big john

It doesn't mean there is a problem, the rule is just a general guide, everyone is different and some are way different. Back when I was 35-36 and in my best shape my heart would max at 150-155 and I could do long climbs at 135. My resting rate was around 40. You can use the HRM as a tool to help learn your body and not worry about charts or other peoples' rates. Do you feel good? Have you ever been checked by a doctor?

thad

30, so mine should be 190ish based on the first formula. I've seen 187 on my HRM, but often I'm not looking at that when I'm working hardest. I can sustain 180-185 for several minutes on a spin bike, so I'm guessing 190 is pretty close for me. I'm not in great shape, but not horrible either. 5'9" 175, fairly muscular. On rides I'm often going in the 170's for extended periods. Hopefully that will come down with more time on the bike. My resting seems to be in the mid to low 50's.

BikeInMN

I'm 36 and my max HR is well above the formula MHR of 184. In fact, my 40k ITT HR is 178 and I've done a number of point to point MTB races where I've sustained 175+ for 2-3 hours.
The highest HR I've seen on the bike was 196 at the end of a brutal criterium during a sprint.

SpongeDad

I'm 42 - theoretical is 178, but I hit 182 on a trainer. I occasionally hit low 170s on hills but then usually back off since I'd like to make it home alive.

zorana

Thanks, Big John! I feel very good, and my question was just theoretical. I would like to learn how to use the HRM, that's more or less all. I run aswell, and when I'm running slower then 10 km/h, my heart rate doesn't go over 100, which is funny, isn't it? Thanks again!

Zo

SDRider

I'm 38 and the max I've hit is 170bpm while sprinting up a fairly short but steep hill. I think I could have gone a little harder though (I didn't feel like I was going to throw up). I regularly hit 160bpm on my rides with no trouble.

jhglaw

I am 56. My theoretical max is 220-56=164. I can sustain 176 for a few minutes at the top of a long 8% grade or 165 for the last half of the 3/4 mile grade. Either way, I can keep riding the flat stetch at the top, although slowly, and recover to a 125 pace in a few minutes. I have been riding hard for 2 years after 30 years of slight exercise.

oboeguy

I've been near my theoretical max of 189 I think since turning 31. I don't really pay special attention to it because I know it's close.

willieb

Formula = 188
Real = 200

merlinextraligh

I'm 46 (so I'll answer for last year when i was 45) Theoretical max would be 175. My observed maximum 196, which may be somewhat anomalous, but I routinely hit high 180's to 190, on all out efforts. Formulas just aren't very useful. If you want to know your training heart rates, go out and do a field test or better yet get it measured in a lab.

JackK

I'm 47. Ma max (from the last year was 185-187). I could TT at 170 (+/-1) for 60min. No problem at all hit high 170 or even 180.

clausen

I'm 30 and I've hit 194. The best formula I've seen is.
210 - (age/2).

Warblade

I'm 16 so my theoretical HR would be 204. My actual MAX HR is 216. I can sustain that for about a minute or so. I can sustain 170-180 all day long.

JBar

I'm out of the age range at 51, but I've hit 209-211 a few times by riding "to failure" on a climb. I can sustain in the 180s for several minutes on climbs, but try to stay in the 160's. My resting heart rate is 48-52 and I'm not a monster on the bike or extremely fit by any stretch, but I do ride a lot of miles.

Alphonso

45 years old. I recently had a stress and cardio test. There are 2 maximum heart rates. Assuming a 45 year old is in ave physical health the low max heart rate is 155 with the red zone maximum rate 177 after which heart attack is possible.
Since most cyclist are in better than ave shape, 180 - 200 bpm is normal, but only for short intervals.
At 175 bpm I could carry on a normal conversation with the dr without any problem. I do not wear a hr monitor while riding, nor did the dr suggest a monitor, since I don't normally push myself that hard.

MacMan

Age 38. Highest I've seen is 192 last year going up a climb in a race and I wasn't feeling exactly with it when I got to the top. On the trainer one time I felt a spapsm in my chest and saw my HR spike up to 235 which rather freaked me out. Only lasted for a couple of seconds though.

Tequila Joe

I'm 40 and I hit 192 once just as I rode by a power substation on top of a hill.
It gave me a good scare when the HR monitor went to 0.

T.J.

Fat Boy Biker

I'm 44 and I hit 193. I usually average between 150 and 165 on my rides. I usually max out on my ride at about 175 to 180. But on a spin cycle indoors, I can easily get my HR up to 190. I have to kill myself to get the 193.

Steve
-it's all about the numbers baby.

Paniolo

I'm 48 and have seen 186 on a bike. Going over 180 isn't uncommon, but I don't stay there long

flipped4bikes

On my first winter commute yesterday, I hit 180+. I'm 42 and overweight by 10-12 lbs. When I did MTB races in my mid-30's, I could easily hit 185-190 and stay there all race. Needless to say, I would bonk and finish bottom 5...

GuitarWizard

I'm 31, and keep my HR monitor to read %, not a number.....I will routinely hit 93% in intervals.

botto 

just turned 38. in the last few seasons i've seen my HR in the high 180s and low/mid 190 for chunks of times during races. i stopped wearing the HRM during races because it was distracting me.

while it's winter, and i'm not in top shape, i was ona ride the other day witha friend who's 41. he doesn't ride as much as i do, but we had some wierd HR interference going on. while i was at 115-125 he was at 170-190. he must have a pretty high HR in general. freaked me out when i saw 170 and wasn't working at all, before i realized i was picking up his

SoDakker

Zorana,

Without more information, it is difficult to assess how your physiology is handling the effort. My guess is that you may be hovering around your lactate threshold, which is a different max HR of sorts as well as a different conversation for a different thread.

geraldatwork

I'm 57 so my maximum heart rate should be 163 (220-57). But I maintain a rate of 160-175 for my 3-4 hour rides sometimes getting up to 190. So much for standards that don't pertain to anyone in particular but everyone in general.

DocRay

Be careful of physiology formulas, they are usually designed around average values. They are a big ballpark figure.

check out BMI formulas, at 6'3" they say that 145 lbs is still normal.