I recently bought a Powertap Comp. The Comp system does not include the chest strap to monitor HR. Was considering buying one. The question I have, however, is what additional feedback does the HR monitor give (aside from the very obvious)? In other words, what does HR add to the “performance/training picture” and is it valuable to compare HR with power output?
Many people stop using their HR monitor once they have power, so perhaps you may not eventually need a strap, but here are the benefits that I can think of:
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If you are new to power, but familiar with HR training it may help in the transition to just become familiar with what general power output you get and the various intensities that you are familiar with using HR.
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If you have HR while doing testing for threshold testing then you can ha HR as a backup tool for pacing at a race if your power meter is not available or for some reason you want to use a wheel other than your Powertap.
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Abnormally high or low HR with a given power output could be a sign of poor recovery, oncoming sickness, poor adaptation to climate or elevation, etc.
4.) Joe Friel suggest using a test that measures HR drift while sustaining a power output over an extended ride. Minimizing HR drift to a particular percentage is supposed to signal that one’s endurance has adapted to that distance. For more details check out his blog.
4.) Joe Friel suggest using a test that measures HR drift while sustaining a power output over an extended ride. Minimizing HR drift to a particular percentage is supposed to signal that one’s endurance has adapted to that distance. For more details check out his blog.
thats probably the main reason I can think of using HR, besides it gives you another data point to look at if your into that type of thing
Elevated HR for a known wattage can be an early sign of dehydration.