Heart rate recovery 1 min after exercise termination (HRR-1) is a prognostic predictor. However, the influence of the exercise mode on HRR-1 is incompletely characterised. Twenty-nine young and healthy subjects and 16 elderly patients with chronic heart failure underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing using cycle ergometer and treadmill ramp protocols in random order. HRR-1 and heart rate recovery 2 and 3 min after exercise (HRR-2, HRR-3) during active recovery and peak oxygen consumption (peak VO(2)) were measured. In both healthy subjects (32 +/- 14 vs. 27 +/- 10 bpm) and HF patients (19 +/- 8 vs. 14 +/- 9 bpm), HRR-1 was faster after cycle exercise (p = 0.029; p for between group difference 0.94). In contrast, HRR-2 and HRR-3 were similar after both tests in both groups. Peak VO(2) was lower during cycle as compared to treadmill exercise in both groups. In conclusion, in both healthy subjects and HF patients, HRR-1 depends on the mode of exercise as peak VO(2) does.