New pains

[Barb]

I've just been out on my third road ride of the season. I am noticing that my neck gets stiff after only 7 or 8 miles. This did not happen last year. Could my position have changed? From what I've read, a sore neck could mean I need to raise the stem a bit. I'd hate to mess around with it if my pains are just "beginning of the season pains".

On the bright side, my sitz bones aren't screaming anymore!!!

[SnappyPix]

Funny you should mention this - I've been getting shoulder pains after long rides. I've read the same thing too, about shortening the stem, raising the angle, etc. I've also read that putting too much pressure on the arms and hands can transfer road vibration up into the shoulders and neck.
At the moment I'm persevering, and trying to consciously relax my shoulders. There was a good article this month in a British cycle mag which went into great detail about how to set your bike up properly, so I'm intending to check out my riding position with their recommendations.
At the moment, I'm getting a really uncomfortable feeling in my shoulders - a bruised tenderness when I'm riding 50+ miles, which lasts for a few days.
I'm not too outstretched on my bike, as my arms always have a slight bend, even when on the hoods/drops. I've also read that frequently altering your position helps. I'm also hoping, like you, that as I get further into the season my body will adapt.
If you're interested in the article on bike fit, I'd be happy to scan it in and email it to you.

[Biking Chick]

From what I've read, a sore neck could mean I need to raise the stem a bit. I'd hate to mess around with it if my pains are just "beginning of the season pains".

I know what you mean about hating to mess around with raising/lowering/adjusting my bike if my discomfort is 'only' the start of the biking season body adjustments!

After the start of last biking season brought neck and shoulder pain which weren't attributed to stem or seat placement I decided to add additional weight workout to target those areas. The added benefit for me, was that I was in much better shape at the start of upland bird season in September.

I have continued the upper body work and am continuing to see results from the weight work-out. Starting in January I added exercises targeting abs and lower back; after our first full week of spring weather and getting out for bike rides for 5 days of 25+ miles each day, I have not had any complaints from my neck, shoulders or back. My dh on the other hand (who does not do any kind of weights) has said that his back and shoulders were 'sore' after our second ride.

The exercises and stretching moves have also made a noticeable difference in this almost 52-year old body.

Hope this helps!

[Barb]

Biking Chick....a girl after my own heart. I love upland bird hunting!

I have pretty much decided it is a combination of early season and stress causing my neck muscles to get sore. I think I will know for sure after tonights ride. The job stress has to go somewhere huh? I plan to leave the stress flattened on the road behind my wheels tonight

[slinkedog]

There is a good weight exercise you can do to help strengthen those muscles. Get a light hand weight (start at maybe 3 lbs) in each hand, seated, lean forward slightly with a flat back (like for a seated tricep kickback) and raise your arms (with a slight bend at the elbow) to shoulder height and hold for a beat or two. Try to do 3 sets of 12 reps. I need to do these, too!!

[Barb]

Sounds good! I'll give those a try

[Biking Chick]

Biking Chick....a girl after my own heart. I love upland bird hunting!

I have pretty much decided it is a combination of early season and stress causing my neck muscles to get sore. I think I will know for sure after tonights ride. The job stress has to go somewhere huh? I plan to leave the stress flattened on the road behind my wheels tonight

Barb ... nice to know there's someone else who appreciates my favorite way to enjoy the arrival of fall!

Hope you were able to 'flatten your stress'

If that doesn't work you can always shoot a few clay pigeon's ... and if THAT doesn't work there's always towanda!

[Barb]

TOWANDA!!!


Still stressed, but my exam is just 11 days away. After that there will be no rushing home from rides, only long trails for me! BTW my neck and shoulders got sore at mile 4.5 today

[Sparky]

May not be related but I had trouble with pain in my neck and a little lower. Went to the bike shop for advice I tried a couple different things and nothing helped. One day while riding my friend said she thought maybe my handlebars were too wide. Turns out she was right! Switched out handlebars end of pain. Strange that only cm can make such a difference but it did. The other thing is that I had been riding for about a year before I started having the pain.

[shewhobikes]

Barb, I'm there with you. My neck feels "scrunched up" after about 10 miles. I finished 25 yesterday and knew for sure I was putting too much pressure on arms and hands. Which was actually good confirmation that LBS and I had this one figured out. I can't keep my arms at a comfortable bend and am pressing a bit outward on the handlebars. Also had trouble, as reported here previously, with reaching the brakes with my hands.

We've ordered 42 inch bars to replace the 44--a shorter, shallower set with brakes closer to my hands. Hope they get in this week when it rains so I can be set up for next weekend.

Barb, good luck on your test! Hope your neck stops bothering you!

[LBTC]

yup, shorter bars worked for me, too!! Just got my ritchey biomax bar installed on my bike and did a 2 3/4 hour 63 km (almost 40 mile) road ride with DH yesterday. That's the longest road ride I've EVER done before! yay!

I did have some numbness in my fingers on the long scary decent, which went away soon enough. And I did get that same numbness shifting into my lightest gear in the back....just have to avoid that as I get stronger All in all, the pain in my upper body (neck, shoulders, upper back) is minimal, only what was already there from life in general, so that is a huge improvement. I used the advice I found...somewhere on line...anyway it said, measure your shoulders bone to bone in centimeters and buy a bar exactly that width. Mine were 36 cm, but I know I like a wide stance with my arms, and my previous bar was a 44 cm so I thought it would be too huge a jump and opted for the 38 cm. so far so good!

Now I just can't wait for my new saddle to get here so my "Queen of England" can stop hurting on the rides!

Happy riding everyone!

Namaste,
~T~

[SadieKate]

Congrats, LBTC, on the new PB! I find that I have to consciously move around on my road bike. Mtbing is such a whole body effort that you don't think about it, but on the pave you can really get frozen in one position. That can be incredibly fatiguing and make everything hurt.

[Barb]

My riding time has all but disappeared until I take my exam next Saturday. I am going as far as taking my bike in to the shop tonight so that I will stay home and continue studying. At least now when I can ride Carmen will be all tuned up and ready to roll!

Next Sunday will be something else! Guilt free riding for the rest of the season. I promised that to myself as long as I make it through my exam.

[LBTC]

Wow, Barb

Good luck on the exam!

I kind of get what you mean....I still haven't finished getting the receipts ready for the accountant to do the taxes. I have to review course material before and teach the last 2 Saturdays of April. And I'm trying to train my patootie off before my first mountain bike race on May 7. Did I mention that I work a 40 hour week and my dogs and cats get homemade food? yup, I feel busy. but it's almost all good!!

You will have SOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun when the guilt-free riding starts! yahoo!

[LBTC]

Congrats, LBTC, on the new PB! I find that I have to consciously move around on my road bike. Mtbing is such a whole body effort that you don't think about it, but on the pave you can really get frozen in one position. That can be incredibly fatiguing and make everything hurt.

Thanks, Sadie! It took me awhile to figure out PB = Personal Best! Yup, the mountain bike gets me moving around almost all the time. I think like a border collie on it - ever watched a border collie run through anything bumpy? when you watch them, you can't tell they're going over high and low things, they just move their legs up and down to adjust, and the top of their back pretty much stays at the same position all the time....like the cosmic crunch up a bumpy climb... very cool...

the road bike definitely takes getting used to with the much more static position. it does help to move hands from drops to hoods, to top (what do you call that part?) and down again...although long decents I'd never take my hands off the bards! Come to think of it, how the heck does Lance DO that?? riding with no hands? scares the beejeezes out of me!! especially on a skinny tired road bike! yikes!

Namaste,
~T~