Heart rate on recumbent bike

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bidwhist
bidwhist Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been using a recumbent bike for a few days now. I have noticed that my heart rate doesn't get above 110 on a resistance of 10, 16 mph unless I do intervals.

I know exercise is exercise, but does anyone else have similar problems?

Replies

  • Chuckw40
    Chuckw40 Posts: 201
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    Personally I have no problem getting my heart rate up to about 140+ on level 2 going about 18-19mph. But since I am using a cheap model i bought at Sears those nubers could be wrong. I do know that the more you do an exercise the more your body adapts and that will lower your heart rate.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    I was never able to get my HR above 110 when I did the recumbent bike.
  • russellma
    russellma Posts: 284 Member
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    I have a very old stationary bike (not recumbent) and the only way I've found to get the heart rate into zone and keep it there is to pedal faster.

    Otherwise, it does tend to stay lower, even with heavy resistance. I'm not sure why, as my legs sure are telling me that I'm working hard!
  • Nic620
    Nic620 Posts: 553 Member
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    I bought one that I received last week and I've used it only once so far. My heart rate didn't go very high and I only burned 93 calories for 30 mintues. I switched resistance from 6-8.
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
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    I can only get my heart rate up on an exercise bike if:

    * I am doing a bunch or cardio on other machines and I am already warmed up. 120-150 HR (most of the time I am in the 140s)
    * I spend 20 minutes warming up on it and most of the time its only like 120-130s

    I have days where no matter what I do I cant get my heart rate to stay up. I think the body just behaves that way sometimes.
  • cabaray
    cabaray Posts: 971 Member
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    My heart rate has gone up to 160 on my recumbent. With that said, I weigh 295 and ride over 18 mph.
  • delipidation
    delipidation Posts: 34 Member
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    I ride an actual recumbent bike (not an indoor trainer) and have gotten my heart rate up to 185 on a steep hill. For more normal riding purposes, I have my heart-rate meter set to beep below 119 (50% effort, Karvonen calculation) and above 158 (80% effort). It usually takes me a half-mile or so to get above the lower threshold, after which I don't drop below it unless I'm coasting down a long hill or waiting at a long traffic light.

    By the way, be careful with resistance levels or gears, whichever is applicable: you want to spin, not grind. 90 RPM is a good place to start; feel free to go up from there, but try not to go far below it, because unlike an upright bike you're pushing against the back of the seat. All that power is being delivered through your knees, and most of us can leg-lift more than our body weight, so it's not difficult to end up with some really sore knees at the end of a ride. Be nice to those critical joints by gearing down and spinning faster, and they'll thank you for it!

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