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Hey, looking for a bit of advice and anecdotal experiences please
I went for a fairly long and flat cycle on my flat barred mountain bike at the weekend and towards the end of the ride started to feel quite a tightness in the muscle/tendon/fleshy part of my lower neck and upper back. I usually get it when I do longer rides like this and while I can't really feel any physical swelling, it usually takes a few days to ease off - any ideas what might be causing it?
I've tilted my saddle slighter flatter and moved a couple more spacers under the stem, both of which I'm hoping will help to put less of my weight on the handlebars which might help? I've got a resistance band which I've started using as well to try and strengthen the upper back a bit. Any other ideas? Does anyone else get this?
There could be a million different reasons. However, as a starting point is the bike (and or stem) too long? Whenever I've had similar problems it's from being too stretched out on the bike.
Do you wear glasses on a ride? And do they have a bar at the top that makes you tilt your head up to see through the lens properly?
I found a lovely pair of no-name shades in a shop in Vietnam that were frameless. Cost a massive £6. Seemed steep when on the same rack were dozens of pairs of "Oakley Jawbreakers" - indistinguishable from the real thing - for £3 each.
If I go for a road ride after a few weeks away I find my neck hurts too, until the muscles get back used to it.
Have a look at AJS914 post - the vids in the middle here:
https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/neck-pain-even-after-bike-fitting/53673/2
Very simple but has helped me.
Sounds like a crick neck to me - spending a long time with your shoulders low and looking up. Sit straight in a chair and look as far up the ceiling as you can, it's a pretty un-natural position but one you can spend a long time in on a road bike. If it is that, then you could try
- Spacers under the stem (already done)
- Saddle forwards and/or shorter stem (already suggested)
- Spend less time on the drops
- Move hand position more: drops -> hoods -> bar top
- Roll your neck and shoulders from time to while riding
The glasses point is a good one!
[Edit: Good videos up there]
Thanks for the replies everyone
However, as a starting point is the bike (and or stem) too long?
I guess I'm technically not using the right tool for the job, it was almost all well surfaced cycle paths and forest trails... very gravel bike-esque, and I was on my fairly long trail/enduro bike with a 40mm stem. The bike fits well for shorter rides and especially on descents - not sure how the overall reach compares with an equivalently sized road/gravel bike but I've not really got much scope to change it without spending a lot of money!
Do you wear glasses on a ride?
No glasses but I can definitely see what you mean about straining your neck to see out of them, the peak of my helmet probably doesn't help either
If I go for a road ride after a few weeks away I find my neck hurts too, until the muscles get back used to it.
Yeah, maybe I just need to put up with it for a while and get fitter again - been a while since I've done a long distance like that but I'm hoping to do more as the weather keeps getting better
Cheers @Kryton57, I'll have a watch tonight
Thanks @tonyd, no drop bars unfortunately but I definitely do move my hands around quite a bit already - maybe I need to cop a pair of old school bar ends or something! Appreciate the rolling of neck and shoulders as well, always feel like a show off tit doing it but I was cycling along no handed at points so I could stretch my shoulders out a bit as I was riding
If it was flat I guess our position was relatively static?
It sounds a bit of a cliche but think about your core. If I had to guess of virtually no information you might be slumping your shoulder and putting weight on your arms. If you work on core strength, or just focus on engaging it you support more of your weight in your body. Think about being more active in your posture, don't slump into the bars, oppose them (does that mean anything? I know what is meant because it's something I get told in pilates when doing 4pt kneeling or plank positions)
Have a look at images for neutral neck and spine. That would probably be what I was aiming for.
https://bikedynamics.co.uk/neckpain.htm
I've had this problem every time ive bought a new bike, takes a bit of adjustment to get right. I went for a longer ride on my new bike yesterday, same thing happened to me. New bike is longer than my others, plus ive put a longer stem on too as its an XC bike rather than a trail and I thought thats what you do with XC bikes!
I plan to shift spacers under the stem, if that doesnt work, I will buy a shorter stem. I also have 800mm bars so room to cut back if necessary.
It sounds like your body isn't used to riders of this duration/effort. I certainly get pains here and there if I suddenly do a longer ride.
Yeh that sounds about right @jonba, I’ve not focused on my core in years since I stopped going to the gym - I’ll add a few of them to my upper back exercises when I get the motivation!
@cynic-al now you mention it, made me realise the feeling is similar to what I get in my knees every so often when I get back in to running and over cook the distance to quickly, hopefully we get some more dry weekends and I can keep working on these long rides, cheers!
You don't need to be super strong. Just think about using your core to take the weight off your upper body. Do it a bit when you remember and try to make it a habit. Small periods are enough to relax your neck a bit.