate - Can you ride to it?

If possible, look at the HR trace from that ride with the 189 max. It could be a data spike induced by electrical interference (especially with other riders in close proximity).

I got a reading of 191 going up a hill the other day. Never had more than 187 before. I put it down to a spike

Since then, running, or doing Sufferfest's on the Turbo, I am never getting above 184.

Sounds normal to me. I can't get near my max HR outside of the last 5 metres of a race.

Max is a useful figure to know, to allow you to work out the different zones for training. The number you really want is the the threshold, i.e. where you go from aerobic to anaerobic. Depending what you are doing you will want to be at that point for most of the race, with only the final effort or an attack going above it.

Strava is useful as well for post race analysis of data, for instance a cross race for me is usually an average of 175 with a max of 181-184, but in the main the average is consistent. If I notice my heart rate is dropping below 170 I know I need to pushing on, and heading to 180 it's time to just steady it up a bit, some of this will be dependent on what the terrain is, and what is happening at that point in the race.

Ive just google and come up with a thread from here about 10 months ago.

Looks like many people don't get near max on Turbo's, but doesn't explain my running though.

Also it could be a spike because at the point it was recorded was about 30 seconds in to the race, ok shouldering the bike up a steep hill, but I wasn't half as knackered at that point as I was 10 mins

I need to look more at Threshold. I'm guessing that's Zone 4 on the Garmin?

I generally get higher HR's out riding than I do on the turbo, mostly when climbing hard.

Spikes are fairly obvious IME, I often hit 250+ at the start of rides when I'm wearing a certain base layer.

I find my HR never gets as high over the winter as it does in the summer, even when putting in big efforts. Make sure you lick the HR terminals before you put the strap on, goes a long way to getting rid of spikes.

It can be done but check your real numbers.
On my first ride with my Garmin I disputed what actuakly is my Max HR

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I don't see how a spike will be only a few bpm higher.

As above, hitting your max is way easier for me in a race etc rather than anything solo.

Crossing line line in a sprint bunch finish of a road race my HR was 195, which is about theoretically my max. Never been close to that outside of that scenario, 180 means I'm giving it the beans uphill.

On the turbo you won't get max HR, you aren't engaging all of your muscules in a way that you would be if you were stood up sprinting on the bike or running.

Confusing HRmax with "maximum heart rate recorded on todays ride"
If you are wanting to use a HR monitor as training aid find out your actual maximum your heart will go to.

Another variable to bear in mind...as you get fitter your heart becomes more efficient and therefore your max HR may [i]decrease[/i] as a result > [url= http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2011/06/max-heart-rate-and-fitness.html ]Joe Friel[/url]

A race will get you a higher HR.
Adrenalin, nerves and the fact you will be trying harder than you ever imagined you could.

My resting (42yrs) HR is just below 50bpm and max 190bpm.
During a race it averages 180bpm for the full hour.
I have never been able to maintain such a high HR for so long on a turbo trainer.

Have you had it measured, max that is, Moonman ?

Why would you want to ride at your max?

Bike max is generalty 7-10 boom below running max

Guess Garmin is too new to be a low battery spike - but that happens with polar watches

Again, get a threshold test or a max test done

I can max out, but not for very long these days, somewhere near 190 for me but only for about 200mtrs or so in intervals..

No. I just working off max HR readings from my garmin.
During most races it will max at 190-192bpm. So a common max HR number.

I did record 213bpm last year. Though wasn't sure if that was a spike.
Had been out previous night in Benidorm, drank too much to remember getting home .. then chased a group up Col d Rattes. So it could have been a glitch in Hr monitor .. or me being a beat or two away from a clutcher?

It varies quite a bit.

Racing i often see 190 bpm+ (196 the biggest this year)

Just general riding and giving what feels like maximum effort then 185 bpm

Turbo...a hard interval is about 10 less than that. Actually average heart rate in a 40 lap scratch race (about 12-14 minutes) is often higher than the max heart rate i can get on the turbo for about 20 seconds before i need to ease off.

Racing I sometimes see peaks of 190 but still not the actual max my heart will go to dont fancy collapsing. I use 200, as my max but could be more, for setting Zones.
Recent 24 heart rate test gave me a resting lowest of 46 and max of 171 but I wasnt really trying.
Last race I maxed at 181 but with a 50 minute average of 171.

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So for those of you getting 190+ I would hazard a guess that actual max would be 200+. Moonman if you've had a 213 and didnt collapse you may well have a max of 220 !!! Worth getting it measured if you want to use hr zones for training

This is from last weeks cx.

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I pretty sure the 213bpm last year was a glitch though. I have never come close to 200bpm since.

no chance of me hiting max hr on my turbo, seems really hard to get the same higher hr levels on the turbo as on the bike.

ive hit max hr on cyclocross easy enough, all you have to do is hang onto anyone that overtakes you, whatever happens dont let them go, bingo max heart rate reached just before you pass out...
fwiw 190 max hr @40, was 191 last year but not hit it this year

I'm 39 and regularly hit 200 - 205 max HR in cross race and average low to mid 180s during the race. I can rarely hit these numbers when training but I don't think that's uncommon. You need the competiton of a race to really push you. Even trying hard on the turbo I might max around 180ish. A max HR test suggested my max rate should be around 190.

Sorry slightly OT, but I have a [s]cheap[/s] economic watch with HRM (Aldi special;) now I do not often use the heart strap and today I was NOT wearing the chest strap, but my watch HRM was reading around 160-180 when I was working with/next to a petrol chipper, so I figure interference or these devices are getting very clever!