base training

Heart rate is an individual matter. Between 70-85 % of your maximum heart rate is a good start point. There are several different heart rate models based on max heart rate. You can also do tests that determine heart rate zones based on lactate levels or power output.

Find your max heart rate by climbing a 2-4 mile hill and gradually increasing the speed till you are sprinting the last quarter mile. What is on your heart rate monitor at the end is your max heart rate. This can also be done on a windtrainer increasing your effort over 4-5 three to five minute blocks and sprinting at the end when you are starting to fatigue.

More accurate than 220 - age X .70 - .85.

Good luck

Hamish Ferguson

i kno heart rate is a personal matter. i was wondering what everyone's level is.

I do recovery (base) rides at ~120bpm, which I think is about 75% of MHR. I've never actually observed a HR >152 because I haven't done a test to exhaustion. But, I think it would be around 160. Anyway, now that I have a PM, I don't pay much attention to HR except that as I become more fit my average power increases at a given HR.

frenchcycling said:

what are your heart rates while doing base training? (mine is 147-152 about 75-80% of my max)

For true endurance rides, I like to stay under 75% as much as possible. Will go to 80% only for hills. To me, the 75-80% range is for aerobic training, not long endurance rides. FYI, my max on the road is 184...but I'm old now.

In the LA Performance Plan book, Lance mentions he does his long endurance rides of 4-6 hours within a tight zone of 60-62% of his (201) max HR. I'd guess that low intensity range is where he spent the majority of time during the TdF.

My max heart rate is about 187 or so - that's doing the 220-age thing. I would like to have a true VO2 Max test to determine the actual figure but:

My riding during the week consists of to and from work, 8.5 miles each way. I try to vary it up among all three zones day to day. So one day I could I could try to do the ride in under 25 minutes (front door-to-bike rack) and will get it up to >160 (86%-90% - Zone 3) and other days I'll keep it light and under 150 (<80%). This usually takes me about 29-30 minutes.

During the weekend I take at least one 30-50 mile ride and keep it around 65%-75% (Zone 1) and then for occasional 5 minute spikes will get up to 85% or 90%, depending on how I feel.