Neck/shoulder pain.

[Trek420]

khagelberg sez "I just have to get over feeling like I need to be a better rider not to look silly wearing the gear (I sort of feel like a pretender, like those guys who bought really expensive cowboy hats and real spurs to ride the mechanical bull in bars.)"

I always say they are called "bike clothes" for a reason ;-) They are made to make you more comfortable/safe on a bike.

Wear whatever makes you comfy and feel good about it. You're faster when you're more comfortable. So if you like wearing MTB shorts on your road bike, or roadbike shorts on a MTB, or a cowboy hat (over the helmet of course) and spurs that's fine!

"I am anxious to know whether the handlebars should be level. I ride a hybrid bike, and I have no idea."

On a hybrid your handlebars are probably above level of the saddle.

Most road bikes they are level or slightly lower.

On my road bike my handlebars are slightly above the saddle. A lot of people here ride road bikes adjusted that way. If you want to see some real puhrty road bikes that usually are fit that way check:

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/

OK, quick $0.50 tour of this.

handlebars above the saddle level = less pressure on hands, upper body, better visibility, less aerodynamic, more weight on your b***, maybe less power

handlebars below the saddle level = more pressure on hands and upper body, less visibility (you have to crane your neck up a bit to look ahead), more aerodynamic, less weight on your b***, more power because you get the strong back muscles involved when you're stretched out a bit. This is why racers bkes are fit this way.

But you're faster when you're more comfortable that's why my road bike is fit with the bars higher.

I'm just recalling a moment on the AIDS ride we were stopped at a light in Bradley (probably the only light for miles) and a gal next to me was debated aloud whether to take her jacket off. She felt over heated but worried about taking the time to doff and stow the jacket. I said "you're faster when you're more comfortable", take the jacket off you'll make up the time.

So khagelberg if your hybrid feels good you're fine.

Helen, nothing should hurt riding a bike except normal stuff for hard excercise, muscles and burning lungs and stuff. When my lower back hurts usually meens I've been neglecting my core strength....again