Stretching before riding?

[Catrin]

Nope.
I don't stretch before a ride.

And why are you worried about tightness at one hip and one quad? Is it so tight it interferes with function? We are not symmetrical creatures, you may *need* that hip and quad to be tighter than the other for greatest efficiency.

The body makes muscles tight for a reason.

Be sure you know why you are tight before you go and mess with it.

Good point - as I remember my injury came last fall on the very day I allowed a personal trainer (not mine) stretch me at my club and she really focused on my hamstring on that leg... It wasn't the primary cause but there has always been a question in my mind if that somehow contributed to the pulled hamstring that day.

The tight hip and quad are opposite each other - and I do stretch post-ride. The PT said the "capsule" around that hip joint is tight. I do have a bit of arthritis in my hips and one of my knees which had led me to wonder if stretching before riding might be a good idea. Your point makes perfect sense, so I won't change anything.