warming up.

[gavroche]

How long does it take you to warm up properly? I find that if I try to pedal too hard when I first start a ride, I get tired very quickly and my legs hurt. On the other hand, taking it easy for the first few miles, say 4 or 5, then my legs feel much better and more efficient for prolonged effort.

 

[derrick]

Am the same about 15 mins into the ride i start to feel good.

 

[ianrauk]

Doesn't take too long. Not something I really have to do on my commute. However on a long social ride I do make the effort to take it easy for a few miles and build it up.

 

[annaspanna]

Takes me a good couple of miles, especially first thing in the morning! On the way home I'm usually warmed up enough from the days work sitting at my desk ;-)

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

Depends on what I'm warming up for...

 

[Hacienda71]

About 5 miles for me as well. After that my muscles are warm and I am ready to tackle the Pennines or cruise at speed on the Cheshire plain.

 

[MrC]

Seems to be about 5 miles for me too. Before that it all seems harder...

MrC

 

[montage]

the shorter the event, the longer the warm up

For a crit of say 45mins-1hour long, I'd want to be warming up for around an hour, though unfortunately this isn't always possible.

I've got a couple of crits coming up that will be a mere 25 minutes long....but at 8am....so that'll be interesting!

 

[HLaB]

It varies for me and level of previous activity with club runs I'm usually good to go with the 5-10 min cycle to the start and 5-10min warm down waiting for everybody to appear On some solo rides I feel good to go right from the start (it helps that I live just off a main flat road) but other times I've not felt properly warmed up for 15-30mins.

 

[VamP]

Depends on what I'm warming up for...

+1 squared

Warming up for a cyclocross race is a science in it's own right. Some people start the day before the race.

 

[GrasB]

For my work bound commute I usually do a 5-10 min session on the turbo just to get the legs nice n' warm before hitting the road. Either that or keep it easy for up to 15min. With TTs & Hill Climbs usually 30 min of warm up before a gentle ride to the starting point, even if I drive I'll not drive to the start line but give my self a bit of a light ride to get to the start.

 

[taximan]

From where I live I have to climb from sea level to a few hundred feet in the first four or five mile, and I do find this hard work. what I need is some warming up before I set out. I have tried stretching, & going for a walk before hand but with little success.

 

[TheSandwichMonster]

From where I live I have to climb from sea level to a few hundred feet in the first four or five mile, and I do find this hard work. what I need is some warming up before I set out. I have tried stretching, & going for a walk before hand but with little success.

If I go the hilly way to work, I have the same issue as the first hill is literally 45 seconds down the road. Only way that has reliably worked is to put the bike on the turbo for 10 minutes before setting off.

 

[GrasB]

If I go the hilly way to work, I have the same issue as the first hill is literally 45 seconds down the road. Only way that has reliably worked is to put the bike on the turbo for 10 minutes before setting off.

Basically it takes about 5-10 min to get the blood pumping through your legs properly. The turbo works well doesn't even need to have any load on the wheel worth talking about, just need to spin the muscles.

 

[User269]

Gone are the days when I could turn up for a club TT, jump out of the car and go straight off. These days I need at least 10 miles before I 'wake up'.