Heart rate

Superbalicious

I'm posting this in the beginners forum as although I've spent years riding in my youth, I'm returning after a considerable break... my body has totally forgot all the effort I put in as a youngster.

I'm now 37, having weighed 15st 8lb on at the beginning of July I'm now down to 14st 10lb and hoping to loose the last 2lb before the end of the month and then to continue with a new target weight. My ultimate goal would be around 12st, but I like to work in smaller chunks.

My resting pulse is between 65 and 70, but when I'm on my bike it rockets up to 165-170 and I can easily get it over 180. This worries me somewhat, although I actually feel ok around the 165-170 mark and I seem to recover at a reasonable rate.

I know everyone is different, and that there's probably not a single piece of advice I should adopt (as opposed to lots of general advice), but I'm just after a feeling of how other beginners heart rates change as they ride, and whether I should expect to see my heart rate reduce as I get the miles in, loose more weight and become (hopefully) fitter.

So, any thoughts?

Leeuw

Mine jumps up pretty quickly when riding too. The reassuring measure though is getting home, sitting down and seeing how long it takes to drop back below 100bpm - mine only takes a couple of mins, even after a hard session

And well done on the weight loss!!

danowat

Superbalicious wrote:

My resting pulse is between 65 and 70, but when I'm on my bike it rockets up to 165-170 and I can easily get it over 180. This worries me somewhat, although I actually feel ok around the 165-170 mark and I seem to recover at a reasonable rate.

Why would it worry you?, your body is working, so of course your heart rate will increase.

Is it safe?, unless you have any underlaying health problems, then yes, it's safe, your mind will pack in way before your body does

DaveL

You will find your resting HR reduces the fitter you get, your heart rate your hitting now will probably not change that much, but you will be faster. On my last 17m ride my ave was 170bpm but I was pushing it, I don't like going over 185 as I can feel a pulse in the side of my head and it freaks me out. (I'm 45 btw)

Dave

thecrofter

As has been said everyone's different. You have to push to get quicker/fitter, just don't push too hard too quickly. Unless you're genuinely struggling when your HR is up around 170 then that sounds OK to me. FWIW I'm 48 and I've had my HR up to 220, needed a bit of a sit down after that though. :roll: Usually I'm comfortable around 150-160 higher than that starts to become unsustainable. My resting rate is 50-54.

What does all that tell me? That I'm reasonably fit and that I can work a bit harder if I want to. Don't get too hung up on numbers if it feels OK then it probably is. Keep going with the weight loss, well done.

hulla the hulla

thecrofter wrote:

FWIW I'm 48 and I've had my HR up to 220

- ouch !

the_cyclist_of_catan

I understand that max heart rate is (usually) related to age. Mine's 192bpm; I has hitting that regularly when I started cycling, but recently it's been pretty rare to go over 185. On Sunday I rode a new (to me) route, as I'm on holiday, which whilst short included a climb of 300m over a 2.5 mile stretch. Cycling one way I hit 190, back the other it was 191. I did the same hill today, I was slightly faster over the whole of the ride, yet only hit 180bpm. Probably down to pacing my efforts better as I knew what was coming. That "OMG, I'm going to pass out!" feeling of bouncing off your max heart rate ceiling is one I prefer not to have too often.

Superbalicious

danowat wrote:

Why would it worry you?, your body is working, so of course your heart rate will increase.

Is it safe?, unless you have any underlaying health problems, then yes, it's safe, your mind will pack in way before your body does

I just thought it was high, I mean it's getting on for three beats per second, but clearly from the replies (and thank you all for them) if I feel ok, and recover ok, then within reason I am ok. I'll not over do it whist I'm still overweight though... that just gives me more of an incentive to loose

bagz3

thecrofter wrote:

As has been said everyone's different. You have to push to get quicker/fitter, just don't push too hard too quickly. Unless you're genuinely struggling when your HR is up around 170 then that sounds OK to me. FWIW I'm 48 and I've had my HR up to 220, needed a bit of a sit down after that though. :roll: Usually I'm comfortable around 150-160 higher than that starts to become unsustainable. My resting rate is 50-54.

What does all that tell me? That I'm reasonably fit and that I can work a bit harder if I want to. Don't get too hung up on numbers if it feels OK then it probably is. Keep going with the weight loss, well done.

Is 220 bpm even possible, i'd consult a doctor just in case you were having a heart attack :?

Manc33

I got a heart rate monitor last night from Aldi - £8.99 and it works, its German made and has a 3 year warranty.

My resting pulse rate this morning was 45.

Sat at my computer now after toking my eCig and drinking about 1.2 pints of caffinated coffee, it is up to around 73 BPM.

Walking up the stairs it goes up to about 100 BPM.

Needless to say I am quite unfit... but I have the totally relaxed rate of only 45 BPM which I find strange.

Oh well, all I can do is keep on biking.

This heart rate monitor also has a bike handlebar clip so you can strap the watch onto your handlebars. For £9 I feel like I have robbed them.

nbuuifx

Manc33 wrote:

I got a heart rate monitor last night from Aldi - £8.99 and it works, its German made and has a 3 year warranty.

My resting pulse rate this morning was 45.

Sat at my computer now after toking my eCig and drinking about 1.2 pints of caffinated coffee, it is up to around 73 BPM.

Walking up the stairs it goes up to about 100 BPM.

Needless to say I am quite unfit... but I have the totally relaxed rate of only 45 BPM which I find strange.

Oh well, all I can do is keep on biking.

This heart rate monitor also has a bike handlebar clip so you can strap the watch onto your handlebars. For £9 I feel like I have robbed them.

That doesn't sound bad, I have a resting rate similar to yours, and just being up and about ready before a bike ride my HR will be about 70. No idea what it goes to walking up stairs but 100 wouldn't surprise me. Out on the bike if I ride at an effortless pace it will go to about 130, if I ride at what I would call a good pace (but a pace I can keep going with) then it will stay at around 160-175. If I really push it - it will stay at 180-195, but I can't keep this up for more than 5 mins or so. I haven't managed to find my max HR yet but I guess it is around 200.

Manc33

Yeah about 150 or 160 is about what I seem to be at when pushing quite a bit (but can be maintained for a while).

Never got it up to max myself either, I don't think I would dare to yet.

DavidJB

Legs will fail way before heart.

And also...180 is really top end stuff. It will get better as you get fitter. You need to work out your zones really to get any meaningful information.