OBJECTIVE: To compare, retrospectively, the values of maximum heart rate (MHR) and the decrease of the heart rate at the first minute of recovery, which were obtained in an exercise test (ET) performed in two different ergometers and at different moments. METHODS: Sixty individuals (from 29 to 80 years old), submitted to cardiopulmonary ET in a cycle of lower limbs (CLL) in our laboratory and who had previous ET (up to 36 months) in a treadmill (TRM) in other laboratories, under identical conditions of medications of negative chronotropic action. RESULTS: MHR was similar in CLL: 156±3 and TRM: 154±2 bpm (p=0.125), whereas dHR was higher in CLL: 33±2, EST: 26±3 bpm (mean ± standard error of the mean) (p<0.001). In hemodynamic variables studied, the systolic blood pressure and the double product were higher in the ET-CLL (p<0.001). The electrocardiogram (ECG) was similar in both ETs, except due to more frequent supraventricular arrhythmias in CLL. CONCLUSION: a) With some diligence from the examiner and previous knowledge of MHR in a previous ET it is possible to obtain high levels of MHR in an ET-CLL; b) interrupting the MHR-based ET forecast through equations tends to lead to sub-maximum efforts; c) dHR differs in active and passive recoveries; d) new ways to analyze the HR behavior under exercise, which is not only the value of MHR, are necessary to characterize an ET as maximum.