I used my HRM for the first time today, it's not a fancy one it just gives a simple readout.
Any way as a start I set my max to 170 using the 220 less my age. I then lowered it to 155 because I've been ill for two weeks.
So without the benefit of data feedback I had to go on what I saw when I looked at the monitor.
I picked a 100k route and cleared it in approx 3h 15m only one hill. Most of the time it read 155/157 rising to 163/167 on gradients.
I planned to try and set my max on the only big climb by going as hard as possible, By luck there were two guys going up it on road bikes so I used them as targets and shot past them only to nearly die but I pushed very hard and got to the top with the two out of site, dribble all down my chin and a max reached of 178.
It dropped within seconds to about 136 going down the other side.
Can anyone interpret that un scientific info?
And for info I;ve been in about 15 minutes and it's reading 98/105 while I'm sat here.
Any feedback would be of help as I'm off the the hospital Monday for my third set of tests to see what the problem is with my heart.

Haven't got my HR spreadsheet on this PC, but this does the same calculation.

So from what you've given above (max 178), you've spent 3hrs15 in Zone 4, with some sections at Zone 5.

So, to me 100k in 3hr15 is quick! (I'm assuming your were on a MTB too!)

That amount of time in Zone 4 is pushing it. That's race pace for most people.

Did you hammer it all the way round your ride?

I would have to guess that 178 is not actually your Max. To set Max on a hill you need to find a hill that will take you 10 mins, push it, and sprint the last bit….(rough explanation)

What's your heart problem anyway! 🙂

I used my road bike, conditions were good.
My left and right ventricle are out of sync and my HR is a little raised in their opinion. I've been having tests since December but I've had zero feedback. I've been asked to allow four hours for tests this monday.
Edit; my bike computer is bust so I used a reliability trial route I did two weeks ago. but had to use the house clock when I left and got back. It favours riding in 53 with only the need to use the 39 on the one climb (Toms Hill on Ivinghoe Beacon)

Can you or anyone explain those zones. When I look up the info it usually refers to 3 or 4 zones.

Ah. Road bike makes a lot more sense, but your zones do suggest you were hitting it quite hard – were you?

In terms of explanation, 6 zones is more the norm really. British Cycling coaches use 6 for example. Any system where there's less than six just represents the same thing with less precision in terms of division for example.

I was really, I wanted to see the effect on my HR as it was all new and exciting to me 😕 And I wanted to do the 100km trial route quicker than I did two weeks ago.

From what I remember of the current issue of the training mag Cycling Plus do, they suggest you knock 5% off the recorded max HR figure you get. There's also a schedule laid out for achieving the max involving a 15 to 20 min effort after some warm up intervals, followed by a cool down cycle. I'll see if I can look it out later.

To work out your zones you need to take your resting rate away from your max rate.

For ease lets say your resting is 50 and your max is 150.

This makes your heart rate reserve (HRR) 100.

The zones are a % of our HRR added on to the rfesting rate and go something like this (these vary depending what you read!):

50-60% = Z1
60-70% = Z2
70-80% = Z3
80-90% = Z4
90-100% = Z5

Therefore Z1 would be calculated 50-60% of the HRR i.e. 50-60bpm added to the resting rate (50 in example above).

Therefore Z1 = 100-110bpm

Thanks for that it now makes sense.

so 'base training level' would be?………

That works out as you said, but I was in the top end of zone 3 and shorter periods in zone 4 and only once in zone 5.

Just remember your max will be more than 178, so might be worth calculating using a slightly higher figure than this.

Jase
Kept thinking whilst riding today 'what if they say I have to stop or at least take it easy' Hopefully this time Monday I'll have a better idea.

Many ways to calculate zones from HR. Can also do a threshold test and use your average for the test period to work out zones. Works out different to MaxHR-based calcs.

Final tests done and I have Right Bundle Branch Block, but otherwise I'm 'wikid awsum' fit and can continue to train and race 😆

And because I've been in and out of hospital having checks for the last four months and now got the all clear I'm gonna treat myself to a rear 50mm deep carbon road wheel

Nice one. Glad you are fine.

Nice one, glad you're OK.

To be honest I've had about 4 HRMs over the years and never really found them to be anything more than a numerical indicator of how I knew I was already feeling…

They were useful when in a break to allow really fine tuning of how much work I could do without blowing, and as a clear indication of fatigue; after racing for 3 days my heart rate was reluctant to get up and slower to come down.

I'll be using mine to temper down some of my rides from race training pace to steady fat burning pace, as the temptation is to go as fast as possible all the time.