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Cycling Heart Rate Zones Calculator

Turn measured maximum and resting heart rate into transparent cycling training ranges. This zone 2 cardio calculator compares the Karvonen heart-rate-reserve and maximum-heart-rate methods, then helps you validate the result through breathing and perceived effort on the bike.

Private by design: calculations run in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or saved.

Your inputs

Calculate your cycling heart rate zones

Calculation method
bpm
Use a cycling-specific value when available.
bpm
Use a calm morning value, ideally averaged across several days.
Your endurance range137–149 bpm

Zone 2

HRR = 190 − 55; target = resting HR + (HRR × zone %)

Five cycling heart rate training zones
ZoneHeart ratePrimary use
Z1Recovery123–136 bpmVery easy spinning and warm-up or cool-down
Z2Endurance137–149 bpmConversational aerobic riding and durability
Z3Tempo150–163 bpmSteady, moderately hard aerobic work
Z4Threshold164–176 bpmHard sustained work; validate with breathing and RPE
Z5Maximum177–190 bpmVery hard efforts; heart rate is too slow for short-interval pacing

Heart rate lags behind effort and varies with heat, hydration, caffeine, altitude, illness and fatigue. Use breathing and RPE beside these ranges.

Karvonen and maximum-heart-rate methods

The maximum-heart-rate method multiplies measured maximum heart rate by each zone percentage. The heart-rate-reserve method first subtracts resting heart rate from maximum heart rate, applies the same percentage, then adds resting heart rate back. Including resting heart rate usually moves the boundaries upward and better reflects the range available to that rider.

Use a maximum heart rate observed in a suitable hard cycling effort or supervised test. This calculator deliberately does not guess it from age because age-based equations can be meaningfully wrong for an individual. Record resting heart rate when calm and rested, ideally under similar morning conditions on several days.

How to use heart rate on the bike

Heart rate follows effort with a delay and changes with heat, hydration, caffeine, altitude, illness and accumulated fatigue. It is most useful for steady aerobic work and for comparing similar rides, not for controlling the opening seconds of short intervals.

Fixed percentage zones do not locate every rider's physiological thresholds. Treat the ranges as starting points, keep endurance work conversational, and combine heart rate with breathing, RPE and—when available—power. Medication and medical conditions can alter heart-rate response; seek individual clinical guidance when that applies.

Methodology and sources

The formula and limitations above were checked against these research sources:

  1. Swain and Leutholtz (1997), Heart-rate reserve and oxygen-uptake reservePrimary study supporting the relationship between percentage heart-rate reserve and percentage oxygen-uptake reserve.
  2. Mann, Lamberts and Lambert (2013), Methods of prescribing relative exercise intensityReview of the practical and physiological limitations of fixed percentages of maximum heart rate and heart-rate reserve.
  3. Jamnick et al. (2020), Examination and critique of exercise-intensity methodsExplains why fixed percentage zones do not identify the same metabolic domains in every athlete.
Common questions

Before you use the result

Which method should cyclists use?

Heart rate reserve is often the more individualized starting point when you know both maximum and resting heart rate. Neither method precisely measures lactate or ventilatory thresholds, so validate the zones through breathing, RPE and repeatable training.

What is my zone 2 heart rate?

Enter a measured maximum heart rate and, for the Karvonen method, a representative resting heart rate. The calculator displays your zone 2 range immediately. Treat it as a starting range and keep steady endurance riding conversational rather than forcing an exact beat-per-minute target.

Should I use 220 minus age for maximum heart rate?

Use a measured cycling maximum when it is safe and available. Age equations describe group averages and can be substantially wrong for one rider.

Why is heart rate higher than usual at the same power?

Heat, dehydration, caffeine, altitude, stress, illness and cardiac drift can raise heart rate. Reduce intensity when the response is unusual or accompanied by concerning symptoms.

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