heart rate monitor decrease preformance in race.

[StokedAboutSpokes]

Would it? i mean from the tightness of the strap being around your chest...

[Sean Badenhorst]

Train with it, race without it. Training is a science, racing is an art...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[turtlek]

CC the only way that it would decrease performance is if you are constantly looking at the HRM and by doing that it would slow you down because you think you are riding too hard...

 

 

 

about it being tight well if you cant breath then you have a problem

[nikki]

CC, no it will not hinder your peformance. You really dont need to have the strap that tight around your chest

[fandacious]

i find that wearing a HRM in a race is pointless.

 

Its all very nice being able to download the data afterwards for analysis, but it is a huge psychological mind block if you monitor it while racing.

 

If an attack goes up a climb you have to follow it. Now if you are wearing a hrm you might look down and decide "oh wait i'm already @ 95%, i'm not going to go because im suffering enough".

 

if you werent wearing the HRM you might already be @ 98% but not know it.

 

my advice - wear the hrm, but hide it in your back pocket or something

[Bos]

I agree. Not that I really ever listened to mine, but It is the last thing you need when you already Know How hard youre going... a confirmation that you are in fact at 97%...

 

I also use mine for the data I get back afterwards more than anything..

I know how long I lasted or where I started getting tired by the drop in HR..nice to be able to Judge, so you know how far you still are from the top guys

 

As for chest tightness? never man, How toit is yours?

[Flowta]

 

Train with it' date=' race without it. Training is a science, racing is an art...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Building on this...

 

"Train with a heart rate monitor, race without it. Else you're never gonna race your heart out." (I forget who said that)

 

[skaduwee]

I dont even use a cycle computer. I dont want to know the distance, speed or avg during a race. For me its all a mind thing. Your HR monitor says Go but your legs says No.. and you end up getting dropped on the next climb. I ride how i feel. The only thing i'd use a HR is just to keep your heart out of danger zone.

[Spinnekop]

i find that wearing a HRM in a race is pointless.

 

Its all very nice being able to download the data afterwards for analysis' date=' but it is a huge psychological mind block if you monitor it while racing.

 

If an attack goes up a climb you have to follow it. Now if you are wearing a hrm you might look down and decide "oh wait i'm already @ 95%, i'm not going to go because im suffering enough".

[/quote']

 

 

Or you could go............"I am at 95%......maybe I can push it up to 105% and I would have a new max heart rate....."

 

[Canaris]

a HR monitor is a tool, just like a bike computer, a power meter ext.  Performance of the tool is dependent on how you chose to you the tool.  However, psychologically, there is a school of thought that says that in a race situation, an athlete may use the HR monitor to justify why he chose not to suffer, and thereby win.  But for the majority of the rank and file, the stakes are not so high, and winning is only for the one guy up the road, a HR monitor can help for enabling pacing and getting " a better time".