Hi All,
I started riding again a few months ago after a decades long break. I’ve done a few ramp tests using the Systm platform on a smart trainer, and finally did one after getting a HR monitor. Systm calls the test the ‘Half Monty’.
That test estimates your cTHR (cycling Threshold Heart Rate) based on your heart rate during the ramp test, and of course it estimates your FTP.
The ramp test determined my cTHR is 165bpm (I’m 50 y/o). Systm says my Zone 2 HR is 70-87% of the cTHR, or 116-144 bpm.
My FTP is 218w. (For those not familiar with that particular FTP test, following the ramp test there is a 20 min ‘constrained’ effort where you must keep your heart rate in a certain range, which has been determined based on what your HR during the ramp portion. Your FTP is calculated based on both the ramp portion and how much power you produced in the 20 minutes while keeping your HR in the given range.)
Due to some changes with goals and training philosophy, I’m going to move to a more 80/20 style of training.
So, to stay in Zone 2 (and maybe be biased toward the upper range of Zone 2, is it better to use HR or the power meter?
Followup question: I swim, run, use the stairmaster, etc based on travel schedule and where I can squeeze in a session. For example, work gym has the treadmills and stairmaster. I faintly recall that LTHR can be different across different modalities. Should I need to do another test to find my Zone 2 running heart rate?
Many thanks.