Do you stretch after your commute?

[September]

Hello!

I am less than a month away from owning a road bike. This means my riding position is going to change drastically as I've been riding a MTB for 600 miles / 2 months.

I have started stretching after my commute home on the evenings to gain a little more subtlety to aid my future riding position.

My commute is only 8 miles each way.

I was wondering if other commuters stretch after their ride?
Do you do it for both journeys?
How long is your ride?

Also, a generic one that's probably been asked 100 times before - is stretching really important to using a road bike? I am about 3 inches from being able to touch my toes. According to the Fi'zi'k Spine Concept, I would closest to the chameleon...

Any help / input would be appreciated!

Thank you.

 

[ianrauk]

35 mile round trip and no stretches.

 

[uclown2002]

50+ miles a day, 7 times a week and no stretching. Often think I should be doing it afterwards but doesn't seem to be doing me any harm.

 

[Rob3rt]

I never stretch... oops!

 

[CopperCyclist]

6.5 miles each way, no stretching.

 

[Rob3rt]

This threads ready a bit like a stretching is a waste of time or anti-stretch pissing contest (my own post above included). To be clear, you should stretch or at least, stretching is likely to be beneficial and unlikely to be of detriment, so if you can be bothered, do it, but if you can't be arsed, then you probably aren't doing yourself a great deal of harm by not bothering either.


BTW, not sure why stretching would be any more important to riding a road bike than any other bike, or doing any other sport, or indeed enhancing your general wellbeing though.

 

[vickster]

I stretch but due to injury (guidance from physio and surgeon) not directly cycling. I probably stretch 5 or 6 days out of 7 right now, when I go to the gym. I've probably now been doing this for nearly 3 months. Seems to be helping

 

[September]

Interesting!!! Thanks all.

@uclown2002 - that's some distance! From the avatar the mileage, I'm guessing you're Dave Ranson on the CycleChat club in STRAVA?....

@CopperCyclist - Hey, bit off topic but couldn't help approve of your avatar. Quite the Dexter fan myself.... Made this picture earlier on this year.....


LEGO Dexter by Tom Cash, on Flickr

 

[September]

BTW, not sure why stretching would be any more important to riding a road bike than any other bike, or doing any other sport, or indeed enhancing your general wellbeing tbh.

I figured that if I could become more nimble, that holding a lower riding position for longer would be less taxing on my muscles... Preparation is all.

 

[vickster]

Are you getting aches and pains from cycling either during or after, then stretching could help. To get stronger for aero position, core strengthening is needed, planks, crunches and other horrid things required. Stretching your leg muscles will help prevent injury, might help strength but won't really benefit being bent over on bike. Need strong abdominals and back muscles

 

[CopperCyclist]

Interesting!!! Thanks all.

@uclown2002 - that's some distance! From the avatar the mileage, I'm guessing you're Dave Ranson on the CycleChat club in STRAVA?....

@CopperCyclist - Hey, bit off topic but couldn't help approve of your avatar. Quite the Dexter fan myself.... Made this picture earlier on this year.....

LEGO Dexter by Tom Cash, on Flickr

I presume the logical follow up of the victim in individual Lego pieces in a bag was also done?

 

[uclown2002]

@September
Guilty as charged.

 

[raleighnut]

I'd say stretch I do but I'm pretty limber still and could touch my toes easy (mid fifties) before I broke my leg should be back to that once healed fully.

 

[ufkacbln]

Absolutely...

I sit on the armchair and then...

... stretch out my legs on the footstool
....stretch out my right arm for a glass of cod beer

 

[vickster]

Cod beer...a Norwegian brand?