# Different HR on MTB or roadbike?



## Maskedman (Sep 9, 2007)

Hello all,

I've been riding a mountainbike for over 10 years now, in the last couple of years I've been using a HR-monitor to monitor my progress and improve fitness.

Last summer I bought a Pinarello Paris to do some roadbiking. But when I ride, what I find to believe, is an easy pace my HR seems to be pushing 80-85% without me trying very hard? When I ride my MTB, it's much harder to get up to around 80% of my MAXHR, I really have to pedal harder.

Could it be that I have to adjust to the new way of riding, I mean the riding position - or is it something completely different?

Thomas


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## PMC (Jan 29, 2004)

It’s kind of an apple to oranges comparison between the two. On a lot of MTB trails I've ridden you just can't keep your HR that high as the average speeds due to technical sections can be quite low. On a road bike usually the efforts will be more steady and sustained so that would be why you're seeing an increase in HR. Less recovery time and less time not pedaling would be my guess if both bikes fit you well although only a guess.


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## phoehn9111 (May 11, 2005)

During certain uphill\technical\long stretches
on a MTB I have reached HR levels above my usual max 
for even hill intervals on a road bike.


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## Maskedman (Sep 9, 2007)

Thanks for the replies guys.

I failed to mention that when I'm riding my MTB, it's usually on very flat tracks. Nothing technical at all.

Maybe I just need to adjust to riding a roadbike?

Thomas


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## TLud (Mar 19, 2008)

Maskedman said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> I failed to mention that when I'm riding my MTB, it's usually on very flat tracks. Nothing technical at all.
> 
> ...


I personally have found the opposite to be true, so I think it all really depends on what kind of riding you do on and off road. 

I've been mtb'ing for about 10 years and racing for the last 2. I've found that in a race, I really have to pay attention to my hr monitor to pace myself until the end. Otherwise, my hr will be way too high, and I'll burn out early. Even when I'm riding on my own for fun, my heart rate will go over my max on technical sections or tough climbs. On long flat sections, my hr will naturally depend on how much I push myself, but is usually somewhere between 70% and 85%.

I too just started road biking. I ride in and around Houston, and it's pretty much flat as a board around here, so my hr is much more constant (between 80% and 85%). Interestingly, I've found that the relatively constant pace of roadbiking allows me to maintain a higher hr comfortably for much longer.

Long story short, it all depends on where and how you do each type of riding.


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## FLbiker (May 21, 2005)

*Hr*

I also found the opposite to be true. While on the MTB I could hit and sustain a higher HR than on the road bike. I always assumed it was because I had more muscle groups involved when using my upper body to help handle the MTB. I could do a 90 minute MTB race and have my HR average right about 170 bpm. But while sitting still on a road bike and just pedaling, I could never get that high for an extended period of time.


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## phoehn9111 (May 11, 2005)

"I really have to pay attention to my hr monitor to pace myself until the end. Otherwise, my hr will be way too high, and I'll burn out early."
Oh yeah, every time and I repeatedly chide myself for immature behavior.

I guess I should qualify my statement. Most of the time, road riding tends to a higher average HR, but there are certain rooty, rocky, windy, very long off road sections that
force me to get off the bike at the top to avoid falling over.


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