Hi everyone. I've been riding fixed gear every day for a little under a year now. I typically ride to work (4 miles) and my route involves a pretty long climb (maybe 1/4 of the whole ride). I don't have any pain when I've been riding for a little while, but I notice that I can get some pain in my right knee when I first start riding. I notice it only when I'm back pedaling, but it goes away entirely after a few minutes of riding.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend me some warm ups I could do for my knees before riding. Whether they be stretches, warm up exercises, etc.
Thanks in advance.

Paging 79pmooney . He has some awesome knee exercises and a lot of good advice.
One thing I have had to pay attention to is my leg length discrepancy, but it is significant, 30mm difference in right to left. I would have hip and knee pain on my right side because my saddle height was set to my longer left leg. As my left upper and lower leg are both proportionally longer evenly (not just longer upper or lower), I use a longer left crankarm and it takes care of most of my issues. I have a smoother pedal stroke , no bobbing, no more rocking of my hip, no longer extension of my shorter right leg. That is MY EXPERIENCE, that I have done years of trial and error, consulting physios, and a few pro cycling trainers.
Another thing that can help, if you haven't already, is to get a professional bike fit by someone who really knows their stuff.
Phil

I really love balance disc exercises for any knee involved problems. Try it out.

79pmooney here. (@PhilFo - paging doesn't work with this latest Forum software update. I just happened to stumble on this thread.)

OP, I ride fix gear. I also have chondromalcia patellae (CP), the wearing of the soft knee tissue between the bones. If I don't follow certain steps, I will be in for knee replacements. I was told this nearly 50 years ago. Every ortho I've talked to since has confirmed that the orthopedic surgeon (who also raced bikes) nailed my diagnosis and needed care back then.

In short, what that doc told me was that 1) I had to keep my knees warm - and not through exercise but with warm clothing. Basically, the warm blood you pump down to your legs goes nowhere near the front of your knee where the damage happens. For me, not wearing really warm knee warmers is like running my car engine without oil. (Find knee warmers you like and wear them! I do both that and I had made very warm "knee pads" that look like what basketball players wore in the 1950s; a pad over the front and sides of my knee, two not very tight stretchy straps - the straps bind on my hamstrings if they are tight - bad, and a "garter" velcro strap run up to a "D" ring I sew to my shorts front. The pads are two layers of 300 weight windblock fleece. So warm my knees are the first place to sweat. And being just my knees, not an overall oven like regular knee and legwarmers can be.)

2) He told me I needed to do stretches for my hamstrings; that the hammies, despite being on the other side of my knee, would prevent the knee and patella from lining up properly and causing wear. (Touch the toes. Lean forward with your hands on a wall or sign.)

3) Strong quads help a lot. In shape cyclists are all there on that score. But the key muscles are the tiny quads just above and beside your knee. These little guys are the prime positioner for the patellae. Best exercise is to tense them up and get to know them. Also leg lifts, sitting with legs straight. Lift one with those little guys locked tight and hold it for say a minute. You can do this with say 5 pounds on your ankle but the lift and tense is far more important than the weight. More and you will be focusing on the big muscles and missing what matters.

4) Aspirin and Motrin are medicines that not only ease the pain but also promote the healing. I do not know how. But an aspirin after a ride my knees felt mean not only no pain for the nect few hours but also my knees feeling much better the next day, long after the pain killing has worn off. The ortho had me use Motrin and mentioned aspirin but my knees like the aspirin better. (I minimize my aspirin use for its blood thinning and drop in injury protection but sometimes my knees rule. Two 375 mg pills, one when I go to bed and another when I get up to pee does my knees wonders.

CP has a new name. I can never remember it but most of the modern references will use that new name. It is a thing that only some people are prone to and not everybody ever triggers it. I am apparently prone and triggered it after my head injury the next late winter. I was back on the fix gear putting on miles. On a Wednesday I switched to my racing bike to do a 100 miles in prep for the first frostbite series race in southern New Hampshire. Rode in high 30s, low 40s F weather wearing not much more than simple tights on my legs. Going from 168 mm cranks to 175s. Got home with very sore knees. That Saturday, I started the race but had to drop out for my knees. The race promoter knew I wasn't a quitter and told me he'd introduce me to the ortho riding the race after the finish. He did and I got diagnosed in the back of a very cold van. He told me more about CP then and in a couple of phone calls later than I have ever seen in one place about CP. Thank you, Dr. Kish.