I just had a cervical fusion, so I'm an expert on neck pain

My physical therapist is also a cyclist - the only way to go! Here's what he says about neck pain:

1. Make sure that your shoulders are not drawn up to your ears. Bring them down and back. Even when you're driving, on your computer, etc. You can usually get a little more downward motion in your shoulders.

2. To stretch your neck, do the "tuck 'n' roll". Shoulders are down, head is level. Push your head backwards. Now look down. You want your cervical spine to form a "C" curve. Hold for ten seconds (or as long as the stop light allows.)

Also, just moving your head all the way to the right (ten seconds) and left (ten seconds) is good.

He does NOT like the "draw the alphabet with your nose" (I'm the author of that one) because he said neck vertebrae are not designed to move like that.

Never, ever stretch your neck by looking backwards. Compresses the disks. You know - the position of our necks on our road bikes. Yeah, that one.

Signed - she who road her bike with her cervical brace on (drivers really move out of the way for that!)