Reference values for the physical work capacity on a bicycle ergometer for men – a comparison with a previous study on women

The aim of the study was to collect new reference values for the clinical ramp exercise test on bicycle, because in our experience, the commonly used values were too low. A group of healthy men (n = 81, 20–80 years) was randomly selected from the local municipal register to achieve an even distribution in age. Data were compared with those obtained in a similar, previous study on women (n = 87). The subjects were encouraged to cycle until exhaustion (19 on the Borg scale) when maximal load, heart rate and systolic blood pressure were recorded. Maximal load (Wmax) was related to age (years) and height (m) using a non‐linear function: Wmax = (244·6 × height − 92·1)/{1 + exp[0·038 × (age − 77·3)]}. Maximal heart rate (HRmax) was described by a similar function: HRmax = 203·7/{1 + exp[0·033 × (age − 104·3)]}. The maximal systolic blood pressure (BPmax) was described by a linear function based on age: BPmax = 0·505 × age + 192. Similar functions for the women are also given. It is suggested that 80–120% of the predicted maximal load can be taken as a reference interval for both men and women and similarly 90–110% of the maximal heart rate. In this study, 84% of the men reached a maximal load within the reference interval and 93% maximal heart rate within the reference interval. The reported values for maximal load were 104–132% of the reference values published by others.