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Heart rates - bike vs run

Hi all,



Was wondering if anyone could offer some insight / advice:



I've been training with a heart rate monitor for about 3 months now, and am finding that my HR running is significantly higher than cycling.



Running fairly easy (about 8 min mile, can still chat) my HR is about 150 - 155 which for me (on the Karvonen method, using % of working heart rate added to resting heart rate) is about 70%.

To get my HR up to this on the bike i really have to be pushing it, to the point that there's no way i can talk, my legs feel like they're on fire and no way i can sustain it for long periods.

With a similar level of perceived effort as running at 150 bpm i get to about 130 bpm on the bike (and have never reached anything near 80 - 85% of max on the bike which i can do running pretty easily)



I know there's meant to be a difference but the research i've done suggests it ought to be at lot lower - about 5%?!?



I only took up triathlon a year and a half ago, and previously had done a lot of running but hadn't ridden a bike since i was about 12. Is there a difference between 'bike fitness' and 'running fitness' that i need to catch up on, or should i just be working harder on the bike?!?!



Any advice gratefully received (even if it's just to shut up and get on with the bike!!)

Comments

  • scott298scott298 Posts: 122
    hi,



    like you said there is ment to be a difference between run and bike HR.

    my max HR for run is 190 but my max for bike is 180!

    I had VO2 test done a couple weeks ago and for my long run I must stay between 127-138 bpm

    but for my long ride I must stay between 120-131bpm!

    so it is normal for there to be a difference because runing has more strain on your body than cycling.

    hope this helps!!

    so now shut up and get on with your bike[;)] only joking [:D]

  • I've had the same experience and wondered the same thing. My HR running (treadmill) is typically 170 running and I can carry a bit of conversation. On the bike, I max in the high 170s (top of Hatch Hill) and can only sustain 160-165. I also have much more background in running than cycling, but I didn't know if that was the difference.
  • rob4rob4 Posts: 13
    Don Fink's Ironfit book gives two different sets of figures for each zone, one set for biking and one for running. The running one is about five bpm higher I think.
  • Lisa Sabin has an interesting article on this. The thing with going on your resting HR is notoriously inaccurate, so getting tested to HRmax is the way to go.
  • CalimaCalima Posts: 35
    HR , if you know what your (running) rates are against your percentage effort i.e 90% = 170, biking rates are always 10 beats less (across the board) ie. 90% = 160, & swimming is 10 beats less than this ie.90% =150. You should be able to work out all your rates from 60% upwards, & you will find it works well.
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