Neck muscles

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PalmerSperry

Well-Known Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
Given a shortage of audax events, but quite a few Sportives in my local(ish) area and the discovery that I enjoy (FSVO) climbing on an upright whilst it's just a drag on a recumbent, it seems likely that I'm going back to the upright[1][2]. (This will also have possible advantages wrt to using the bike racks on the back of the Postbuses.)

However the potential issue I'm worrying about is the neck muscles, or specifically not coming out of the winter in a condition where 2 km of ~10% descent results in neck pain! (Lots of snow in the winter round here, so the roadbike doesn't get much action for 2-3 months.) Now making sure my bike actually fits me properly is one obvious suggestions and doing my winter turbo-training in the drops rather than on the hoods might be another, but are there any other suggestions?

[1] Not exactly doing cartwheels of joy over the concept of doing LEL on a upright, but lots (probably by the majority) of other people have managed it!
[2] Probably need a different upright too, but that's a work in progress.
 

Fiona N

Veteran
What about getting hold of a mtb or something you can put decent knobblies on and getting out over the winter. That would be just the way to get the muscles used to uprightness with shorter rides whether on road or off - mind you, last winter there wasn't much difference round here as often to avoid the real sheet ice on the (back)roads, I'd cycle on the verges or across fields.

But you make it sound like you're going to have to train your neck muscles - you don't - they're used to holding your head up under normal circumstances and, if your bike fits correctly, you shouldn't have any problems making the switch from a recumbent.

Actually one of the things upright-riders used to ask about the Speedmachine (before I got the head rest) was 'Doesn't your neck get tired?'.
 
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PalmerSperry

PalmerSperry

Well-Known Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
What about getting hold of a mtb or something you can put decent knobblies on and getting out over the winter. That would be just the way to get the muscles used to uprightness with shorter rides whether on road or off - mind you, last winter there wasn't much difference round here as often to avoid the real sheet ice on the (back)roads, I'd cycle on the verges or across fields.

If last winter's anything to go by, it's the ~1km I'd have to cycle before reaching roads that have been fully cleared that I'm concerned about!

Fiona N said:
But you make it sound like you're going to have to train your neck muscles - you don't - they're used to holding your head up under normal circumstances and, if your bike fits correctly, you shouldn't have any problems making the switch from a recumbent.

But the normal circumstances that my neck muscles are used to dealing with is holding my head/neck roughly vertical above my body. Not learning forwards at maybe 30 degrees, and then tilting my head/neck back to the vertical so I can see where I'm going!

Fiona N said:
Actually one of the things upright-riders used to ask about the Speedmachine (before I got the head rest) was 'Doesn't your neck get tired?'.

When I had a Grasshopper if I put the seat in it's most reclined position, then my neck muscles would start getting tired and painful in about 10km ... I was going to get the headrest for that, then I discovered how scary the Grasshopper was on snow and replaced it with a Trice! (And then replaced that with a Bacchetta when the drivers at work moaned that they couldn't see me on the Trice.)
 

Fiona N

Veteran
If last winter's anything to go by, it's the ~1km I'd have to cycle before reaching roads that have been fully cleared that I'm concerned about!

That's what I mean - the most fun it to be had on the snowy roads not the filthy salty ones (although if Austria's like Switzerland, the roads dry out once the snow is cleared).

Maybe for the rest you need to look at shoulder and upper back strength - it sounds like the tension of holding position is making your neck ache. Pilates is good for this or get to the gym for a bit of weight lifting but chose the exercises carefully as you want to make sure you train the stabilisers not just the brute force muscles.
 

ventoux50

Active Member
A simple exercise to do at home - might sound a bit heath-robinson, but it will work !

Grab the wifes oven gloves (the double ones which are linked together) start off by putting a can of soup in each hand part, lean over the back of a chair so you're approximating position when riding . . . . . place the oven glove 'linking' part across the back of your head and perform neck extension exercises.


i.e. allow your head to move towards the floor (controlled movement) and then raise it up to look upwards . . . . . . repeat the movement 10 times to start with (a set) and then do another 2 x sets.

as strength increases over a few weeks gradually increase the weight of the objects in the gloves.

This will work the neck extensor muscles, the upper trapezius and deeper shoulder/upper back muscles which are all used when cycling.

Hope this helps

:thumbsup:
 
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PalmerSperry

PalmerSperry

Well-Known Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
Stick with recumbent and just ride downhills. You have enough of them where you live.

Well according to WikiTravel "Though Austria is a mountainous country, cycle routes along rivers are flat or gently downhill, and therefore suitable even for casual cyclists" ... Hmm, would that be flat or gently downhill in both directions? :biggrin:
 

e-rider

Banned member
Location
South West
have you ever had a neck injury? Sounds like you have very weak neck muscles; and the less you use them the weaker they will get.

Neck exercises can be a bit risky if you do them wrong so see a Doc or physio for professional advice before doing strengtening exercises. Once your neck is in better shape you will be able to ride whatever bike you want without pain!
 

MessenJah

Rider
Location
None
Do some neck yoga
 
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PalmerSperry

PalmerSperry

Well-Known Member
Location
Aberdeenshire
have you ever had a neck injury? Sounds like you have very weak neck muscles; and the less you use them the weaker they will get.

Nope, did have a lower back injury (fractured vertebra) in late 2007 and I know what you mean about "less use => weaker => less use". (Thanks very much to the NHS' "pain is normal" and "no you don't need treatment" attitude!) I think the problem is likely connected with having 2-3 months of minimal cycling over the winter, and then trying to do a 200km audax! However there's not really a solution to the timing of said Audax. Bad bike fit might well be another factor, but that I can get checked when I get around to cycling the ~10km to the bike shop that can measure things.

To be honest, still very much in two minds about the whole recumbent/upright thing - may end up going back to the dark side ...
 
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