Hey - Might be a dumb question, but do you do any stretches/warmups before you head out to ride?

I've been doing some that I usually do when I'm going for a long walk, but wondering if anyone else does or do you just get on your bike and start riding.

If you are doing some, can you share what you're doing or if they are on YT share the link?

I do not. I start at an easy pace, 15 to 20 minute warm up. The rest of my usually consists of a varying pace. I am 73 and do not ride like I once did. I now stop more often, and will do some light stretching during the break, somewhat due to chronic spinal and shoulder issues.

I don't do any stretching because I think it's pointless and doesn't accomplish anything. The best way to warm up is to get on your bike and start riding.

In 60 years of riding racing bikes, I've never stretched. Given the limited ranges of motion seen in cycling, I don't know why anyone would think they need to stretch, unless maybe to relieve discomfort from some previous injury.

Stretching is great for mobility as we age; however, it's kind of pointless as a pre-ride thing. I stretch when at home, you can do it while watching TV. I also do it while working out with weights, weighted stretches are very effective at keeping full range of motion.




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If you stretch, be careful. Current thinking is that stretching increases the likelihood of certain kinds of injuries, including weakening of connective tissue, with little or no benefit for most people. If you feel obliged to stretch, doing so after an exercise session is apparently much safer than before a session.

Agreed.

At my age, I have to stretch just to be able to swing my leg over the saddle to mount the bike.

When I was younger and did a fair amount of running I would always stretch before starting out. I don't stretch before riding a bike I just ride in a lower gear at a slower pace for the first several minutes.

Like most others here, the first 10-15 minutes of my ride are usually my "warmup." No need for anything fancy.

The first time I ever heard someone talk about stretching before exercise..... many, many years ago. It was because it was to help with injury due to hyperextension or over extension of ones leg joints. So for a runner or competition walker, it might be a good thing. However for cycling, if your saddle is at the proper height, the pedals will keep you from hyperextending your knees or other joints.

I see no purpose in warming up prior to a ride. Unless you are about to do some actual racing with others on a bicycle. In that case, it might be good to do 30 minutes or so of warm up on a bike or trainer. Sometimes it takes 60 to almost 90 minutes for my legs to get loose and ready power up steep hills at my best times.

As for stretching, if you want to do it, that's fine. Don't do it in the middle of the trail entrance as some runners do here.

Thank you all! I'll start just riding.

I do the Reach for the Sky stretch at stoplights and occasionally while pedalling. Keeps the neck and shoulders limber.

With consideration for any structural issues, I believe some gentle stretching, anytime you're able, is a positive thing.
Before riding, ! do some gentle 'stretching' for the back, hamstrings, quads, shoulders and a bit of torso twists to alert the obliques they need to be awake.
My muscles tend to be very stringy and also very hard.
It's all part of the 'Warmup'.
It's especially important as we age.
I see riders just jump on their bike and within a mile of so are hammering. very counter, especially if you wish to ride your best and also do the most to prevent possible injuries...
some gentle stretch is a strong part of warmup
(and then there's 'cooldown'...)
do what you do...
what I do has definitely helped me stay involved in doing things at an OK level...
Ride On
Yuri

I stretch my lower back and my hamstrings. Not for performance or injury prevention reasons, but to get in the riding position.

Evidence suggests that stretching temporarily weakens the muscles, so not something that I'd want to do before a ride. The only stretching I'll do is in the evening, post-ride. I don't even really have a routine, I'll just target anything that feels tight(usually hips.) It's partly just a way for me to wind-down before bed.

As far as a warm up...I don't do a warm up unless I'm racing or doing a structured workout. For general riding, I'll just start riding and increase the power as I feel like it. For races or workouts, I'll do some easy spinning for anywhere from 10-30 minutes or so and then throw in a few short efforts in, just to kinda "prime" my muscles for what's in store. For me, the warm up isn't about injury prevention, rather it's that I can't sustain my power targets or racing pace on cold muscles.

Plenty of answers already and bottom line seems to be like most things, do what works for you. I don't stretch before. Seems it take me about 10-12 miles before I feel I've settled in to the ride. I have on occasion stopped to stretch on long rides, though it seems the more often I ride the less I feel that need. Post ride, I do best with a short walk.

I have read similar studies where stretching pre-activity is counter productive. If anything, dynamic “stretching” might be more beneficial prior, if you have tight muscle groups, but starting slow and warming up appears to be the right guidance.

I didn't use the correct terminology. The correct term is, Loaded Stretching.

It's great for building strength at the same time building/maintaining mobility for us old folks. So many old people have trouble with their rotator cuffs and find it difficult to raise their arms. Here are just two examples of loaded stretching that's both stretching and weight training combined -- it's kind of like dynamic stretching. There are many other variations for all parts of the body. If one feels the need to stretch before a bike ride, I think these exercises would be very good for fixing that deficit.

Owe!

I don't stretch before cycling. I warm up on the bike, taking 15-20 minutes at low intensity. I do sometimes stretch after a ride when I am warmed up and supple. Stretching cold muscles seems counterproductive to me. When I was racing, I would sometimes stretch a bit after warming up just before the race. It probably didn't help me, but my opponants would get to see just how flexible I was

Either that, or they thought WTF? Same thought as when I'm waiting for a light to turn green and see a waiting runner pointlessly bouncing in place.

You too? I have seen mostly female runners bouncing around at lights, but know it is not exclusive. They must really frown on cyclists coasting (heaven forbid) down hill or on the flats. As a racer I know said, never stop pedaling until the race is over. Maybe she was a runner.

When I lived in Virginia Beach and worked in Norfolk I had a 46-mile (RT) commute and I would have to leave about 5am. I don't remember how long it took to "warm-up" in the warmer part of the season, but when it was cold out, it took me 6-miles to warm-up -- it was miserable, but it was funny because there seemed to be something magical about that 6-mile point in the commute. It never failed.




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I note that also - that some keep the legs moving at lights... That would be a 'philosophical' point in that episode of 'doing'. I try not to interpret the reasons or the purpose of it.

And as an ancillary to the 'never stop pedaling' there is 'rest whenever the opportunity arises and don;t burn matches unnecessarily'... this being a foundation of mass start racing (maybe group riding ?) . Whereas a one rider effort, like a TT, works under different. directives....

Just before reading the above quoted opines, I was thinking about my current riding... so different from my early days racing, when most (not all) riding was ina group or response to a group dynamic. It's where my stoic nature found further foundation...
back to 'warmup' - warmup, for me, is a total bodywide awakening, an awareness of every element to be needed and used - the equipment, of which the body/mind is an essential part- it's the prelude to whatever I'm doing.
and example of lack of same: how often are you on a group ride when at the END of a somewhat extended rest stop and the intended restart is imminent, someone announces they need to go to the john... LOL!
Ride On
Yuri