Are heart rate monitors any good?
- Thread starter Raging Squirrel
- Start date
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Pedrosanchezo
Veteran
- Location
- Perthshire, scotland
Not talking about commuting here. I could think of a few reasons off the top of my head regarding pleasure riding though.
To make it more fun why not give an answer in emoticons.
Most be people are
in the morning and would rather read the morning 
.Early mornings require extra motivation, not to mention mornings are f*cking
If riding before
you will be seriously lacking energy. So to summarise, people who
in the mornings before work (not commuting) are 
(read tougher) than kevlar. Ask Chuck Norris, he won't go near them. True story.
I take it you are not a morning person, as everything you have listed is the opposite of this household. I like nothing better than being out on the roads before most people wake up, and the feeling of achievement of a job done lasts with me all day. Of course there is always the opportunity to fit two rides into one day, or less of a chance of missing a ride due to unforeseen commitments that arise later in the day.
Some people can do mornings some cannot, I fully accept that.
Some people can do mornings some cannot, I fully accept that.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
No matter what 'zone' you 'train' in for what duration, if, over time, your calorific intake is greater than your calorific burn rate you won't lose weight.
amaferanga
Veteran
- Location
- Bolton
I'm another who enjoys early mornings. There are numerous reasons for that, but getting out before all the motons take to the roads is a real bonus.
actualy if its for your turbo trainer , forget the heart rate monitor, get an mp3 player - ZZtop and - BURN.
I set a fan up to stop me melting - it does help and if your tough put it in front so your cycling into a headwind all the time.
I hate exercise in the morning , 6.15 - 3mile run I hated it, and I was useless (well my mates said I was useless all the time)
But it is definately harder. - in my younger days I liked early morning cycle rides.
as for loosing weight, if you burn 400calories on your bike, you can eat 400calories for fre
but its true - exercise all you like , you have to eat sensibly all the time to loose weight.
I set a fan up to stop me melting - it does help and if your tough put it in front so your cycling into a headwind all the time.
I hate exercise in the morning , 6.15 - 3mile run I hated it, and I was useless (well my mates said I was useless all the time)
But it is definately harder. - in my younger days I liked early morning cycle rides.
as for loosing weight, if you burn 400calories on your bike, you can eat 400calories for fre
but its true - exercise all you like , you have to eat sensibly all the time to loose weight.
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
A HRM comes into it's own when working on the turbo trainer! Headwind.............. LOL - Are you serious?
400bhp
Guru
It's an interesting thread this and most of you talk a lot of common sense.
In a nutshell, that's what it's about really.
From experience, a HRM is another broad gauge for me to see how hard I am working. I find interesting when my body is telling me one thing and my heart rate tells me another (that's for another thread).
Like with most things to do with your body, fitness and exercise, using one measure is too simplistic.
In a nutshell, that's what it's about really.
From experience, a HRM is another broad gauge for me to see how hard I am working. I find interesting when my body is telling me one thing and my heart rate tells me another (that's for another thread).
Like with most things to do with your body, fitness and exercise, using one measure is too simplistic.
black'n'yellow
Guest
I don't use an HRM for weight loss - I use it to tell me how fast my heart is beating and for gauging what % of my max I am riding at. It's not much use for anything else...and the calorie estimates on HRMs are completely useless anyway...
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
I am the same. Tells me roughly how hard I am pushing myself. I wouldn't try to read too much else into it. Apart from if it stopped I am either dead or it needs a new battery.
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
your turbo trainer ussually has a cycling computer on it giving you calorie data ectra.
the heart rate monitor is a good safety device to stop you over exercising.
I admit I set the fan up behind me as I must go faster with a tailwind
No they don't!
amaferanga
Veteran
- Location
- Bolton
Eh? Calorie estimates based on HR data are little better than a wild guess.
Ok, how do you calculate the burn more accurately?
I’ve seen/used MET table values and they come pretty close to what my HRM says. I’ve used online calculators and they too are within 100 to 150 Calories. What other way do you suggest?
I thought the equivalent of a cycling computer was fairly standard on all indoor cycling trainers,
didn,t realise some didn,t have them.
how accurate they are who knows? I rely on mine to give a figure to work too for calories burned - its probably set on - not to depressing -mode.
didn,t realise some didn,t have them.
how accurate they are who knows? I rely on mine to give a figure to work too for calories burned - its probably set on - not to depressing -mode.
