The PPG on my Garmin Fenix can handle high heart rates while in motion, but only if it wants to: It works if start a "cardio" activity, but a mere "hike" won't do... I'm guessing they are trying to conserve power?
I also have a Scosche Rhythm 24 armband, which is able to capture RR intervals (as long as you hold still). This works better for me for taking no-sweat morning readings than a Polar chest strap, don't need to resort to electrode gel 😬
The free bicycling app I use (Map my Walk) doesn't use heart rate or weight as parameters, just distance and elevation gain. It also can't compensate for wind speed. I question the idea of focusing on heart rate because a heavier person riding up a hill at a particular heart rate will use dramatically more energy than a lighter person. The weight of the bike also matters. Maybe what you use does allow a weight input.
My longest ride last year was on June 1 with 129.4 miles in 13:08 for an average speed of 9.8 mph. The app recorded 2168 feet of elevation gain and assigned a calorie expenditure of 3600 kcal. Despite the lack of weight and HR parameters, my sense is that the calories are pretty close to the true value, but if I weighed 250 pounds, I think it would be way off.
That day, I talked to a Boeing engineer at lunch who had passed me slightly earlier. He was in his late 60's, quite tall, and over 300 pounds. He had a better bike than mine and could ride faster - he was clearly in better athletic condition, but he was in no way as healthy as I am or able to ride as far. He was dumbfounded when I told him I had already ridden 65 miles, but I also told him that I weighed so little, it took hardly any effort. The weight of me plus my bike was, at a minimum, more than 150 pounds less than his was, and it was probably more like 175.
I see a lot of elite bicyclists on the trail in far superior athletic condition who can ride much faster than I can, but many have unhealthy physiques, and in talking to them, I gather that many are also exhausted after only 20 - 30 miles. I tend to think they are kidding themselves, but it is vigorous exercise, at least. I know many people in terrible physical condition who do not exercise at all.
The PPG on my Garmin Fenix can handle high heart rates while in motion, but only if it wants to: It works if start a "cardio" activity, but a mere "hike" won't do... I'm guessing they are trying to conserve power?
I also have a Scosche Rhythm 24 armband, which is able to capture RR intervals (as long as you hold still). This works better for me for taking no-sweat morning readings than a Polar chest strap, don't need to resort to electrode gel 😬
The free bicycling app I use (Map my Walk) doesn't use heart rate or weight as parameters, just distance and elevation gain. It also can't compensate for wind speed. I question the idea of focusing on heart rate because a heavier person riding up a hill at a particular heart rate will use dramatically more energy than a lighter person. The weight of the bike also matters. Maybe what you use does allow a weight input.
My longest ride last year was on June 1 with 129.4 miles in 13:08 for an average speed of 9.8 mph. The app recorded 2168 feet of elevation gain and assigned a calorie expenditure of 3600 kcal. Despite the lack of weight and HR parameters, my sense is that the calories are pretty close to the true value, but if I weighed 250 pounds, I think it would be way off.
That day, I talked to a Boeing engineer at lunch who had passed me slightly earlier. He was in his late 60's, quite tall, and over 300 pounds. He had a better bike than mine and could ride faster - he was clearly in better athletic condition, but he was in no way as healthy as I am or able to ride as far. He was dumbfounded when I told him I had already ridden 65 miles, but I also told him that I weighed so little, it took hardly any effort. The weight of me plus my bike was, at a minimum, more than 150 pounds less than his was, and it was probably more like 175.
I see a lot of elite bicyclists on the trail in far superior athletic condition who can ride much faster than I can, but many have unhealthy physiques, and in talking to them, I gather that many are also exhausted after only 20 - 30 miles. I tend to think they are kidding themselves, but it is vigorous exercise, at least. I know many people in terrible physical condition who do not exercise at all.
I so enjoy reading your musings!