[Ultra Magnus]

I bought a heart rate cycle-computer about a year ago and am absolutely attached to it. When I first started using it, it was less than 6 months since I started riding. Back then on the loop I still regularly ride today, my avg HR was in the neighborhood of 160-170, and I'd peak around 190ish up climbs. My average speed for my loop was damn slow though, only around 4.5mph. A lot of short steep anaerobic climbs, and I'd be winded pretty bad at the top and would have to stop to catch my breath before continuing. Now, I ride the same loop around 6+mph (only stopping if I can't clean a technical section, and there's only one left that I've never cleaned, yet!), with an avg hr of usually 155, maybe 158 on a harder ride. My hr almost never gets above 180, 175 usually being the max. On a good note, I can actually recover while still climbing by spinning in a low gear on less steep climbs.

Now, my question is, am I riding hard enough? Should I push my HR closer to my max regularly? When my HR aproaches 180, I start getting pretty winded.

 

[Trail Punk]

Get a roady

If you want to get more fit, get a road bike and do four days a week on it at 60-80% of your max heart rate (1-6 hours per workout). You also need hard efforts at 85-95% max heart rate, and it looks like you're getting that on your moutain bike during the climbs. Some easy to moderate road work will raise your fitness a lot. With proper nutrition, you'll be super fit and feel strong at the top of the sustained climbs (like, one hour non-stop).

 

[Ultra Magnus]

I've recently started going on road rides on my mtb (about once a week, 18-19 miles), for now, until I can get a road bike. And I have felt a pretty good improvement in my riding since then. thanks..

Should I be pushing my max hr on any kind of regular basis though (190+)? I've got a friend who's super fit, been riding his whole life, (when we're riding togther and my hr is like 150, his is like 110), goes on rides he comes back sometimes kind of showing off, and he's pegged his hr at like 194-196 durng hard rides.

 

[Trail Punk]

Do max HR only after a solid base

I've recently started going on road rides on my mtb (about once a week, 18-19 miles), for now, until I can get a road bike. And I have felt a pretty good improvement in my riding since then. thanks..

Should I be pushing my max hr on any kind of regular basis though (190+)? I've got a friend who's super fit, been riding his whole life, (when we're riding togther and my hr is like 150, his is like 110), goes on rides he comes back sometimes kind of showing off, and he's pegged his hr at like 194-196 durng hard rides.

Probably not much point to doing maxHR intervals (90-100%) until a solid foundation is down...months of 1-6 hr rides at 60-80%. Then, do maxHR intervals once a week, or twice a week if you're very fit. But, maxHR intervals are not necessary for high fitness. You can do LT/AT intervals (85-90%) twice a week for the nearly the same benefit, but better recovery for your next session.

 

[Ultra Magnus]

Thanks.. You've completely answered my question, and then some...