Heart Rate monitors

Eoin D

Unreliable?

Just went for a spin and got a max heart rate of 201bpm with an average of 174!

Was averaging around 25kpm/h as well so I wasn't exactly setting any speed records! Been a month since I've been on the pedaler but still, whopper heart rates if they're to be believed!

E@gle.

Sometimes if the chest strap is in the wrong place it can give you a incorrect reading.

what brand of HRM were u using??

AstraMonti

WOW! And thought mine was high. I am on average 165-170 with reaching 190.

Either you are seriously unfit and overweight and you are climbing on the sally gap or you have a wrong reading there.

Eoin D

E@gle. wrote: »

Sometimes if the chest strap is in the wrong place it can give you a incorrect reading.

what brand of HRM were u using??

Cheap and cheerful cateye I'm ashamed to say

Was thinking it wasn't the best but I only bought it to motivate me to get on the bike a bit more before I flee the country

Eoin D

AstraMonti wrote: »

WOW! And thought mine was high. I am on average 165-170 with reaching 190.

Either you are seriously unfit and overweight and you are climbing on the sally gap or you have a wrong reading there.

Wrong reading I'd say, well I assume considering I feel grand as opposed to being in an ambulance while posting this. It was inconsistent as well, sometimes speed and heart rate disappearing.

According to google maps (not the most accurate I know) it also had a shorter distance cycled as well.

And errrrrrrr, the average was actually 147, oops No, it was 174. It was just still reading my heart rate and coincidentally was at 147 the next time I looked at it

Diarmuid

Eoin D wrote: »

Unreliable?

Just went for a spin and got a max heart rate of 201bpm with an average of 174!

Was averaging around 25kpm/h as well so I wasn't exactly setting any speed records! Been a month since I've been on the pedaler but still, whopper heart rates if they're to be believed!

Most importantly, how did you feel? At 82% of your max you should have been suffering, not dying, but really feeling the effort. Were you?

I can maintain 82% for a good 1+hr so it's not like you should have been in the ambulance but it would be very tough work.

Eoin D

Diarmuid wrote: »

Most importantly, how did you feel? At 82% of your max you should have been suffering, not dying, but really feeling the effort. Were you?

I can maintain 82% for a good 1+hr so it's not like you should have been in the ambulance but it would be very tough work.

Felt grand, right as rain. Slightly frustrated at the wind but no more. Got a bit panicked when I saw the heart rate at some points though, I reckon I'll give it another go over the next couple of nights and I reckon it's pulling my leg then I won't wear the HRM out in future

Lumen

Friend of mine is 34 and still gets 210bpm during time trials.

I used to sit at around 180bpm on a normal fast spin...when I was 20.

Now I average only about 165bpm. I think that's just general unfitness.

Eoin D

Lumen wrote: »

Friend of mine is 34 and still gets 210bpm during time trials.

I used to sit at around 180bpm on a normal fast spin...when I was 20.

Now I average only about 165bpm. I think that's just general unfitness.

Yeah but if it was unfitness I would have felt it. I reckon before I head out next time I'll make sure I'm getting a consistent reading before I get on the bike and see how that goes

Gavin

Some health monitoring doohickeys don't work well on certain people. I was testing a blood pressure monitor for a research group and ended up going to the nurse next day worried about my abnormally high blood pressure.

Everyone else was reading fine, except for me. Of course, the device was wonky on me for some reason and I was actually fit as a fiddle.

cantalach

It's most likely just the cold weather. My heart rate is always 10-15 bpm higher in cold weather for a given perceived effort. I remember doing a 55 km spin on a bitterly cold day back in November in which I averaged 170 bpm despite not killing myself at all. Remember that even if you're well wrapped up, your body still has to do a whole lot of extra work because of all the cold air you're breathing in.

Ryaner

My garmin one is accurate once I start cycling but not so much before hand, dropping readings and the likes.
Also coldness and unfitness will give you a very high bpm even though you don't feel it. I regularly sit around the 150-160 mark and can finish and get off the bike like I haven't done anything.

Chips Lovell

Some people have a higher max heart rate than others. I don't fitness has anything to do with it. Also, typically, your max heart rate will decline with age.

201bpm as a max or near max doesn't sound beyond the bounds of possiblity for someone youngish.

My max is 193. I generally don't feel like I'm working very hard until I hit 168 or so.

blorg

Tonto- how did you figure that one out, did you do a ramp up to collapse type test?

DirkVoodoo

220 minus your age is the "ballpark" estimate for MSHR, but if you can get some kind of fitness test go for it.

Polar HRMs also have that "Own Zone" programming where you can set your limits after some short exercises (jog for a bit, run for a bit, sprint for a bit kind of calibration).

I've never tried it so I can't vouch for the accuracy.

barrabus

I have hit 200 plus a couple of times pushing it hard.. so I wouldnt be surprised if your monitor is working fine.
On Stephen's day when I beat caught up with Verb on the way up Kipure I was over 200. On the SK at Mahon Falls, I was pissed off climbing and stood up to get the pain out of the way faster. I was plus 200 then also.

zzzzzzzz

Eoin D wrote: »

Felt grand, right as rain. Slightly frustrated at the wind but no more. Got a bit panicked when I saw the heart rate at some points though, I reckon I'll give it another go over the next couple of nights and I reckon it's pulling my leg then I won't wear the HRM out in future

I often get ridiculous readings from my HRM when it's windy and I'm wearing a light jersey. Caused by the jersey hitting off the chest sensor in the wind. Try putting your hand over where the sensor is to make sure that's not what's causing it...

Other than that it could be faulty if you're hitting 200 bpm when you're not putting much effort in...

cantalach

Ryaner wrote: »

My garmin one is accurate once I start cycling but not so much before hand, dropping readings and the likes

My Garmin does the same when it's cold and dry - dodgy (or zero) readings at the start but fine once I get going. For what it's worth, my theory is that it's related to a lack of electrical conductivity. Once a small bit of perspiration develops beneath the HR strap, the quality of the electrical contact is improved. This seems to be confirmed by the fact that the dodgy readings stop if I dampen the area of skin beneath the strap.

Diarmuid

cantalach wrote: »

My Garmin does the same when it's cold and dry - dodgy (or zero) readings at the start but fine once I get going. For what it's worth, my theory is that it's related to a lack of electrical conductivity. Once a small bit of perspiration develops beneath the HR strap, the quality of the electrical contact is improved. This seems to be confirmed by the fact that the dodgy readings stop if I dampen the area of skin beneath the strap.

That's the reason. Dry skin is a notoriously poor conductor

cantalach

Diarmuid wrote: »

That's the reason. Dry skin is a notoriously poor conductor

So my theory is right, that's gas. I knew the four years of electronic engineering would have to come in useful sometime!

hikeRbike

Were you cycling near power lines? I live in Howth, Co. Dublin and when I cycle on one particular road which is close to the Dart line my heart monitor goes mad! It can go to 248 bpm. My cycle computer is also badly affected on the same stretch of road.

Eoin D wrote: »

Unreliable?

Just went for a spin and got a max heart rate of 201bpm with an average of 174!

Was averaging around 25kpm/h as well so I wasn't exactly setting any speed records! Been a month since I've been on the pedaler but still, whopper heart rates if they're to be believed!

Quigs Snr

My max is 199 (has hit 201 on rare occasion).

I spent my first day in the canaries last year at an average 172 for 4hrs. I didn't think that was possible, but I was with one of the best cyclists in the country, just the two of us in the mountains, no hiding. That was day one, although my HR went high in the days after, some rides were 7hrs +, it never averaged that again even on shorter harder rides, in other words if you are fresh not on the bike etc.. you can get very high HR readings, give it a few weeks and it will go down I bet. Also the computers can get messed up under power lines etc... for a few minutes and badly skew your readings. I have seen this happen a lot with the cheaper ones but saw it on a very expensive Polar one with coded transmitter at the weekend.

Typically, I will ride around 158 on a hardish club ride for that. And around 177 for a 2 hr race.

coggs

yeah , would be close enough to that myself , max is 197 , lactate threshold is 178 ,but usually race at around 175, and club run at 155-160. So the high reading should not cause too much concern !