Whether you are 15 or 50, biking can be an extremely satisfying and rejuvenating experience. However, as we age we are unsure about how our heart rate can match our exercise regimen. When it comes to casual biking or going on bike tours (for the week or weekend ), there are a few misconceptions about your heart rate that need to be addressed. Hopefully, with these myths out of the way, you can go on these bike tours with more confidence. Here are the top 5 maximum heart rate misconceptions.

This is a horrifying concept, but rest assured that it is not true. If you reach your maximum heart rate on your biking tour, you will either vomit or get dropped (which is not that bad). Either way, when your heart cannot pump blood at that fast of a rate, then it will respond on its own.
Disclaimer: If you are concerned about any of this, be sure to speak to your doctor to confirm your maximum heart rate. Be sure to also see if your body is healthy enough to go on a biking tour.

When it comes to maximum heart rate workouts, they should be done casually, rather than consistently. They are more like occasional boosts rather than the standard for a good workout. Anyone, no matter how old or young they are, will be overly exhausted and fatigued if they consistently perform maximum rate workouts. It can even lead to injuries.

Your maximum heart rate is far too complex to be determined by age. Although age does carry a factor, genetics also determines your maximum heart rate. Everyone’s Max HR drops the older they get. However, two 55-year old cyclers can have a different max heart rate. As mentioned earlier, it is best to determine your max heart rate with your doctor before going on a biking tour.

Burning fat generally happens within a steady pace of your workout. You cannot have the consistent pace be at your maximum heart rate. The important part to remember is that you don’t even have to be at your maximum heart rate to burn fat.

As mentioned earlier, your maximum heart rate drops as you age. One could say that this is because the heart is getting weaker. However, the stronger athletes get, the lower their heart rate is when they rest. This is due to the fact that their heart is strong enough to not have to work as hard to send blood through the body. A low heart rate does not mean that you are a lesser athlete.