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Vo2 maxand max heart rate

lloydus
over 9 years ago
I have a quick question on vo2max and heart max. I am a new user to the 520 and garmin devices in general. I have a heart rate monitor attached to my 520 my question is will the 520 calculate my vo2 max automatically and my max heart rate and adjust them as the change over time?.I have no power meter attached to my 520
Thanks, Lloyd
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    It can't determine VO2max without a power meter. Heart rate alone is not enough info.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 9 years ago
    That annoys me a little though. (It has since I got my vivoactive, actually.) The white sheet or whatever its called for the firstbeat vo2 stuff makes no mention of a powermeter being needed for vo2 max, so there must be some random thing that Garmin wants to make theirs slightly different. Maybe an issue of bike weight, which they negate using powermeter? I have no real idea.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Yeah, I thought the review I saw of the FR620 said it could determine (or closely approximate) Vo2 Max with just the HRM sensor.

    I don't actually know why the Edge 520 wouldn't have Vo2 Max, could be as simple as something as Garmin didn't licence the firstbeat Vo2 algorithms for the 520 & write it into the firmware, wouldn't be too surprising.
    The FR210 can provide enough data for ATL, CTL, TSB if you sync it to trainingpeaks but afaik only the FRx20 series have it enabled in GC.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Yeah, I thought the review I saw of the FR620 said it could determine (or closely approximate) Vo2 Max with just the HRM sensor.

    I don't actually know why the Edge 520 wouldn't have Vo2 Max, could be as simple as something as Garmin didn't licence the firstbeat Vo2 algorithms for the 520 & write it into the firmware, wouldn't be too surprising.
    The FR210 can provide enough data for ATL, CTL, TSB if you sync it to trainingpeaks but afaik only the FRx20 series have it enabled in GC.


    The 620 does have VO2 Max. It requires a HRM be worn and several runs before it can give you an estimate.

    The 520 also has VO2 Max. However, I believe it may require you to at least you set your FTP and/or have a power meter. IIRC, the algorithm used for cycling VO2 Max includes at least a 20min FTP value and your weight. That said, I do not know what algorithm Garmin is using for the 520.

    Assuming you do not have a power meter, you can try setting your FTP (assuming you have an estimate) and seeing if the 520 will give you an estimated cycling VO2 Max.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    "All" garmin devices have VO2 Max but calculating it for biking is a whole other story than for running - hence for running all you need is a HRM and a long enough and consistent run. Preferable on a flat surface. All elevation changes up & down can be taken into calculation since the formula can assume that it's you still running up and down (consistent effort).
    When biking - whole other story - example; biking downhill - did you pedal/put in effort or just rolling? The device has no idea - hence it needs a second factor in addition to HR - power used for pedaling...

    FTP is not enough to get VO2 Max since the device still does not now how much power you are putting in when pedaling.. FTP is 100% in the boat with Power - entering a FTP value without using a power meeter has no meaning.