Do you raise your head or your eyes?

[nikkoblu2]

I just had another stem adjustment made to my new bike to get some more comfort in my neck and upper body.

What I'm wondering is...when you're riding how much of your view out front is obtained by raising your head vs just raising your eyes?

I'm still finding my neck muscles a little too taxed and wondering if I should be lifting my eyes more than my head.

[radacrider]

I do both, sort of depends on what I am doing. I have had to push my road bike bars up to the max, so they are only about an inch lower than the top of the seat. My SUB bars are a bit higher than the top of my seat.

Might have someone watch your riding positions. Are your arms locked straight? That can have side effects on your neck. How much have your ridden the new bike? Changing from a more upright position bike to a low position road bike may take some time for your body to readjust. During and post rides, stretch out your arm/shoulders and neck to offset the strain from lifting/holding your head up.

Do you use a chiropractor? A consulation with them might be helpful. I found out I have to be careful due to an injury when I was much younger. I have some calcification in my neck vertebrae.

Good luck to you.

[nikkoblu2]

Are your arms locked straight? That can have side effects on your neck. How much have your ridden the new bike? Changing from a more upright position bike to a low position road bike may take some time for your body to readjust.
Do you use a chiropractor? A consulation with them might be helpful. I found out I have to be careful due to an injury when I was much younger. I have some calcification in my neck vertebrae.

Good luck to you.

Arms aren't locked straight. A slight bend to the elbow, I would consider it a "soft" bend. Enough to absorb bumps and the like.

I just got the bike at the end of the season and only ride on weekends. Coming from riding a Trek hybrid. As of this weekend I've put about 250 miles on her. I don't go to a chiropractor, but I recently returned to my acupuncturist for a lower left back problem that is unrelated to the bike, but has probably been exacerbated by the new position.

I haven't really given the adjustments that were made this weekend a chance, but I just got to thinking when I left the bike shop that maybe I'm lifting my head too much (I didn't think to ask this while I was there).

[JennK13]

You have to give the body time to adjust to a new "fit", so that could be some of it.
For me, it depends on what glasses I'm wearing. I try to look with my eyes my than my head, but some of my glasses obstruct my view so I HAVE to lift my head.

[jelee1311]

When I changed from hybrid to my road I had some neck shoulder pain and some of it was due to my core fitness and flexibility. Yoga and swimming have done me wonders. I also think at first I was a bit nervous because my road bike is twitchy so I was white knuckling it a bit. Maybe you already answered this but have you had a pro bike fit? That made a huge difference for me. Good luck