Quote Originally Posted by marni View Post
one other possibility is that perhaps some core work would help also. Your strong core represents a strong center against which all the muscles in your back, rump, arms and legs brace and pull so anything you can do to strengthen and stabilize your core should help. You might also want to doo some arm and shoulder strengthening so that you aren't sinking into your back or letting your shoulders ride up into your ears.

As for stretching beforehand, a recent article in either roadbikereader.com or bicycling.com would seem to indicate that stretching before you ride is not as optimal as stretching after and giving yourself plenty of time of easy riiding and chicken footing to get yourself warmed up.

Just my thoughts.

marni
I haven't read the article you referenced, but have more or less followed the debate over the years. I do think that if you stretch cold, you need to be very, very gentle. I regularly practice yoga, so my muscles are a little more flexible, cold or warm, than they used to be. That helps. That said, when the cycling season first begins for me in the Midwest, I find that if I don't stretch my hamstrings and hip flexors before I ride (along with during and after), I just hurt. Thanksfully, as I adapt again to being on the bike, I find that I need to stretch less.

To the OP, is there any way you can warm up a bit, even just for a few miles, before hitting that hill? I imagine that climbing that hill early in your ride isn't helping your back.