Neck ache - common problem?

[Doyleyburger]

Try and drop your shoulders a bit, this will give a slight bend in the elbows which will help. I used to ride with my arms straight which made me ache around the neck and shoulders.

 

[Gravity Aided]

It does feel like I need to raise my bars but I don't think the stem is adjustable. How do I know what the correct bar height is or whether my reach is too long/short?

You may have to get some bars with more rise, then, if they do not have rise already.

 

[Hotchilidamo]

How about posting a photo of your bike side on? How much are your bars below the height of the saddle?

Here you go

 

[screenman]

Do you do any shoulder stretches or exercises? How long have you been riding, sorry if I missed that earlier.

 

[Hotchilidamo]

Do you do any shoulder stretches or exercises? How long have you been riding, sorry if I missed that earlier.

No I don't do stretches. I've only done 2 commutes but this weekend I've had quite a bit of neck/shoulder ache. So definitely something to do with the bike. It could just be that I'm not used to it, but my gut says it's something about ride position

 

[screenman]

Looks a lot higher bars than I would ride, give it a while you are using muscles that you may have not used for a while.

I hope you never ride it far in that gear, looks like big and big from here, needs avoiding to prevent to much bend on the chain.

 

[Sharky]

All my bikes are road bikes, but I have pinched my daughter's MTB for taking on holidays and for the odd day when it snowed a few winters ago. I did find it a bit hunched up and put a longer stem on it, so I could stretch out a bit. It also had bar end extensions on them which meant I could vary my hand/arm positions which helped ease the aches in my shoulders etc. Bar end extensions are cheap and if you can fit them without interfering with your brakes might be a good option.

I would also think about getting clip in pedals. You might think it a strange suggestion to address shoulder problems, but if you make your feet absolutely secure in the pedals, it makes riding easier and the more you become part of the bike, the more you get used to riding it and the more you ride the aches just start fading away.

Cheers Keith

 

[Trull]

Nice bike btw, and I'd second above… get a pair of ergo bar ends so you can vary the hand positions to help your arms which in turn will relieve the shoulders/neck. I'd try pushing the saddle back a smidge and won't consider riding anything without clipless pedals.

I'd like to heartily recommend a pair of Shimano SPD pedals and mtb shoes, for less than 100quid you can transform your pedalling and this will be hugely beneficial for your whole body. Also by using mtb shoes you can walk round cafe's etc without going AOT, and they tend to be sturdily built so will last and last. The feeling of security when honking out of the saddle is brilliant, never de-bark your shins again!
Go and raid your LBS (you'll need to try the shoes for size) for similar:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cane-creek-ergo-grip-ii-bar-end/ £25
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m064-spd-mountain-bike-shoes/ £45
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/ £17

 

[coffeejo]

Is this normal? Or should I try and adjust my ride position? I had the guys in the lbs set me up on a turbo trainer to adjust everything when I bought it so I should be right

Now that you've ridden it for a a while and have noticed what works and what doesn't, go back to your LBS and ask them to make readjustments. Shouldn't be a problem if you bought it from them. Clipless pedals etc may help but they won't address the real problem which sounds to me like bike set up and/or riding style. It may be as simple as not having a relaxed upper body while you ride.

 

[Donger]

I'm a newbie commuter doing my first two commutes this week. So far I'm doing around 12-16 miles in each day. I'm experimenting with routes hence the difference

Apart from the obvious glute and leg aches, I'm getting a nasty ache at the base of my skull and across my shoulders. I assume from craning my neck a bit to look up whilst riding.

Is this normal? Or should I try and adjust my ride position? I had the guys in the lbs set me up on a turbo trainer to adjust everything when I bought it so I should be right

This sounds familiar. I always found I was in agony when I straightened up to open the garage doors to put the bike away at the end of a long ride. I thought my cycling days were over. My doctor diagnosed me with "neck spurs" - little bony growths on the upper vertebrae. (very common at a certain age). The guy at my local bike shop sorted me out a treat. All I had to do was to "flip" the stem. This both raised the height of the stem by about an inch, and also brought the bars about an inch closer to me -making my cycling position more "sit up and beg", and thus adding a further inch or so in head height. The problem has never recurred. I have since changed to a bike with additional high level brake levers. The improvement is immeasurable, as I can now ride downhill with my arms straight and my head up instead of head down with hands riding the hoods. I thoroughly recommend that you look into having additional brake levers if flipping the stem does not sort you out.