HRM / speed/cadence training?

The secret rider

Hey, so pretty new ish into cycling been getting out as much as possible was riding with a Garmin 200 but now moved to a 500 to get some more info from training and also so i can use it on the turbo trainer.

Got a few things planned but general goals are;

Ride 100 mile sportive in August
Get faster in general
Improve climbing

So with the new data thats available to me especially HRM how can i use them to my advantage as all they are to me is numbers.

many thanks in advance.

Arron.

rafletcher

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/h ... sts-28838/

telesv650

I'd not get too fixated by numbers. Time in a saddle is the first step.

Where I find these things useful is to quantify what feels good and the levels of improvement you are achieving.

Hope this helps.

The secret rider

rafletcher wrote:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/heart-rate-monitor-training-for-cyclists-28838/

Nice link thank you enjoyed reading that and sure it will be useful.

telesv650 wrote:

I'd not get too fixated by numbers. Time in a saddle is the first step.

Where I find these things useful is to quantify what feels good and the levels of improvement you are achieving.

Hope this helps.

This. I think this is what i am learning just now that no amount of gadgets can beat it. However I was wondering if they could help maximise it.

8)

Man Of Lard

telesv650 wrote:

I'd not get too fixated by numbers. Time in a saddle is the first step.

Where I find these things useful is to quantify what feels good and the levels of improvement you are achieving.

Hope this helps.

That - it's not the actual numbers you should care about too much to kick off, but the medium/long term trends.

Example: for me 18 months ago, I was slow & lardy - max HR regularly peaked in the high 180s/low 190s - now, I'm lighter (still lardy, but less so) & faster - now it's rare to get my peak HR above 180. But there have been lots of deviations on the way - down to riding different routes, wind etc.

My cadence way back was averaging in the mid-50s - now it's high-60s/low-70s... the graph for this is a lot more linear (but still has deviations - again down to routes, weather etc)

The secret rider

My numbers from my last ride for example was, no idea what it all means though.

JayKosta

I use the HR display on a fitness center exercise bike to determine the recovery period for interval training. After some number of interval repeats, my HR is getting near max. At that time I extend my rest period until my HR has dropped approx 15 bpm (choose whatever reduction works for you) and then do another 'work' period.

When 'road riding', be careful to keep your attention on safety - don't get distracted by the meter.

Training will make you faster and stronger - the meter will only quantify what YOU do.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

imposter2.0

The secret rider wrote:

My numbers from my last ride for example was, no idea what it all means though.

In which case, just ignore it, leave all the tech at home and just carry on riding.

Man Of Lard

Or keep collecting it and look deeper when you have at least 20 rides to compare... Now go collect that data (i.e. Ride)

imposter2.0

Man Of Lard wrote:

Or keep collecting it and look deeper when you have at least 20 rides to compare... Now go collect that data (i.e. Ride)

If he doesn't understand the data from a single ride - how is doing 20 more going to help?

Man Of Lard

Imposter wrote:

Man Of Lard wrote:

Or keep collecting it and look deeper when you have at least 20 rides to compare... Now go collect that data (i.e. Ride)

If he doesn't understand the data from a single ride - how is doing 20 more going to help?

You cannot begin to see trends (speed change, heart rate change, cadence change) from a single data point. If he doesn't understand now that's because he has nothing to compare against (only other people's data and since we're all unique only his data is useful here)

imposter2.0

Man Of Lard wrote:

Imposter wrote:

Man Of Lard wrote:

Or keep collecting it and look deeper when you have at least 20 rides to compare... Now go collect that data (i.e. Ride)

If he doesn't understand the data from a single ride - how is doing 20 more going to help?

You cannot begin to see trends (speed change, heart rate change, cadence change) from a single data point. If he doesn't understand now that's because he has nothing to compare against (only other people's data and since we're all unique only his data is useful here)

It doesn't matter if he does 100 rides - if he doesn't know what he's looking at, he might as well not bother.

Man Of Lard

As I said *trends* in speed, avg heart rate, cadence - he will see changes as he gains fitness - he will be able to identify what was a hard ride versus what was an easy one. He will not be able to do that from any single ride without more personal data to compare against.

There is no prescription here - again go collect the data (ride) and review it later when you have plenty to review. There are plenty of resources out there (online & offline) to learn about it. But none of them matter a fig if you don't have data which in your world he will never collect so will never know.

imposter2.0

So he should review the data in order that he might confirm what he will already know - namely, that the more he rides, the fitter he gets. That sounds like money well spent.

ForumNewbie

The secret rider wrote:

My numbers from my last ride for example was, no idea what it all means though.

Your data is not that hard to understand:
You rode around 36 miles at an average speed of 16.5mph - which is pretty good already looking at your ride profile from the graph above.
As your average Heart Rate was 151bpm, it looks like you worked pretty hard on the ride. I am in my mid 50s and that would be a very high average for me but maybe not for you if you are a good bit younger?
Your average cadence (pedal turns each minute) was 89rpm which is pretty good. They say you should average around that or more, rather than grind in high gears. I find it hard to average near 90rpm but am working on it, so you are doing very well for a beginner averaging 89rpm.
I don't really understand the Power data, but unless you have a power meter with actual power data (which I don't) I don't think the estimated power is really worth looking at.

You might not get these averages over a 100 mile sportive, but if you keep doing rides like that one and getting longer, you should have no trouble completing the 100 miler in a very decent time in my opinion. Good luck.

Man Of Lard

Imposter wrote:

So he should review the data in order that he might confirm what he will already know - namely, that the more he rides, the fitter he gets. That sounds like money well spent.

The point here is that you can *see* the progression & it isn't simply a gut feeling. Some people like that visibility and are encouraged by it - clearly you're not one of them.

andyeb

As someone who has trained extensively with an HRM, I think their main benefits are:

- to help you avoid falling into the trap of doing all your rides in the "quite hard" territory (typically 78-83% of your maximum). You are better off doing at least some rides going easy OR going hard.
- to help with pacing; over a short time (e.g. tackling a big hill) and over a long time (all day sportive event)
- to spot trends over time

In addition, resting heart rate can also be a great way to get early warning of overtraining or looming illness. But you don't need an HRM to do that.

The secret rider

ForumNewbie wrote:

The secret rider wrote:

My numbers from my last ride for example was, no idea what it all means though.

Your data is not that hard to understand:
Exactly what i wanted to here thanks !
You rode around 36 miles at an average speed of 16.5mph - which is pretty good already looking at your ride profile from the graph above.
Been riding about 2 months now so slowly building up the distance
As your average Heart Rate was 151bpm, it looks like you worked pretty hard on the ride. I am in my mid 50s and that would be a very high average for me but maybe not for you if you are a good bit younger?
im 26yrs old aprox. 85kgs but like i say still trying to settle into road riding
Your average cadence (pedal turns each minute) was 89rpm which is pretty good. They say you should average around that or more, rather than grind in high gears. I find it hard to average near 90rpm but am working on it, so you are doing very well for a beginner averaging 89rpm.
Thanks ! This is something i am / was really unsure about i was not sure if i should be higher up in the 90's + or lower 75's to 90's etc. I have trying to read about the advantages of each. I find it easier at the higher cadence but sometimes find it increases lactic build up. Still trying to figure it all out.
I don't really understand the Power data, but unless you have a power meter with actual power data (which I don't) I don't think the estimated power is really worth looking at.
Yeh i dont bother with it either as its only estimated

You might not get these averages over a 100 mile sportive, but if you keep doing rides like that one and getting longer, you should have no trouble completing the 100 miler in a very decent time in my opinion. Good luck.

really appreciate your reply. very useful mate.