Cramped Neck/Shoulders ?

I developed something similar after riding through last (mild) winter with a helmet-mounted
headlight. Keeping my head up higher than normal gave long-term neck problems. -Bill "(Pete
Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm good for about 2 1/2 hours of MTB riding before the base of my neck

and the

Quoted message said:

nearby shoulder muscles start to ache. After that my main train of

thought

Quoted message said:

revolves around getting home and into a nice hot shower.

I've been riding 3-4 times a week, 1.5-2.5 hours per ride for a couple

years

Quoted message said:

now, so I'm guessing that the answer doesn't lie in more time on the bike.

I switched to a lighter helmet and that may have made a small diff.

I notice that if I concentrate on keeping my spine straighter - even when

fully

Quoted message said:

aero - it seems to help some... but neither of those has solved the

problem.

Quoted message said:

Has anybody had this problem and overcome it?
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

"(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm good for about 2 1/2 hours of MTB riding before the base of my neck

and the

Quoted message said:

nearby shoulder muscles start to ache. After that my main train of

thought

Quoted message said:

revolves around getting home and into a nice hot shower.

I've been riding 3-4 times a week, 1.5-2.5 hours per ride for a couple

years

Quoted message said:

now, so I'm guessing that the answer doesn't lie in more time on the bike.

I switched to a lighter helmet and that may have made a small diff.

I notice that if I concentrate on keeping my spine straighter - even when

fully

Quoted message said:

aero - it seems to help some... but neither of those has solved the

problem.

Quoted message said:

Has anybody had this problem and overcome it?

I think that we all have had that problem at one time or another. Usually goes away after 5-6 weeks
on the bike.

If you still have pain you can strengthen you neck muscles by doing specific exercises for the neck.

exrx.netDirectory.htmlOpen ↗

Dashii

Quoted message said:

-----------------------
PeteCresswell

(Pete Cresswell) said:

I'm good for about 2 1/2 hours of MTB riding before the base of my neck and the nearby shoulder
muscles start to ache. After that my main train of thought revolves around getting home and into a
nice hot shower.

I've been riding 3-4 times a week, 1.5-2.5 hours per ride for a couple years now, so I'm guessing
that the answer doesn't lie in more time on the bike.

I switched to a lighter helmet and that may have made a small diff.

I notice that if I concentrate on keeping my spine straighter - even when fully aero - it seems to
help some... but neither of those has solved the problem.

Has anybody had this problem and overcome it?
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

The major contributor to this is too low a bar relative to the saddle. Get the bar higher.

You can read about this at rivendellbicycles.comrr comfposition.htmlOpen ↗

Wayne

Make sure your seat isn't tilted down at all at the front. Any downward tilt shoves you towards the
bars, so you actually spend your entire ride pushing back with your arms/shoulders to maintain your
position on the seat. Neck & shoulders are where the tension & pain show up.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

"(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm good for about 2 1/2 hours of MTB riding before the base of my neck

and the

Quoted message said:

nearby shoulder muscles start to ache. After that my main train of

thought

Quoted message said:

revolves around getting home and into a nice hot shower.

I've been riding 3-4 times a week, 1.5-2.5 hours per ride for a couple

years

Quoted message said:

now, so I'm guessing that the answer doesn't lie in more time on the bike.

I switched to a lighter helmet and that may have made a small diff.

I notice that if I concentrate on keeping my spine straighter - even when

fully

Quoted message said:

aero - it seems to help some... but neither of those has solved the

problem.

Quoted message said:

Has anybody had this problem and overcome it?
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

(Pete Cresswell) said:

I'm good for about 2 1/2 hours of MTB riding before the base of my neck and the nearby shoulder
muscles start to ache. After that my main train of thought revolves around getting home and into a
nice hot shower.

I've been riding 3-4 times a week, 1.5-2.5 hours per ride for a couple years now, so I'm guessing
that the answer doesn't lie in more time on the bike.

I switched to a lighter helmet and that may have made a small diff.

I notice that if I concentrate on keeping my spine straighter - even when fully aero - it seems to
help some... but neither of those has solved the problem.

Has anybody had this problem and overcome it?
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

Don't discount fit... it could be that your seat is too high relative to your bars... ( a factor
that changes as you age and as you spend more time on or off your bike). Your seat could also be too
close to the bars causing you too hunch your back/shoulders. If your saddle is even slightly nose
down you will find that you are going to be sliding forward and fighting that. Your bars could be
too wide for your shoulders keeping your elbows locked more often.

Your problem sounds to be one of fit. Your handlebars should be no lower than your seat, preferably
slightly higher. Your seat shoyuld be level, if it's tipped down too much in the fromt, you'll
create a lot of strain just trying not to slide off. Also, make sure your saddle is not too far
back. I recently made a slight forwards adjustment on my road saddle and my back ache dissapeared
completely.

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

(Pete Cresswell) said:

I'm good for about 2 1/2 hours of MTB riding before the base of my neck and the nearby shoulder
muscles start to ache. After that my main train of thought revolves around getting home and into a
nice hot shower.

I've been riding 3-4 times a week, 1.5-2.5 hours per ride for a couple years now, so I'm guessing
that the answer doesn't lie in more time on the bike.

I switched to a lighter helmet and that may have made a small diff.

I notice that if I concentrate on keeping my spine straighter - even when fully aero - it seems to
help some... but neither of those has solved the problem.

Has anybody had this problem and overcome it?
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

Like others have said- handlebar height. I had a new (to me) bike that had a lower handlebar than I
was used to, and after a week or so, my neck was killing me. Right at the base, top of the
shoulders. I put on a new stem that raised the bars an inch but kept them at the same distance.
Problem disappeared immediately and hasn't come back.

If I need to be lower, I bend my elbows. If the bars are too low, there is no way to make my
arms longer.

Any changes in your work or other situations that could lead to different neck/shoulder strains? A
new chair, working more at a computer that isn't set up quite right, a new car, any activity where
neck and shoulder positions can make a difference? Or just getting older.... putting on weight
around the belly can make it harder to lean forward without arching the back and having to hold the
neck at a harder angle. Or stiffness- do some stretching.