Neck pain

[Phileas]

So I've just finished my first tour and one of the issues I've encountered is an unusual kind of neck pain which is still causing an annoyance while cycle-commuting.

It's very localised to the most prominent vertebra at the base of my neck and it's quite a sharp, stabbing sort of pain.

It's not constant and it more or less disappears soon after getting off the bike.

Does anyone recognise these symptoms?

[Vorpal]

My supposition would be that you have too much weight on your hands. This often leads to people hunching their shoulders when tired, which in turn can lead to the kind of pain you describe.

The solution is probably to move your saddle back & down, then (if necessary) adjust your handlebars to compensate.

See viewtopic.php?f=5&t=74985 for more information.

[Phileas]

Thank you, that's very helpful.

[wheel71]

I have arthritis in my neck (too many years BMXing), being relaxed on the bike is the only thing that helps. Obviously good bike set up too.

[iandriver]

I have arthritis in my neck (too many years BMXing), being relaxed on the bike is the only thing that helps. Obviously good bike set up too.

+1 for forcing yourself to relax your shoulders on the bike,especially when climbing. Make yourself drop your shoulders and loosen up the upper half of your body. Amazing how many people tense up when on a bike in the shoulders (used to be me too).

[simonhill]

Maybe useful to say what sort of bike. Drops or flats, this makes a difference.

My mate had neck problems and ended up with a very upright position on his flats. He also used a mirror to avoid turning his head too far.

Due to his recent death, I have inherited his bike. It is only one size bigger than mine (2 cms), but feels massive compared to my much lower flat bar position.

[Phileas]

I've adjusted the saddle position back and down. I haven't had a chance to try it yet but here's a couple of photos showing me on the bike. Is my knee a bit too bent at the bottom of the stroke?

[531colin]

Those images are from my guide to bike set up, which you can download from here...http://wheel-easy.org.uk/ride-calendar.html
I think I'm sitting a bit further back than you, and you can see that I have very little weight on my hands.
It would be difficult to get much more upright that you are, on a bike with drop bars.

[Phileas]

Thanks. I do seem to be somewhat upright. I'm not sure how much further back I can put the saddle on that post. I'll do some more fiddling.

[Vorpal]

Thanks. I do seem to be somewhat upright. I'm not sure how much further back I can put the saddle on that post. I'll do some more fiddling.

Some seat post / saddle combinations don't allow the saddle to be set back far enough. You may need to get a different seat post

More links to other threads...
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37587
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=101711
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=104331
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=89739

Lots more than these. Lay back seat posts come up quite a lot on here.

[Phileas]

Thanks again.

I put the saddle back as far as it goes and went out for a ride with a couple of Allen keys. Not surprisingly, the weight on my hands is much less and I can easily ride on two fingers.

The position felt a bit strange so I adjusted the saddle height and slope a few times and I think I'm getting there.

The uprightness "issue" is, I guess, less important? I can play with handlebar height and I think I've got a longer stem in the shed I can try.

[531colin]

I assumed you were as upright as that deliberately, because of neck pain.
I would say, only look to get lower when you are certain you have fixed the neck pain, it takes a while to adapt to riding.

[MikeDee]

My supposition would be that you have too much weight on your hands. This often leads to people hunching their shoulders when tired, which in turn can lead to the kind of pain you describe.

The solution is probably to move your saddle back & down, then (if necessary) adjust your handlebars to compensate.

See viewtopic.php?f=5&t=74985 for more information.

I disagree with this. You shouldn't change your saddle position to make up for reach to the bars. That will screw up your pedaling position and lead to other issues with the knee, crotch, or lower back. Seems like a shorter reach to the bars (shorter stem) and/or raising the stem is in order. Maybe handlebar width. I recommend you get a professional bike fit though.

[Vorpal]

My supposition would be that you have too much weight on your hands. This often leads to people hunching their shoulders when tired, which in turn can lead to the kind of pain you describe.

The solution is probably to move your saddle back & down, then (if necessary) adjust your handlebars to compensate.

See viewtopic.php?f=5&t=74985 for more information.

I disagree with this. You shouldn't change your saddle position to make up for reach to the bars. That will screw up your pedaling position and lead to other issues with the knee, crotch, or lower back. Seems like a shorter reach to the bars (shorter stem) and/or raising the stem is in order. Maybe handlebar width. I recommend you get a professional bike fit though.

But saddle position is a more likely reason than reach to have too much weight on the hands.

If the problem is reach, you are correct. But if the OP has too much weight on his hands, that more likely to be saddle position than reach.

It's not a good idea to maove a saddle to compensate for a reach problem, but it's also not a good idea to move handlebars to compensate for a position problem.

Anyway, it seems to be helping the OP to move his saddle down and back.

[bainbridge]

Dumbell exercises resolved my neckache.

Just did the exercises on the sheet that came with the dumbells and slowly increased the reps and weight and the neck pain disappeared.

In the run up to a tour I start reducing the weight and increasing the reps so by the time of the tour I'm just doing lots of reps with the just the bars.