How long does it take you to warm up?

[Hacienda71]

Whem I am riding I don't really settle into the ride until I am about 6 to 8 miles in then something seems to click and I can cruise with seemingly less effort at a higher speed. Hills at the start of a ride are a mare the same hills a few miles in are much easier. I know it is all part of warming up your muscles, but is everyone the same or is there a wide variance of time and distance to warm up due to age fitness etc. ?

 

[HLaB]

I think it varies and even among individuals; sometimes I can go out the door and not really need to warm up yet other times I feel like I have to go for at least 15 minutes.

 

[byegad]

If I leave the village in either one of two directions, about half a mile. In the other two directions 3 miles. That's where the first up hill starts!

 

[Broadside]

Most rides I have warmed up after about 5 miles but occasionally it can take much longer - yesterday for example it was 15 miles before I really got in to my stride. Sometimes the first 15 can be a bit of a drag for me if i am generally tired but I loosen up after that.

 

[montage]

since my knee operations, really takes at least 30 mins minimum, but to be properly warmed up, about 45-1 hour with some hard efforts thrown into that.

 

[henshaw11]

Muscle-wise - pretty quickly, 5 mins and I can start sprinting thru' the middle of town.

But like montage, the knees are another issue - if they're warm out of the house, 5 mins, otherwise 15+

TBH they still feel a bit ropey from a very cold fnrttc recently

 

[Bman]

Usually when I forget about it and just ride.

That it really, I cant put a timespan on it.

 

[gb155]

Within a quarter mile of my house, there are 2 NASTY hills I tend to attack one of those and go "balls out"

So my warm up is done within a mile and a quarter, can be a pain if tired TBH, but at leas

 

[Crackle]

10 to 20 minutes. Hill climbing is definetly impaired before that time. It probably takes a wee bit longer before my CV system has warmed up as well.

 

[yello]

Varies, but usually around 30 to 40 minutes before I feel truly at home on the bike.

Yesterday, I didn't really feel 'at one' until I'd done nearly 90km! But then that could have been the 'nearly homes' kicking in!

 

[Crackle]

Varies, but usually around 30 to 40 minutes before I feel truly at home on the bike.

Yesterday, I didn't really feel 'at one' until I'd done nearly 90km! But then that could have been the 'nearly homes' kicking in!

It's funny that. if you're going badly, approaching a rest stop or home seems to transform me for the better, pace goes up and my riding style becomes smoother. All in the mind sometimes.

 

[the_mikey]

In the swimming pool I'm not warmed up until I've swam at least 800 metres, on the bike it seems to take 20km or more before I feel truely warmed up.

 

[overgeared]

there seems to be a pattern that preferred warmup time is influenced by age. as a teenager i could speed off down the road at 30mph just a few seconds from clipping in, as an older rider there are days i dont feel right until an hour into the ride.

but i dont think it's just about the warmup, what you did in the previous 48 hours can have a big influence. also i dont beleive there is any "correct" period for warmup, the important thing is to find waht works for you and apply it.

 

[Ian H]

About ten miles for me. I'm rather pleased by some of the replies above, because I thought it was just me getting old.

 

[e-rider]

10 miles and 1 good climb