Hello guys,
I did a ramp test today (not the first one) and I have the following bump in my HR at the end of the test:
From 171 to 181 in 10 seconds, lasting for around 30 sec.
My question is the following: should I consider it as a new HR max (previous one was at 173) or just as some wrong inputs?
If the data are correct, what could explain the quick surge in HR?
Current device: Polar H10 (strap)
Thanks!
Whilst its not a new maximum HR but you’re realising your true maximum HR (if that makes sense), the polar H10 is considered to be one of the most accurate HRM’s and in my opinion you should correct it to the 181bpm. Its always good IMO when you feel you are close to the edge, to look down at the garmin and see you still have more, its a good motivator for me 
To my eyes it looks like a graphing issue with intervals. Look closely at HR and not the graph you highlighted. Yes there is an odd bump in HR, as if your h10 momentarily stopped tracking and then caught up. Or a radio interference issue.
If I could give a bit of insight about it:
HR stays around 170-172 for 40 seconds.
The bump occurs in 6 seconds. So it’s “just” about +2bpm each seconds.
The max HR is around 181 and lasts for 30 seconds.
My max recorded HR was around 171-172 for the last year. So I was pretty confident it was my mx HR.
So this is the origin of my surprise: a new maximal value recorded + a surprising bump in a never recorded zone, even in older ramp tests.
I think your HR stopped reading or stopped being transmitted (maybe the receiver was the problem not the transmitter) for a few seconds…then when the transmission re-synced it looks like a blip up on the graph. So probably the bad data is the point in the graph where HR seems to plateau just before the blip up. That’s the most likely explanation.
But here is the bottom line: your intuition is telling you the data is bad. Your intuition is correct! There’s no way to know for sure whether the blip up is bad or whether the plateau is bad. Don’t trust either one.
Also, change the battery in your H10 strap & clean the contacts.
Quite likely.
I wouldn’t call that reliable data.
Clean the contacts, put in a fresh battery.
I don’t count jumps like these at the end of a workout a new max heart rate. It’s basically the heart at full stress starting to freak out and then you shut down (even if mentally you want to go more). I ask my doctor if this was dangerous. He asked if I had heart pains afterwards other than normal hitting the point where it hurts right before you fail, if no, then no it’s not dangerous.
OP here, update about the topic:
I did a new Ramp Test today. Result:
What can we tell about it?
No more bump. Max HR: 181. What did I change? I cleaned the contacts with soap + water on my Polar H10. Yesterday max HR was correct.
Legs gave first, while yesterday it was my breathing. Slightly higher FTP (276 vs 269). So it was probably a bad day.
Ramp Test vs AI detection: I’m not sure if the result is real or if it’s forced by Trainer Road but the Ramp Test gives me the EXACT same FTP than the Ai detection done 9 days ago (during recovery week), despite having done my last ramp test 2 months ago:
Conclusion: cleaning the contacts of the HR monitor fixed the problem and the AI FTP Detection does a pretty good job unless the ramp test calculation is rigged by TR.
or it was radio interference which is completely unpredictable.
IME when the polar H10 is needing clean it reads low all the time until it gets a good connection (like your 30s) then it reads right. Whereas interference etc would only been a couple of seconds boost at the most. 
