Cycle to work newbie - neck pain

[Manc33]

I don't know how much a riser stem affects steering on a road bike with drop bars but why not just throw one of those on if neck pain?

Getting out of the wind isn't all that.

My plan all along was to try to have a bike thats A. Got skinny 700c wheels with an all purpose 25c on. B. Is light. C. Has low gears. D. Is comfy.

Nowhere really in any of my plans did I think of getting out of the wind and becoming uncomfortable on the bike.

If I could have a leather armchair on my seatpost I would but even I have some fashion sense.

[531colin]

I don't know how much a riser stem affects steering on a road bike with drop bars.............

Less than moving your hands from drops to hoods to tops, I think.

[Flinders]

I got neck pain when cycling. Removed the helmet peak, end of problem.
In response to the earlier poster re sun in eyes, I do wear sunglasses all the time when cycling though (the sort with changeable lenses so I can adapt to the conditions- even using the clear ones if it is very dull in the winter).

[Flinders]

I got neck pain when cycling. Removed the helmet peak, end of problem.
In response to the earlier poster re sun in eyes, I do wear sunglasses all the time when cycling though (the sort with changeable lenses so I can adapt to the conditions- even using the clear ones if it is very dull in the winter).

I do drop my head forward when it's safe to do so from time to time for a short stretch of the neck and back.

[david7591]

It's possible your bars are too low or too farforward or both for comfort. Try experimenting with small adjustments to height and reach.

[Slowroad]

I got neck and shoulder pain on a recent tour, on a drop handlebar bike. It's not happened before, so I was a bit puzzled. The only thing I'd done differently was that I'd lowered the seat about a centimentre after the first day or so. I put the seat up again, and the ache almost entirely went - got one in the derriere instead! (But fairly used to that...!) I will have to experiment with the handlebar height too, couldn't shift it with the short allen keys in my touring toolkit.
Goes to show that a small difference can make a lot of difference, and not necessarily where you expect it!