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So I know there is a lot of variability with heart rate and training, but I was curious after this evening's ride.
I was riding with a new riding buddy and we were both treating it as a sort-of training ride so we're pushing on a bit on the climbs (and, as it turned out, the flats, and descents 😂).
All good fun and the legs were feeling amazing, but I noticed I was sitting at high heart rates (even got close to max on a wee dig near the top of a climb) but they didn't feel as bad as they usually did, i.e. my RPE and heart rate were all out of synch.
Is this just the effect of riding with someone else and enjoying the chat? Or is it just a side effect maybe of having eaten well or maybe being better hydrated or something?
Is this just the effect of riding with someone else and enjoying the chat? Or is it just a side effect maybe of having eaten well or maybe being better hydrated or something?
Probably a combination of all of this. But suffering is always easier with a pal, misery loves company and all that.
Some days you just feel great and some days you don't. As LA would say "no chain"....
I find that my power output and higher heart rates seem a lot easier outside, I was reguarly hitting and staying at 158bpm (max 172) on an event last weekend for decent periods, whereas 158 on turbo trainer for longer periods is hard work.
I think if you're in the moment and riding well and adrenaline is going with a bit of friendly competition you can push yourself harder.
Are you tracking your estimated Lactate Threshold Heart Rate over time?
Just like FTP, LTHR is dynamic, use it or lose it once you've done some training to improve them above your base levels. My LTHR has improved this year to ~170 from being ~160 through most of last year, consequently 160-170ish on 5-20min segments feels very comfortable and its all about what my legs can do.
Are you tracking your estimated Lactate Threshold Heart Rate over time?
D'oh! No. I'm a cheapskate so only train with HRM, and haven't tried a full on FTP test lately so was using my heartrate from the last test I had done, on the basis that whilst my power at LTHR might have changed, the heart rate would remain much the same (I think my max heart rate has dropped 1-2BPM in the last 3-4 years, which I think is normal?).
I haven't allowed for heart rate zones changing over time...
Must be love?
Must be love?
He had disc brakes on his road bike, it would never last 😢
On my ride at the weekend (post Covid), I felt fine and was riding at a RPE of about zone 2 or low zone 3. Not according to my heart rate I wasn't. It was actually high zone 3 / low zone 4. Essentially sweet-spot. But was still breathing through my nose.
I put it down to getting over Covid, a quick Google shows that I'm not alone in this.
Discs eh. Lack of style aside, it may last but sticking together when things went downhill might get difficult : )
I put it down to getting over Covid, a quick Google shows that I’m not alone in this.
Probably. I had an unusually high HR the day or 2 before testing + and afterwards it took a few steady rides (or just time) before I was able to get up the usual easy local climbs in Z2 rather than it shooting up to high Z3 / low Z4 very easily. See the same thing to a lesser extent when I have a cold.
Freshness plays a big part too. If you’re nice and fresh your HR will be much higher for the same RPE than if you’re a bit fatigued from previous rides.
I had covid 5 weeks ago. I left it for 2 weeks before exercising. I had no respiratory problems at all but have found my cardiac performance to be slower, not faster.
It's improving slowly - that first week back I was about 30bpm down on max HR and wasn't able to get past the 'rev limiter' or sustain any effort to try and break through the ceiling.
I'm still about 10 bpm short of my usual max but able to bounce along that ceiling for much longer.
Assuming you haven't had covid I absolutely think that its simply riding with your mate that is the difference.
I can push myself way harder when riding outside for seemingly less effort compared to when on the turbo trainer and even more so if riding with others. I guess the operative word here is that it feels like less effort, but not necessarily is.
As an extreme example, I have hit my max heart rate when cycling outside with others and not even really noticed in any substantial way until I glance down at my Garmin. You'd probably have to put a gun to my head to get me to achieve max heart rate on my turbo trainer in the spare room.