Chronic neck problems - should I get a new bike?

[kaian]

Ever since I started cycling about 3 years ago, I have had neck problems. The first bike I bought ended up being too big, so I got a Trek 1000 43cm. The 43 felt a little small and I wanted to upgrade, so I went with a 47cm Trek 1500 WSD a year later. I was professionally fitted by a well known fitter in MI on this bike. He fit me conservatively with a stem with a nice upright angle on it. My neck problems went away for a while, but then seem to come back randomly. Sometimes I feel great on the bike (did 2 centuries last summer), but then other times it will flare up and bother me for a month or longer. It is very strange. I am a very flexible person in general and again, my bike is set-up conservatively. I am scheduled to start PT for my neck for the second time in 2 years, but I can't help but wonder if I should change something about my cycling since this seems to be the thing that has sparked the issue. Doctors have not found anything wrong with me and so it gets classified as "overuse". I don't overtrain and I increase mileage/intensity at a reasonable pace.

I was thinking that maybe I should get a more upright bike??? The 1500 is more a race geometry afterall and I was wondering if a flat bar road bike or something like the Trek Pilot would solve my problems.

Anyone have experience with something similar?

[mimitabby]

Don't forget to do OTHER exercises and stretches, not just bike rides.
Bike riding doesn't work all your muscles so some muscles might be compensating for others and, well, hurting.
Core exercises are good.

And take the bike back to whoever was the last professional fit you had.

but if you want a new bike... by all means... really, you should look into
the core and stretches.

[kaian]

Oh, I do other exerices. My workout plan for a long time has been biking 3 times a week, upper body weights and core 2-3 times a week. I actually have a pretty strong back and have a decent core - I make sure to target both my lower back and abs as well as the sides of my torso. I am actually in really decent shape. I am the weight I should be and am fairly muscular. I was also doing the neck and upper back exercises I learned in PT a while ago at least twice a week.

I don't think it's a lack of strength somewhere. I really think it has to do with the straining or the hyper-extension of my neck. When this came about this time around, I was right in the midst of my regular workouts and it just came out of nowhere. Initially, my first hypothesis was that it was due to my teeth clenching when I sleep. I wear a bite guard every night, but that doesn't seem to stop the clenching. I've tried muscle relaxers and that doesn't seem to work. But still, it's weird that the neck problems seem to have started when I began cycling.

[MomOnBike]

If you do decide to look at other bikes, a recumbent might be what you need. Depending on how laid-back the bike is, your head/neck can be in a pretty neutral position. And the right 'bents are speedy (and can be spendy).

I like mine, am planning on riding RAGBRAI this year on it, in fact. It's something to consider.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think today's common handlebar-lower-than-seat geometry is really designed for racing and may not put you in the best neck position for long distance riding and centuries.
If i were you I would look into touring bikes. They are designed to keep you comfortable over long distances. Rivendell bikes are one example (like my bike), but there are other brands.
I do not think straight bars are comfortable for riding centuries. You cannot change your hand positions around hour after hour of riding. Hybrid bikes tend to have you completely upright, which might not be good for long distances either- lots of weight straight down your spine onto your seat, instead of distributed. Touring bikes are road bikes built for more distance comfort and they usually can take a variety of tire widths to make dirt/gravel roads do-able too.
Just my two cents.

[farrellcollie]

have you tried a stem riser or something like this handlebar adapter http://www.yellowjersey.org/ax50.html or a combination? I use the adapter and a friend of mine uses the riser and the adapter on her Trek road bike (she has had several neck/back surgeries for some disc problem) - it was set up for her by her lbs. The adapter brings the handlebars in closer. I use it for a bad wrist and elbow. The combination has let my friend keep using her bike - which she really liked and did not want to change.

I tried a straight bar bike and it was uncomfortable to me. To make it work (and my problem is my arm - not neck so this may not be applicable) I would have put on north bars.

Just a thought - although the new bike thing is nice too.

[Wahine]

You likely have a lack of muscle endurance and as your neck muscles fatigue your posture fails and creates pressure and so on...

Here's a post of mine on a different thread. It has links to some exercises that I think may be applicable in you case.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showp...05&postcount=4

Hope that helps.

[kaian]

Hmmm...muscle endurance. That sounds like it makes sense because doctors and PTs are always talking about strength and like I said before, I don't think it's about strength specifically or having a weakness. My muscles may be strong for quick things, but lack the endurance they need for cycling. I will try those exercises, wahine. Thanks.

A touring bike may be a good idea as well. The only thing is I think touring bikes tend to come in larger sizes and I'm pretty small. Are there any that are smaller scaled for small women?

I don't plan on racing, really. Medium and long rides tend to be my thing and perhaps my bike isn't the ideal for the longer things. My handlebars are a little higher than the seat though, with the stem I have on it. It's a 17 degree rise stem, so it's relatively upright and the length of the stem feels great to me. I don't feel too stretched out and I don't feel crowded either. It's a bummer because the bike feels good to me. I know there's more to it though, too. The bike geometry overall can effect your body position and how your body feels.

[Eden]

Don't neglect stretching/moving around when you are *on* the bike as well. I find if I get too focused on my workout or race sometimes I forget to move around a bit as I ride and I hold my head quite stiffly, which causes my neck to start aching. Try to be conscious about keeping your shoulders relaxed and moving your head around every once in a while.
One caution about getting more upright. When I was having real shoulder problems I tried something along those lines and not only did my shoulder not get better - it made my back and butt hurt too....

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

A touring bike may be a good idea as well. The only thing is I think touring bikes tend to come in larger sizes and I'm pretty small. Are there any that are smaller scaled for small women?

If you are interested...
Here is Rivendell's site:
http://www.rivbike.com/home
Check out the "weights and measures" link for each model's sizes and geometry.
The Bleriot, the Glorius (a mixte), and the Saluki would be models that come to my mind for smaller sizes. The Bleriot is cheapest, but the Saluki also comes in the very smallest size they make (47cm). I am 5'5" and ride a 54cm Rambouillet.

[KnottedYet]

Surly Long Haul Trucker is also a spiffy touring bike.

http://www.surlybikes.com/lht_comp.html

And the sizes are 42cm - 62cm.

[kaian]

Hmmm...I took a look at the touring bikes and I feel like they aren't really what I want/need. I am not going to do any loaded touring and the thought of big tires is kind of unattractive to me at this point. I may do some "touring" down the road, but what I do most are rides between 50-100 miles. Are there other bikes I may want to consider in the future (if the issues continue)? Are the Trek Pilots more upright than the 1500?

I think I would like to stick with 23-25 tires/wheels and something lightweight, but just more upright, relaxed geometry. I ride with other roadies and I have a feeling that I wouldn't keep up as well with a heavier touring bike. I'd like to keep it in the lightweight range. I've also wondered if a change of materials would help at all - in other words, riding steel or carbon as opposed to aluminum. Not sure if that would help the neck problem though.

I really appreciate all of the comments/suggestions.

[mimitabby]

I don't think the steel vs aluminum vs carbon thing is going to affect your neck.
There is definitely less choice for shorter women.
I am having a bike custom made for me with your specs. relaxed position and very light.
I got tired of messing around; but then on the other hand, I rode a Bianchi Volpe (less than 1000 dollars) and was very impressed.

keep looking, good luck

[Eden]

you could try the tennis ball stretch too - the exercises that I was given when I was having the shoulder/neck trouble didn't touch the problem, but the tennis ball stretch was a miracle.
I wrote it all out in this thread: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...t=tennis+balls

You could also make sure that you are wearing a very light helmet - and it doesn't have to be a super duper expensive one either. Some of the less expensive wsd helmets are actually lighter than the spiffy $200 ones. That is one place where shaving off a few grams might really make a practical difference.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hmmm...I took a look at the touring bikes and I feel like they aren't really what I want/need. I am not going to do any loaded touring and the thought of big tires is kind of unattractive to me at this point. I may do some "touring" down the road, but what I do most are rides between 50-100 miles. Are there other bikes I may want to consider in the future (if the issues continue)? Are the Trek Pilots more upright than the 1500?

I think I would like to stick with 23-25 tires/wheels and something lightweight, but just more upright, relaxed geometry. I ride with other roadies and I have a feeling that I wouldn't keep up as well with a heavier touring bike. I'd like to keep it in the lightweight range. I've also wondered if a change of materials would help at all - in other words, riding steel or carbon as opposed to aluminum. Not sure if that would help the neck problem though.

I really appreciate all of the comments/suggestions.

I do understand what you are saying about touring bikes.
But I would like to just point out that my DH and my steel Rivendells have 700x27cm smooth tires (not knobby), we don't put any heavy touring loads on them (yet), they are pretty quick and lively on the road, and they weigh 25 pounds with everything on them including a saddlebag with tools and tube, and water bottles. Not that heavy really. The handlebars are at the same height as the saddles- very easy on the back and neck. Touring bikes are not necessarily slow heavy clunkers with tank treads.

Mimi's bike sounds well worth checking into as well.

Jamis Bikes makes some less expensive bikes with slightly relaxed or touring geometry too. (not very heavy either)

If you are looking for a very lightweight bike that is going to give you a better neck position, I envision that might be less easy to find. The reason?- the people looking for very lightweight bikes are usually seeking fast racing bikes....and fast racing bikes are the very bikes that usually put the rider in an extreme racing position which will be hard on the neck. Most hybrid bikes will put you in a more upright position...but hybrids are not generally very lightweight bikes.

You ride long distances- 50-100 mile rides. I would think you'd feel best on a bike with relaxed geometry made for distance riding.
Ok, I'll stop now!