I'm doing a long bike ride on Sunday, it's not a race, but it is 104 miles, with 12,741 ft of climbing, and I was wondering if it would be wise to bring my trainer for a quick warm up. I don't want to wear myself out, but I also don't want to start cold. What should I do, I'll probably end up doing the option that gets the most "votes" so to speak.

use the first several miles as a warm up

ride to the ride?

I never warm up off bike, given I am riding 10% of that right now... I would suggest doing some stretches and whatnot to loosen up, and as the above poster suggested.

stretching has been proven to not be help at all, and possibly be harmful. ride easy the first 20-30 minutes of all rides.

Stretching is only helpful if you're already warmed up, so I can't do that without warming up on a trainer, because I'm not going to stop in the middle of the ride to stretch, that would throw off my momentum.

just ride to the ride

No need, unless you're going hard from the gun.

I would, but there is a killer 15% grade half mile, and an equally killer 20% quarter mile. And alas, there will be enough climbing that day, I don't want to add to it.

this

ride to the dang ride. take it easy in zone 1 and you wont be fatigued from it

No warmup, just ride easy for the first 30min.

Yes. You've said it's not a race, so just go easy for the first few miles.

This is complete news to me. I have always been taught to stretch and loosen up a bit before as well as after any strenuous activity. I feel a big difference when I forget. Can you link me some reading on this?

Through it makes sense as you don't have any impact and you are moving your legs in a repetitive and non-overextending manner the whole time.

I'm sure there are more studies but you can start here: Stretching before exercise does not reduce the risk of local muscle injury: a critical review of the clinical and basic science literature.

OP: Unless one of those steep climbs are in the first 5 miles of the ride, just use the first few miles as your warm up. When I was racing, they used to say "the longer the race, the shorter the warm up", and it worked.


It's somewhat recent, meaning within the last 10 years (which I consider recent because these types of things take decades to get to the general public). My brother-in-law learned while studying kinesiology that stretching before exercise doesn't do anything and can actually lead to injuries. It is, however, a very good idea to stretch immediately AFTER exercise. This will keep you limber all the time, including the next time you work out.

Just take it easy the first 15 minutes of the ride. Stretching is useless when your muscles are cold so after a few miles get off the bike and stretch if you feel the need to.

I'm not racing so there is no need to warm up, your first 5 miles or so will do that for you. I do prestretch, but there's been arguments if stretching before riding has any benefits at all! But I've been stretching for years so I just keep doing it. So maybe the 5 minutes or so I spend doing that is kind of a warmup? Probably not.

No need for a warm up IMO. Just start out slowly and gradually work up to your normal effort during the event.

No warmup. It would never occur to me to warm up for a century. Ride easy for the first bit.

See you there!

You should bring the trainer, set it up in full view of everyone right on the starting line, and ride it like a madman. Peg to threshhold asap, and grunt a lot. Consume 3 gel packs while on the trainer. Well, maybe just 2. When the ride begins, simply release your trainer's QR clamp and launch yourself like Zues'es Thunderbolts.

Or you could just go easy the first few miles.

I must say; this is hands down the best, most honest advice I have seen in this forum in years.

I like launching out of the trainer idea, just think of the excitement the crowd will have when you launch with the rear tire smoking on the pavement...kind of like the beginning of a drag race. I'm already into it!

Yeah, maybe the first 103.