Quote Originally Posted by Regina View Post
I think I recall reading somewhere that a woman's heart rate is generally ~10 bpm higher than a man's for any given activity (all things considered). Anyone see that same bit o' info? DH has me by 7 years of age, but it's startling how different our HRs are on the same hill.
Your max HR is genetic, and in the trained athlete, it generally does not go down with age. No absolute number is better, or worse than another. The only numbers that really matter are % of MHR. (or % of LT if you've done tests to show your current LT)

I can't swing my leg over a bike without my HR going up to 150 or higher. Highest I've seen for me was 188 (vs. my Polar's "predicted" maxHR from me of 185). To do real training in my 70-80% zone, I could never take the bike out on the road. I'd be forever on the rollers.
Use the highest number you've seen on your HRM for your true MHR (it may even be higher, but never lower). If you cannot train in zones of 70-80% while on the bike, you really need to do more base and aerobic work. You can start this by riding a mtb on the road, and using its much lower gearing to keep your HR down. You can also do more roller work in the low HR zones.

It takes much discipline to keep your HR down, but in the long run, it can pay off big time!