So I am 55 this year, Heart Monitor ??

[UKBROOKLYN]

Yep i am tipping over to 55 this august..is it time to keep an eye on the old ticker.. I was looking at heart monitor w/Iphone apps and bike mounts.. but now wondering if i should just bite the bullet and get the Garmin 500 bundle..

Right now I just have a wireless speed and distance thingy.. and when I get lost I have to pull out the iPhone. The more I research the Garmin 500 the more interesting it looks..

[CNY rider]

It's been about 5 years since I had cyclocomputer of any kind.
No heart rate monitor.
Cycling has never been so good.
Just get on the bike and go. If its an unfamiliar area I stuff a map in my pocket.

[Viper]

I vote for no HRM. If your heart is healthy from the good Doctor's perspective, good blood pressure and your bike is ready to roll, ride like you stole it. I do think it's cool sometimes to see the peak number of beats. I think most men would do better to invest in a home blood pressure machine, or a good dog. :)

Be well, fit and healthy.

[AngryScientist]

you're threads are too funny. the last one you started said pretty much : "i want an iPhone mount, dont dare tell me to get a garmin because i dont want it and i dont need it".

for the constructive answer: unless you are going to use heart rate to train with, dont bother. also, it sounds like you might think that the 500 will give you maps to help if you get lost, i'm pretty sure it doesnt do that, so that will negate that incentive.

[torquer]

I stopped using a heart monitor a few years age (around age 55, FWIW). It was useful when I was racing, I guess, and training for racing, but for JRA, even with other hammerheads, what's the point? Your body will tell you how much you're stressing your system just fine, no need to take your eyes off the road ahead to read numbers on a screen.

I've stopped using a computer for speed/distance on most of my rides just for that reason. If i ever want to get serious about training again, I'll get a power meter and study the numbers on the PC at my leisure.

[xodus]

I'm over 60 and gave up the HRM/computers years ago after I stopped racing. Now I find riding much more enjoyable. Instead of constantly looking/worrying about what the computers says, I now can concentrate on feeling the breeze in my face, smelling the honeysuckles and eating the gnats. If I get lost, (sometimes its fun) the sun is my indicator. :bike:

[dave thompson]

I stopped using a heart rate monitor when I was 65. Those numbers scared me.

A monitor will only tell you what your heart rate is. What you do with that info is up to you. If you're healthy, your heart rate will be higher than "allowed" as shown in the charts for someone your age.

[Fixed]

IMHO you may like to ditch the cycle computer too
Set you free kinda thing
Cheers :)

[palincss]

Yep i am tipping over to 55 this august..is it time to keep an eye on the old ticker..


Have no fear, if it stops you will know it right away without needing a monitor.

[I swear, kids these days.]

[UKBROOKLYN]

At least thanks for the accurate and constructive ones.

Angry Scientist. If you are going to use quotation marks use the actual quote. It's fine to comment and say my posts are funny.. But misrepresenting what I have written by putting quotation marks around the words you are attributing to me is frankly rude. Don't do it.

[Seramount]

HRM = useless for JRA

[nighthawk]

Angry Scientist. If you are going to use quotation marks use the actual quote. It's fine to comment and say my posts are funny.. But misrepresenting what I have written by putting quotation marks around the words you are attributing to me is frankly rude. Don't do it.

I'm not sure AS meant his post as harshly as you took it. It seemed a light-hearted attempt at pointing out that in one post you asked people NOT to sell you on a Garmin and then the opposite in this thread... No big deal, right?

I keep my iPhone in my jersey pocket (running STRAVA) and don't care about my heart rate, so can't offer any advice there.

[nighthawk]

Cheers to turning 55, btw. Many happy miles ahead!

[Louis]

If you're worried about your heart or health in general have a comprehensive check-up and a stress test. An HRM isn't a medical diagnostic tool.

[jlwdm]

I stopped using a heart rate monitor when I was 65. Those numbers scared me.

A monitor will only tell you what your heart rate is. What you do with that info is up to you. If you're healthy, your heart rate will be higher than "allowed" as shown in the charts for someone your age.

No need to have a heart rate monitor because of age. If you want the info to train that is a different story.

If you are healthy your heart rate will not necessarily be higher than the standard charts. Standard charts mean nothing and you can be in great shape and been higher or lower than the bell curve charts.

Jeff

[UKBROOKLYN]

And i got it.. Not particularly worried about my heart,, The purpose of the post was more to see what the feedback would be vis a vis people using them. Seems like the basic answer is .. either it's pumping or it aint.. and therefore not something to be that concerned about.

So I now am not !!

and will return to just looking for an occasional mount for the iPhone..

Re the "Quotation I have no problem with anyone making fun of me. I just want to be represented accurately. And putting quotation marks in suggests that that was the tone of my other post.. which it was not. If its an embellishment it should be clear and not put in quotes..

[gone]

Unless you're doing some serious work both a HRM and cadence computer are basically useless IMHO. After using an HRM for more than a few days you'll be able to say what your heart rate is within a few BMP but what good does that do you? If you want to do zone based training it might be useful but other than that it's pretty pointless. As has been said, it's not a diagnostic tool nor is it a general indicator of health.

[UKBROOKLYN]

I was sitting around having a coffee last week at the local roadie shop and there were these three guys discussing wattage.. And I have just remembered to see what they say on Velominati.com in The Rules

Rule #72 // Legs speak louder than words.
Unless you routinely demonstrate your riding superiority and the smoothness of your Stroke, refrain from discussing your power meter, heartrate, or any other riding data. Also see Rule 74.

Which I was apparently already doing...

Rule #74 // V Meters or small computers only.
Forgo the data and ride on feel; little compares to the pleasure of riding as hard as your mind will allow. If you are not a Pro or aspire to be one, then you don’t need a SRM or PowerTap. To paraphrase BSNYC, an amateur cyclist using a power meter is like hiring an accountant to tell you how poor you are. As for Garmins, how often do you get lost on a ride? They are bulky, ugly and superflous. Cycle computers should be simple, small and mounted on the stem. And preferably wireless.

Ah saved by the Paceline once again..

[Sandy]

My brother (twin) is a cardiologist/internist. Until very recently, I had not cycled for 4 plus years, with my exercise being walking my dog, which walks very slowly (until he sees a deer, at which time he tries to pull my arm off), and some yard work.

I told my brother I was starting to ride again and he thought I should get a thallium stress test. I had one in 2009, and the cardiologist said "it is perfect" (just like my cycling and amazing stellar looks). He also said I should not allow my heart rate to exceed 120, which is basically impossible if one rides with reasonable effort.

One might think that I am different (got that right) than the OP and others responding herein, as I am 71 and stopped cycling as stated above. However, my brother pointed out that one may be in remarkable cardio and muscular shape and might be able to perform athletically at a genuinely superior level, but still may have remarkable heart disease. He gave Jim Fixx (marathoner) who died at 52 from a heart attack, and Arthur Ashe (tennis player), who had severe heart disease while playing tennis, necessitating bypass surgery twice.

World class fitness is not mutually exclusive with extensive heart disease. I would think that as one ages, one should get a stress test to help determine the actual reality of the health of the person's heart.

To simply say that a cyclist should just ride and read their body just doesn't suffice...at least in my opinion, and certainly for older people.


Cat 238 or thereabouts,


Snail Slow Slug Serotta Sandy

[Sandy]

PS- I do use a simple heart rate monitor....Please don't let my brother know that after climbing a steep hill (for me), some cyclist passed me rather quickly after the hill. I decided to chase him, and caught him and passed him...however my heart rate was 151 (not gasping for air) which is more that the 220-71 formula that some use as an estimation.


Thump Thump Thump Thump,


Sandy

[UKBROOKLYN]

where does one get one and how much does it cost..

[gone]

World class fitness is not mutually exclusive with extensive heart disease. I would think that as one ages, one should get a stress test to help determine the actual reality of the health of the person's heart.

To simply say that a cyclist should just ride and read their body just doesn't suffice...at least in my opinion, and certainly for older people.


Absolutely agree with this. An exercise stress test is definitely worth doing, wearing a HRM isn't, at least as an indicator of cardiac stress.

I think most people are aware of the examples you cited. I also know two people, both very fit, who had heart attacks. One of them was a long time runner (2:42 for the marathon at age 43) and the other a very strong cyclist. Both had significant blockage of the coronary arteries.

The cyclist was told by his cardiologist "you can't ride away from your genes".

[zmudshark]

61 here, been using one for a couple of years on a Garmin 305/705. I like having it, especially on longer, fast paced rides. I know I can ride all day at a certain HR, too long at or above another, and I'm going to be cooked before too long.

I like the Garmin, because I find myself not really looking at it that much while riding, but can easily go back and look at data at a particular point of the ride later on RidewithGPS or Strava.

I quit using computers on my bike 20 years ago, and just recently went back with a Garmin. I really like having it.

[Sandy]

where does one get one and how much does it cost..

Do not know how much they cost (I have Medicare). But I would ask your general physician/internist/family doctor to recommend a cardiologist to see. Normally they do it on a treadmill, raising the hight and elevation in certain time intervals per a very specific protocol. They can be given on bicycles, but I believe they are difficult to find.

Sandy

[UKBROOKLYN]

Er I am one of the roughly 50 million people who can not afford health insurance. So I don't have a doctor to consult. Does anyone know of any clinics that offer the service for people on a budget..

[Viper]

Stress Test. Where does one get one and how much does it cost..

Yo eh, you. You live in ****ing Brooklyn man. They ****ing invented stress a few blocks from your ****ing doorstep and it's ****ing free.






:D:);):D

[UKBROOKLYN]

run along now...

[Johnny P]

A heart rate monitor is not necessary. However, if you have an annual physical have your doctor do an EKG to monitor the condition of your heart. That should be sufficient unless you experience changes in your cycling ability.

Enjoy the ride.

[palincss]

Not long ago, a close member of my family called to tell me that he wanted to have a cardiac stress test and “Did I think that it was a good thing to do?”

Without hesitation, I told him it was a bad idea for an exquisitely healthy 40-something year old man who can easily run five miles without any symptom. Here’s why. Cardiac stress testing is not for everyone, and may do more harm than good if inappropriately advised.


http://www.fyiliving.com/health/heart-health/who-should-get-a-cardiac-stress-test/

[Louis]

I think HRMs are useful and fun.

1) They prevent me from slacking off too much in the 2nd half of a solo ride, as I start to wear down and find it more difficult to push myself.

2) They allow me to track my avg rate of a given ride, and although lots of variables affect this, it's pretty clear that early in the season, after a winter of being a bum, my avg HR is pretty high, and as I slowly improve my conditioning it's clear that my avg HR drops even as my avg speed increases. It's nice to see quantifiable results.

3) Maybe I didn't push myself hard enough when I was younger, but as best I can tell, over the years my max HR really hasn't dropped. Given the "rule of thumb" (which of course, is only that) of 220 - age, one would expect a ballpark change of -1 bpm / year, but that doesn't seem to be happening. I kind of like that - it helps me feel better about myself.

[CaptStash]

Yo eh, you. You live in ****ing Brooklyn man. They ****ing invented stress a few blocks from your ****ing doorstep and it's ****ing free.






:D:);):D


run along now...

I thought it was pretty dang funny.

I think I'd better stop there.

CaptStash....

[onekgguy]

I turn 55 this August as well. I keep track of my heart rate not so much for what it is on any particular day but so that I can look back over the years and see how it changes. There's no obsession here...just a curiosity and it's easy enough to track.

Kevin g

[gasman]

Er I am one of the roughly 50 million people who can not afford health insurance. So I don't have a doctor to consult. Does anyone know of any clinics that offer the service for people on a budget..

Like a previous poster said-it can cause more harm (by having more tests ) than good. By in large though it's a safe test, I've seen hundreds done (I'm an anesthesiologist) without a problem. But, it's expensive and I seriously doubt you would have a positive test , meaning you have heart disease, unless you have very strong family history and other risks (elevated cholesterol, high BP). Like Viper said you would be better served getting a home blood pressure monitor. Reliable, accurate monitors can be found for less than $100. I have one and am turning 58 soon. I do have a heart rate monitor that I wear racing-I bought it on sale and just for fun to see how high my heart rate does get-but only during a race. I have never wanted to use one JRA with friends.

BTW- Jim Fixx was having symptoms before his fatal heart attack-he chose to ignore the symptoms.

[fuzzalow]

If you are interested in tracking your heart rate during your rides, simply because you want to be conscientious of that component of your fitness, then you should go for it.

The info the Garmin gives you will assume no greater or lesser import than what you choose to assign to it. Claims that the Garmin would be a shackle to the free spirit of your ride are indicative less of the HRM and more reflective of OCD.

[UKBROOKLYN]

I have problems with a couple of disks in my neck which lead to nerve tingling in my left arm down into my 3rd and 4th fingers and the nerve that wraps around my chest.
Can be very worrying but have had EKG's in the past which showed nothing also low cholesterol. A couple of weeks ago I was going up a really steep hill and a car came by. I looked around and wrenched my neck and shoulder and apparently pulled one of those little muscles in my chest.. right on top of my sternum.. I know it was a muscle pull because I made it to the top of the hill without dying.

OK... I am somewhat hypochondrial.. People laugh at those who have this ailment "Aw your just a hypochondriac.." But it's actually a pretty debilitating syndrome.

I guess having a monitor might even make me worse..

[oldpotatoe]

I'm over 60 and gave up the HRM/computers years ago after I stopped racing. Now I find riding much more enjoyable. Instead of constantly looking/worrying about what the computers says, I now can concentrate on feeling the breeze in my face, smelling the honeysuckles and eating the gnats. If I get lost, (sometimes its fun) the sun is my indicator. :bike:

Never had a HRM, threw the 'computer' away about 20 years ago. I have a watch, all I need. Makes riding more pleasurable, not trying to always describe the ride as 'training' or some such stuff. Just a ride. I'm .61 of a century.

Like Frankwurst said..I wouldn't want to see it go to zero.

[Frankwurst]

Never had a HRM, threw the 'computer' away about 20 years ago. I have a watch, all I need. Makes riding more pleasurable, not trying to always describe the ride as 'training' or some such stuff. Just a ride. I'm .61 of a century.

I did the same thing. I figure if my heart is beating, that's good enough for me.:beer:

[AgilisMerlin]

it's easy for me to blame everything on my

http://www.whokilledbambi.co.uk/public/2010/09/becb_plush_beating_heart_anim.gif