How do yoou warm-up for conmuting?

BlueIcarus

hiya all!!
This is the daily scenario:
Alarm clock sounds, then wake up, and after 20 minutes
I'm riding my bike to work. Not much distance, just about 5 kms (around 16 minutes), but, the path begins with 500 meter flat and then, suddenly.... 1 km of 5%
step degree street. So I always feel like I am hitting
that street and my body is not warmed up....
Anyone knows how to warm-up before, even at home?
Are ther any risks of injury due to not warming-up?
I feel always like sleepy and tired if I don't put too much care to not overdo that incline.

Thanks dudes

mjw_byrne

I'm in a similar situation. I find that a coffee with plenty of sugar wakes me up and gives me a bit of instant energy to get me going on the commute in the morning (my commute starts with about 500-750m of around 5% uphill with speed bumps - ugh). I do the climb out of the saddle but quite slowly - this warms me up for the rest of the ride without risking injury.

The tiredness when you overdo the incline might be partly psychological...find a much nastier hill and cycle up it every now and then, and you'll start to barely notice your 1km of 5%. I've got a section of 1km of around 5% on my commute but after doing a few 2km 12% hills, it's a lot less intimidating

BlueIcarus

hehe guess you might be right...
At first, the 5 km conmute intimidated me, until I began to do some 30+ km trips on weekends (I'm a total couch potato haha, but i'm pretty happy.. just love biking). Suddenly, the 5 kms conmute seemed like a brisk walk. Except for that first incline that sends my heart from 90 to 145 in a couple of minutes.. that must not be healthy
Got no opotunity to warmp up in other street/road,
since this is the only road headed right.
What about a ligth jog for 10 minutes? What do you think? Anyone tried??

Thanx again

MidBunchLurker

Sounds like a terrible idea!!

Just ride the hill slowly, maybe get some easier gears fitted to make it a bit easier

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nick.

www.nickcoyne.com

devotobey

I personally like to climb on my bike barely awake and add a few extra miles of easy riding (even if you have to backtrack) as my warm up.

tcklyde

How do I warm up my commute? I don't. The commute is my warm up. On a 5k ride (which is about my distance), there's no need to pound the petals (unless your late my a client meeting...ugh). I commute b/c I love to bike. Afternoons and weekends are for the training rides!

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Harry

rek

I just take it sorta easy for the first 5 minutes or so. In the mornings it helps that the first couple of kilometres are downhill (but on cold mornings it's a curse, my ears get soooo cold coasting down at speed!)

Recently I've actually been doing the opposite -- having a light "cool down" ride just before I reach my destination. Helps ease the body back into normalcy

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Peter
Cannondale Synapse Carbon Scalpel Cyclocross Ultra

Brunswick_kate

One of my best purchases this year was a little light very thin ski touque that fits under my helmet. It's made such a difference in the comfort rating of the morning commute.

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Adam-from-SLO

I concure to this statement !

Also , a commute of 25 or less minutes one way, is your Warm Up period of time, thus your commute is a total "warm up" period , never try and over due it...... because it will be self defeating

I'm not saying "dont commute" , I'm saying ride smart.

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*"Good people try to help others with their knowledge rather than beating them on the head because they are ignorant." -Insight Driver

BlueIcarus

Ok, catched the idea... Now In my conmute my HR range is exactly the same as if I were doing it walking (average: 126 bpm) . Before thinking about it, I
was near my Anaerobic Threshold (165 bpm) in just 5 minutes after beginning the 25 minutes ride. I feel much better now, and do an 1 hour workout AFTER work, in the ride home. Sometimes when you get too excited about an sport it can fuck you up!!
Thanks for the responses and happy cycling dudes!!