rperkins146

What are your pre/ post ride stretches? I'm new to the longer rides and notice there is a need.

10 Wheels

60,000 miles stretch when riding.

TrojanHorse

No pre-ride stretching. Warm up on the bike and don't go hard from minute 1. Afterwards, I might stretch my calves if they're feeling tight.

indyfabz

The biggest stretch after my ride is the average speed I tell everyone I was able to maintain.

Yendor72

I never stretch anything, before or after. If something seems a little tight I will stretch it, but that doesn't happen often.

Primitive Don

I stretch my piraformis muscles and hip flexors after every ride. I have started also stretching my IT band after a recent (painful) injury. This was an issue when I tried to run distance years ago; apparently I overpronate while running and have similarly bad form while riding. Clipless pedals seem to be helping keep my feet straight.

rperkins146

best response by far.

tunavic

Personal experience - stretching is over rated and possibly not needed, for me.

I just take it easy for the first 20 or so and all is good.

Penny4

I don't stretch pre-ride. If I am going on a longer ride, i try to stop once or twice to stretch my back, hamstrings and shoulders.

jsigone

stretching post ride may lead to some VERY pain full cramping, remedy w/ a bottle of IPA

HIPCHIP

I normally do as many stretches as I can, but mainly work on my legs and back. Don't bounce, just hold a static stretch. I normally hold for 30 seconds, relax, then 45 seconds, relax, then hold for 1 minute. The muscles will try and tighten up from the stretching, but at the one minute mark they learn that it isn't a damaging stretch (such as a strain would be) so will relax.

Doing the build up of 30, 45, then 60 seconds allows the muscles to relax better. This is really important if you have an injury so as to teach the muscle it's OK to stretch and relax.

Look up on-line for leg and back stretches and find something that works for you. It should feel good, not painful. After a while you should notice your range of motion increasing. Just stretch stuff and see what's tight and what isn't and focus a little more on the tight areas.

After your ride and cool down stretch, if stuff hurts, ice it for 20 minutes on, and at least 40 minutes off to allow the area to warm back up. If you ice for more than 30 minutes straight, or don't give it enough time to warm up it will actually start to swell to fight the frostbite. Ice relaxes better than heat.

Northwestrider

Just start out slowly for several minutes before working up to real effort .

JReade

Try to stretch my thighs and shoulders a bit beforehand, then foam roll after the ride if it was a strong ride.

Willbird

I'm not a big believer in pre workout static stretches, we do them at work every day.

That said we did recently start a "move smart" program that incorporates some re energizers that DO help alleviate hand stiffness while riding.

jfries

I don't do any pre ride stretching but I will foam roll my legs before bigger rides. Post ride I'll do some light stretching of my lower body and lower back. Then I'll foam roll my my legs, hips and lower back. I have become a firm believer of rolling out the muscles, I feel it cuts recovery time and lessens the "heavy legs" I get the day after a big ride.

pdlamb

I mostly need to stretch when I'm increasing mileage. Hamstring, quad, and calf stretches for me!

noglider 

I stretch my hamstrings and calves. If I don't do this after a long ride, I get horrible charlie horses which make me scream and curse.

Willbird

I had no idea Charlie horses were the root cause of that :-).


Bill

Black wallnut 

I occasionally stretch. Never before. Sometimes hours between rides.

DumbPartsGuy

This... I injured mine January 27, 2016... still working on healing.

Google dynamic stretches. Ride about 1/4 mile, stop, I do a straight kick forward/backward as close to horizontal as I can get, the same thing left and right. Takes me less than a minute.

When done, a quick quad and calf stretch, then the "45/45" stretch set which stretches the hip flexors (this feels AMAZING if you have tight hips). Also the "figure 4" stretch that does the piriformis.

It sucks... I had about a month of constant sciatica pain, then another month of no riding. I didn't really start feeling healing results until I started riding again.

HIPCHIP

If you haven't yet, go see a podiatrist (or possibly an orthopedist) and get some orthotic inserts for your cycling shoes designed to put your feet in the proper position. If the cost is too high, Specialized, I believe, makes inserts you can purchase and try. Also a running store, etc. may sell Super Feet inserts which may also help. Lots of different things you can try, just don't give up.

Primitive Don

Thanks to you both for your suggestions. Stretching, moderating the length of my rides and using clipless pedals is helping a great deal already.