Everybody’s going to have a little needs as far as far as stretching or the need to stretch before or after a ‘workout’
I think regular stretching is good, especially if you only ride a couple times a week. Stretching a couple-three times a week on ‘off’ days can keep stiffness at bay. Stretching regularly throughout the week can eliminate the need you feel to stretch right before a ride.
The other big thing that can contribute to successful recovery is warm-up and cool-down time: Allow 3-5 minutes or a couple of miles on each end of a ride or workout, depending on duration/intensity to allow you body to transition from resting mode to ‘work’ mode and back.
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