Do you warm up before a recreational ride?

[Wafer]

So I was wondering whether people do any form of warm up before going for a ride. I never really have but I've been thinking perhaps I should recently.
Though it's gotten better I tend to get lower back pain after riding for 40 minutes or so (maybe nearer 60 mins the last few weeks) and at some point I'm expecting it to prevent me from going to much further unless I address it.

For a good 20 years I played competitive club cricket as a bowler (Under 11s was still competitive ). For that I always warmed up but it was kind of obvious, competitive sport, lots of load being put through the body at specific points etc... warmup was essential to perform well and avoid injury.
As an aside, I'm guessing all the cricket has had a bearing on the state of my back... I've never been the fittest guy around and I hardly missed a Saturday league match for probably 6 years or so and bowled a lot of overs.

I'd never really thought of doing the same before a ride. I only ride for recreation, I enjoy it, like getting out in the countryside, it means I can see more than going for a hike and without the competitive element warming up seemed a bit OTT.

What do other people do?

 

[Markymark]

Never warmed up for any ride, ever. Just might not speed off full whack for the first mile or two.

 

[Drago]

Nope. I may take things easy until I've got my wind, but otherwise never warm up.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Lifting the bike down from the rack pumping the tyres up has me in a sweat. Sometimes I'm so knackered after that I don't bother going out.

 

[Citius]

So I was wondering whether people do any form of warm up before going for a ride. I never really have but I've been thinking perhaps I should recently.
Though it's gotten better I tend to get lower back pain after riding for 40 minutes or so (maybe nearer 60 mins the last few weeks) and at some point I'm expecting it to prevent me from going to much further unless I address it.

More likely to be related to your riding position, as opposed to any particular 'warm-up' - or lack of it.

 

[Milkfloat]

Never warmed up for any ride, ever. Just might not speed off full whack for the first mile or two.

Ditto - but with the odd stretch now and then, especially if it is day 2 of a multi day ride.

 

[ianrauk]

nope. Just take it easy for the first mile building it up.

 

[Wafer]

More likely to be related to your riding position, as opposed to any particular 'warm-up' - or lack of it.

Yeah, wondering that too, but a more difficult question to get answered on a forum like this

 

[ianrauk]

Yeah, wondering that too, but a more difficult question to get answered on a forum like this

Post a sideways shot of you sitting on on your bike so peeps can see if you and your bike are set up ok.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

I never thought of doing this..
I've an awfy steep wee sharp descent at the end of the first mile..
but I normally use another less rampy rise...

 

[Wafer]

If I can get the fiancée to stop laughing long enough to take the picture...

Anyway, curious about the warmup thing regardless. Not too surprised by the responses so far but wasn't sure

 

[DCLane]

No - it's a 'recreational' ride.

I'll warm up/down before/after a race / time trial but that's all.

 

[biking_fox]

Never warmed up for any ride, ever. Just might not speed off full whack for the first mile or two.

This.
Essentially warm-ups are useless* your cave-man body didn't have to ask the sabre-tooth (or antelope) to wait while you stretch a few muscles and bend about a bit first before running away. There was a study with marines somewhere that showed it made no difference to subsequent injury rates either. although I'm not sure the sample size was big enough to be conclusive.



*there is a cavet though. If you want to race at maximum exertion flat out from the 'go', then warm up does help. Cave-person didn't need to do that either, only had to run faster than their tribemates.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

As others have said, warm up on the bike. I would imagine back problems would be more around bike fit and riding position.

 

[Wafer]

Caveman didn't spend several hours a day in front a computer in an office either though