17 mile commute

jeff.hobby

For a while I've been trying to ride to work and back at least twice a week. I travel 17 miles each way mostly flat but with a few long gradients although not that steep. I've just bought a new cycling computer which also has heart rate on it and I am struggling to keep it in the mid zone. On the last ride of 46 minutes only 5 minutes was actually in the mid zone with the rest above 152. I usually have an average speed of 18 - 20 mph. I've tried going a bit slower but it seems just as hard work but takes longer to get there, I've tried a lower gear with a higher cadence but that has the same result.

What is the normal sort of speed/cadence for this sort of distance commuting?

Does it matter if the heart rate is high for this sort of duration?

I am looking to commute daily soon but at the current rates I am not sure I'll make it!

SBezza

I am sure as you get fitter, your HR will come down for the ride. As for is 152 too high for 46 mins, well, that will depend on how old you are, how fit you are, what your Max HR is etc.

Speed and cadence is an individual thing, you can't ask someone to say what is the norm, as everyone will be different.

I do 1 hour races with an ave HR of around 172-175, longer races that drops. If you want to keep it in your mid zone you just have to back off a little, it will rise on the gradients, but on the flat parts you should be able to get it back down again.

amaferanga

Have you actually tested your max HR or are you using a formula to guess it?

Tonymufc

My guess is that the OP has entered his d.o.b into the HR monitor and has determined his HR from his age. Unless you conduct some sort of fitness test yourself you won't know what your max HR is and thus won't know what the mid range is. There should be something on tinternet about conducting a fitness test.