Joy Beeson wrote in
:

I recently read a newspaper column by a doctor who made stretching
very complicated, with distinctions between "static" and "dynamic"
stretches, and a link to a video.

Before a ride, you wave your body parts around until you are sure that
all your joints work. That's the whole bit.

Of course, a set routine helps to make sure you haven't overlooked a
joint, and this is a good time to work on any range-of-motion problems
you may have.

In cold weather, it's also desirable to get your heart rate up before
going outside.

As someone who lives on the edge of the boreal forest, I find it does not
matter where I start my warm-up, inside or out, but then I am not yet 60. I
follow John B's approach and proceed at an easy rate of knots, typically for
the first 5 minutes, and then ramp it up. Stretches are important following
any useful exercise, and that is when one should do the "range-of-motion"
work since your muscles are warm.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO
(If you're going to e-mail me, you'll have to get "yourfinger." out.)