EDGE 540 Owner’s Manual

About VO2 Max. Estimates

VO2 max. is the maximum volume of oxygen (in milliliters) you can consume per minute per kilogram of body weight at your maximum performance. In simple terms, VO2 max. is an indication of athletic performance and should increase as your level of fitness improves. VO2 max. estimates are provided and supported by Firstbeat Analytics. You can use your Garmin device paired with a compatible heart rate monitor and power meter to display your cycling VO2 max. estimate.

Getting Your VO2 Max. Estimate

Before you can view your VO2 max. estimate, you must put on the heart rate monitor, install the power meter, and pair them with your device (Pairing Your Wireless Sensors). If your device was packaged with a heart rate monitor, the device and sensor are already paired. For the most accurate estimate, complete the user profile setup (Setting Up Your User Profile), and set your maximum heart rate (Setting Your Heart Rate Zones).

NOTE: The estimate may seem inaccurate at first. The device requires a few rides to learn about your cycling performance.

  1. Ride at a steady, high intensity for at least 20 minutes.
  2. After your ride, select Save.
  3. Select > My Stats > Training Status.
  4. Press to view your VO2 max.

Your VO2 max. estimate appears as a number and position on the color gauge.

Purple

Superior

Blue

Excellent

Green

Good

Orange

Fair

Red

Poor

VO2 max. data and analysis is provided with permission from The Cooper Institute®. For more information, see the appendix (VO2 Max. Standard Ratings), and go to www.CooperInstitute.org.

Tips for Cycling VO2 Max. Estimates

The success and accuracy of the VO2 max. calculation improves when your ride is a sustained and moderately hard effort, and where heart rate and power are not highly variable.

  • Before your ride, check that your device, heart rate monitor, and power meter are functioning properly, paired, and have good battery life.
  • During your 20 minute ride, maintain your heart rate at greater than 70% of your maximum heart rate.
  • During your 20 minute ride, maintain a fairly constant power output.
  • Avoid rolling terrain.
  • Avoid riding in groups where there is a lot of drafting.

Heat and Altitude Performance Acclimation

Environmental factors such as high temperature and altitude impact your training and performance. For example, high altitude training can have a positive impact on your fitness, but you may notice a temporary VO2 max. decline while exposed to high altitudes. Your Edge 540 device provides acclimation notifications and corrections to your VO2 max. estimate and training status when the temperature is above 22ºC (72ºF) and when the altitude is above 800 m (2625 ft.).

NOTE: The heat acclimation feature is available only for GPS activities and requires weather data from your connected phone.