# Major neck pain... Normal for Road bikes?



## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

I've been riding my RB for a month now.. My lower back first acted up.. even 5-10 miles my lower back hurt.. Eventually it went away.. My twitch muscles must of built up or something.. but my lower back is good now..

Just went 30 miles.. further than I normally go in my beginning stages of Road biking..

Right around mile 20, my neck was killing me... I guess its from being bent over and holding my head to look forward.. 

I know there are two types of pain with biking.. one that can be adjusted and one that your body will get used to it and it will go away..

Is this one of them?

Thanks


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## 32counter (Feb 6, 2011)

I believe it starts to go away. The pain in the back of my neck has been occuring later and later in my long rides. I also noticed that it is more likely to occur earlier if I am riding into a head wind and I am spending more time in my drops.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

You may want to go to your LBS and get a proper fit - probably will help more than anything else you can do at this point.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

Yea I got a proper fit.. I feel its the one thing my LBS did right.. and took his time with.. Many adjustments..

Everything else is fine.. I'm sitting here though and my neck still hurts... I hope its like 32counter says and it will go away..

I mean it is something I assume people have to get used to.. The position a RB puts us in is not the same as sitting on a chair at home or in your car.. So I just hope its one of those things that you build up strength for,,??


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

I had the same problem, it went away after a couple of months after my muscled built a little more. Lofl


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

It's hard to diagnose over the internet but here are some thoughts

It should go away with more experience but it might not be the neck muscles.

It's common for a newer rider to ride with what I call a death grip on the bars..You are tense and grabbing the bars so tight that the tension goes all the way up the arms to your neck

Try relaxing your grip and shoulders....

I ride a lot of miles every year and I will still get neck pain when riding in a tense situation(severe traffic, slippery conditions, etc). I have to constantly remind myself in those situations to relax my hands and shoulders.....


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## teddysaur (Dec 30, 2004)

+1 on going away after a while. However it will still come back on longer rides.

A proper bike fit does not mean it is a fit for you. A bike fit for pro-cyclist is also not for seasoned sportive cyclist. There is a reason why there are many type of bike fit: Lemond, french, etc.

Lemond should be the most upright position (not the flattest but can compact for aerodynamic effects). You may want to talk to your bike shop or search the internet. I would believe your reach (saddle to handlebar) may be too long.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*On- bike stretching*



fastfed said:


> I've been riding my RB for a month now.. My lower back first acted up.. even 5-10 miles my lower back hurt.. Eventually it went away.. My twitch muscles must of built up or something.. but my lower back is good now..
> 
> Just went 30 miles.. further than I normally go in my beginning stages of Road biking..
> 
> ...


It is most likely something you will adapt to. Try doing on-bike stretches: push your head one way and pull with the opposite hand, reach behind you with your arm locked straight, scrunch your shoulders like you were trying to touch your ears with your shoulders, sit up and touch your hands together behind your back, roll your head around on your shoulders, etc.

Also, look from side to side as you are riding. The pain may be coming from keeping your head in a fixed position for too long.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Good advice so far. 

Are you sitting on your saddle correctly? If you roll your hips forward and flatten your back, it takes pressure off your neck....it takes practice, but in addition to reducing neck strain, it recruits the large muscles in your glutes and hamstrings. 

Len


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

fastfed said:


> Right around mile 20, my neck was killing me... I guess its from being bent over and holding my head to look forward..


Sounds like tension, from gripping the bar too tight, from holding your arms/shoulders too tight, to holding your head/neck too tight. Keep your back straight, don't "lean" on the bars.

Get a proper fit, relax a bit, and enjoy. Riding shouldn't hurt.


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## eyezlee (Nov 28, 2009)

What kind of sunglasses are you wearing? When i first started riding, I was wearing shades that were too low to my brow and forced me to "look up" basically crane my neck to see down the road.

I wearing Oakley radar path now and the problem is gone.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

I got a proper fit RJP.. I mean.. Once again, how do I really know if it was proper or not? I feel ok on the bike.. Except now my neck hurts..

But maybe you guys are right, with this tension talk.. Is this common for people new to "ROAD BIKES"

I've mountain biked for years.. Mountain biked on the road for years.. So is this normal for road bikes only or general riding?

I don't feel as if I'm that tense.. but I will agree my new bike feels like a rocket ship sometimes.. So I do grab the bars pretty tightly many times..


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## Ryder321 (Sep 8, 2009)

fastfed said:


> Right around mile 20, my neck was killing me... I guess its from being bent over and holding my head to look forward.


<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> 
Are you still wearing your mountain bike helmet, Fastfed? Does it have a visor attached?

If so, there's your problem right there. The visor forces the rider of a road bike to crane his neck back unnaturally to see out from beneath the visor. Either remove the visor if that's possible, or purchase a road helmet.

You might also wish to consider taking a break from your road bike. Ride your mountain bike for a change of pace. Trade off rides on your two bikes until your body adapts to the new stresses imposed by the more bent-over riding position of the road bike.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

You'll get used to it as you ride more. The muscles in your neck will become stronger from holding your head in that position. I started riding about the same time the pyramids were built & I still get a little discomfort on centuries. For riders new to the road I think this is a common malady.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

Flexibility and core strength are your friends, and you can't have too much of either.

As with any athletic endeavor, the better you get, the more efficient you are with how you engage your muscles. I call it functional tension- just enough muscle application to achieve the task at hand and no more. Any excess is just wasted energy.


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## teddysaur (Dec 30, 2004)

fastfed said:


> I got a proper fit RJP.. I mean.. Once again, how do I really know if it was proper or not? I feel ok on the bike.. Except now my neck hurts..
> 
> But maybe you guys are right, with this tension talk.. Is this common for people new to "ROAD BIKES"
> 
> ...


Your body will feedback to you naturally. E.g. after riding 2-3hrs, my hand position will be further back from the hoods and on the bars. It may be to ease pain/sore/numbness/tiredness on the neck, shoulder, wrist, arm, lower back. This is telling me that I'm not on a natural position. So I reduce my stem by 2cm and naturally it fixes many of my aching problems.

I have taken a quote from Andy Pruitt (http://www.cptips.com/bkefit.htm)
3. Your most comfortable riding position should be with hands on the brake lever hoods. This is the "neutral position" from where you can move to the tops near the stem or the drops. When you get the on-hoods position right, these other locations will be usable, too.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

teddysaur said:


> +1 on going away after a while. However it will still come back on longer rides.
> 
> A proper bike fit does not mean it is a fit for you. A bike fit for pro-cyclist is also not for seasoned sportive cyclist. There is a reason why there are many type of bike fit: Lemond, french, etc.
> 
> Lemond should be the most upright position (not the flattest but can compact for aerodynamic effects). You may want to talk to your bike shop or search the internet. I would believe your reach (saddle to handlebar) may be too long.


:thumbsup: 

Different types of fit for different riders and different types of riding.

though my neck & lower back pain is from a car accident a few years ago (neck is literally bent the wrong way).... good thing my chiropractor is a mountain biker & a roadie


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## askmass (Sep 28, 2009)

teddysaur said:


> ...I would believe your reach (saddle to handlebar) may be too long.


This could very well be the culprit.

We did a long ride Saturday and unknown to me the saddle was slowly sliding back all day long. I realized I started to feel really stretched out more and more as the day progressed, but it was windy and with group conversation/competition I didn't dwell on it and just rode hard.

Woke up Sunday with major neck pain, checked the bike and found the saddle had slid all the way back during the ride.

Too much reach will make your neck a wreck!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

askmass said:


> *This could very well be the culprit*.
> 
> We did a long ride Saturday and unknown to me the saddle was slowly sliding back all day long. I realized *I started to feel really stretched out *more and more as the day progressed, but it was windy and with group conversation/competition I didn't dwell on it and just rode hard.
> 
> ...


Possible, but in the OP's case unlikely, IMO. He doesn't mention scooting forward in the saddle and has no back pain - both usually an effect of excessive reach. If it's a fit issue, it's more likely related to bar _height_. 

Seeing as the OP's only been riding a month, while raising the bars may help in the interim, I think this has more to do with acclimating to road riding and incorporating some of the on-bike stretches that have been mentioned.

Here's a good quick reference to bike fit. Specifically, note the sections on bar height/ reach (#5 & 6).
http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html

Some other things to be aware of that may help with the upper body soreness/ stiffness:

- Change hand positions frequently, keeping your upper body relaxed and arms slightly bent.

- Keep an adaquate grasp of the bars, _but not tight_.

- Periodically sit upright and 'roll your shoulders'. When safe to do so, roll your head - both effective in loosening neck/ shoulder muscles.

- One side at a time, remove your hands from the bars and rotate/ stretch/ twist your arms and wrists. Basically, do some on bike stretches.

- Wear padded/ gel gloves and use good quality/ gel bar tape.


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## Allez Rouge (Jan 1, 1970)

It could also be a poor habit, or what amounts to poor posture on the bike. Despite nearly 20 years of riding seriously, I _still_ have a tendency to hunch my shoulders up toward my ears, which tenses up my neck muscles and leads to tightness (at best) or stabbing pains (at worst) toward the end of a long ride. When I catch myself doing this and remember to relax, I'm fine; but for whatever reason, I can't seem to completely eliminate this bad habit.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

Ryder321 said:


> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->
> Are you still wearing your mountain bike helmet, Fastfed? Does it have a visor attached?
> 
> If so, there's your problem right there. The visor forces the rider of a road bike to crane his neck back unnaturally to see out from beneath the visor. Either remove the visor if that's possible, or purchase a road helmet.
> ...



No.. I got a nice Road Helmet.. No visor.. 

AS for switching off on bikes.. lol.. I really want to do it.. but I was explaining this to my friend who has another bike.. a MTB as well.. He was talking about switching it up..

I honestly want to.. but its like the time I bought an E46 M3, had my TDI golf and a race car Mustang.. Was going to use the TDI as my daily driver and the M3 for friday/weekend drives.. LOL It never worked out.. Every time I would walk outside to drive the VW GOLF, I would think of how smooth and nice the M3 was.. So the Golf never got driven..

Its like this bike.. I'm going to jump on my tank of a bike when I have a ferrari right next to it. lol

I'm not sure if I'm stretching to much.. But maybe that can be an issue? My LBS when fitting me did roll thebars down a good amount.. but my seat is almost the same height as the bars.. 

My headset has 2 big spacers in it.. I think I can remove them one day as I progress..


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

fastfed said:


> No.. I got a nice Road Helmet.. No visor..
> 
> AS for switching off on bikes.. lol.. I really want to do it.. but I was explaining this to my friend who has another bike.. a MTB as well.. He was talking about switching it up..
> 
> ...


With fuel prices.... maybe the TDI is starting to look better.

with the MTB vs. Roadie analogy.... when I'm in the mood for single track & technical trails, I'm pretty sure I'm riding the tank, instead of the ferrari


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

Allez Rouge said:


> It could also be a poor habit, or what amounts to poor posture on the bike. Despite nearly 20 years of riding seriously, I _still_ have a tendency to hunch my shoulders up toward my ears, which tenses up my neck muscles and leads to tightness (at best) or stabbing pains (at worst) toward the end of a long ride. When I catch myself doing this and remember to relax, I'm fine; but for whatever reason, I can't seem to completely eliminate this bad habit.


This habit _could_ be a fit issue, you know. Have you tried experimenting with stem length, bar height and shape, and hood position lately?


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## Ryder321 (Sep 8, 2009)

fastfed said:


> No.. I got a nice Road Helmet.. No visor..


<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Oh well. That would have been too easy, I guess. 

You're suffering from over-use syndrome, obviously. Your enthusiasm has exceeded your body's ability to adapt to the new stresses. You just need time to adapt.

Speaking of which, how's your knee doing with all these hours and miles on your new road bike? You're recovering well from your surgery, I hope. Take care of those knees; you're just a kid, yet, with a long future of riding in front of you. (I'm in my sixties.) 

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Fastfed wrote: "AS for switching off on bikes.. lol.. I really want to do it.. but I was explaining this to my friend..."

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> *Your friend?*

Oops! "It's getting super creepy, Bro."

I roared when I read that! You guys are a treat. :thumbsup:

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> 
Fastfed wrote: "... I bought an E46 M3, had my TDI golf and a race car Mustang.
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> 
Cool! I wish M3s weren't so expensive.

You've got good taste in cars, if you don't mind me saying so. Do you race in SCCA road racing or Solo II auto-x, or drag racing, or...?

Fastfed wrote: "I'm not sure if I'm stretching to much.. But maybe that can be an issue?" 

It's certainly possible, sure. The main thing is that your body needs time to adapt to the unaccustomed stress.

Fastfed wrote: "...my seat is almost the same height as the bars.. My headset has 2 big spacers in it.. I think I can remove them one day as I progress.."

Lowering your profile to become more aerodynamic and decrease your wind drag will certainly help you to increase your average speed. It's possible, but unlikely, that you could find even greater comfort by lowering your bars more, but there's probably no good reason to do that unless you're looking for more speed.

Speed is good. Pursue it to your heart's content, but don't lower your bars more than is comfortable ... just because some gung-ho racers on forums advocate it and display an elitist, sneering attitude towards those who don't follow suit. Adjust your bike to fit YOUR anatomy and needs, whatever they may be.

*"We are each an experiment of one."*
-Dr. George Sheehan (American runner, writer, philosopher, and cardiologist. 1918 - 1993)


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

Ryder321 said:


> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Oh well. That would have been too easy, I guess.
> 
> You're suffering from over-use syndrome, obviously. Your enthusiasm has exceeded your body's ability to adapt to the new stresses. You just need time to adapt.
> 
> ...


Thanks.. 

I'm going to do 20 miles today.. Just because.. Well, I like to ride, lol.. My neck still hurts a little, but I'm going to try and adjust my riding position and be less tense on todays ride..

I sold the M3.. I never got started with the racing part of it.. I mean I took it to the track, 1/4 mile a bunch of times.. But wanted to do some auto X, but never did.. Economy took a dive and I sold both my 88 Mustang with a 338 Blower motor, full spool in the back.. Car could run 9's.. and my Stock M3..

If I could have any of them back, it would be my mustang


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## Allez Rouge (Jan 1, 1970)

kbwh said:


> This habit _could_ be a fit issue, you know. Have you tried experimenting with stem length, bar height and shape, and hood position lately?


Yes; in fact I've just had a let's-start-from-scratch professional fitting within the last few months. Couple of minor changes, but for the most part I ended up pretty much where I started out. I did change to narrower bars, to better match my shoulder width; I'll concede that using too-wide bars may well have contributed to the formation of the bad habit.

I'm generally very comfortable on the bike, and my fitter told me early on that there wasn't much we needed to do to improve my position. I maintain a light grip on the bars (always have) and keep my elbows nice and loose (again, always have), but if I don't watch myself I invariably end up lifting my shoulders up toward my ears. If I really stay on top of things -- you know: "HEY, DUMMY! YOU'RE DOING IT AGAIN! RELAX YOUR SHOULDERS!" -- I can reel off one of my usual 50- to 60-milers and not feel a thing afterward. The hunching is just a stupid thing I do unconsciously, the way some people tap their feet or drum their fingers or whatever.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

all this talk about being tense.. I just did a nice 20 mile ride.. And guess what.. I'm always doing the shoulders up thing while riding.. I guess I've always been tense.. So I really focused on being loose.. Making sure not to squeeze the bars to tightly.. I kinda made believe I had no muscles in my arms.. Kept everything very loose.. Seems to of worked well..


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## SlurpeeKing (Jul 23, 2010)

Ryder321 said:


> [/FONT]<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Fastfed wrote: "AS for switching off on bikes.. lol.. I really want to do it.. but I was explaining this to my friend..."
> 
> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <woNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> *Your friend?*
> 
> ...


*My friend* is obsessed with me, it's really unhealthy.


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## esac (Jun 1, 2010)

just a thought to the OP and as someone already posted.. if you are wearing any kind of eyewear, you may be craning your neck as your glasses slide down your nose. especially true if you are wearing perscription glasses or casual sunglasses.


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

esac said:


> just a thought to the OP and as someone already posted.. if you are wearing any kind of eyewear, you may be craning your neck as your glasses slide down your nose. especially true if you are wearing perscription glasses or casual sunglasses.


interesting.... I do wear sunglasses and headphones.. Both the headphones and glasses go together well though.. I use the Rocketfish bluetooth type and added with the glasses it makes a very nice snug fit.. The glasses are kinda locked into place.. They never need adjusting.. Adding the helmet just complete locks everything in place.

I would also like to note that I noticed my helmet was loose.. My bottom chin strap was basically hanging really loose around my chin.. Plus the roller adjustment in the back of my head needed to be tightened.. The fact that my helmet used to slide up and down made me compensate many times..

But I feel the Less tense trick is working.. Honestly my neck is hurting right now from yesterday.. It was really bad all day today, I was thinking "What am I nuts, why am I not taking a day off" but I'm glad I didn't.. I did 20 miles today and just relaxed my entire body, kept everything loose, didn't try killing myself.. and my MPH was just as good and my body feels great!

I think tomorrow though I need a day off.. 50 miles in 2 days is a lot for me..


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## fastfed (Jan 13, 2011)

SlurpeeKing said:


> *My friend* is obsessed with me, it's really unhealthy.



Ummm, that's why you just asked me to book a hotel for the MS ride in the keys coming up.. and what was it you wanted me to ask for "A king size bed" 

who's obsessed..


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## thehungrypalekar (Jan 14, 2014)

*nailed it!*

Thanks sooo much Dave Hickey... I now know why I get the pain!!!

nailed it!!



Dave Hickey said:


> It's hard to diagnose over the internet but here are some thoughts
> 
> It should go away with more experience but it might not be the neck muscles.
> 
> ...


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

fastfed said:


> interesting.... I do wear sunglasses and headphones.. Both the headphones and glasses go together well though.. I use the Rocketfish bluetooth type and added with the glasses it makes a very nice snug fit.. The glasses are kinda locked into place.. They never need adjusting.. Adding the helmet just complete locks everything in place.
> 
> I would also like to note that I noticed my helmet was loose.. My bottom chin strap was basically hanging really loose around my chin.. Plus the roller adjustment in the back of my head needed to be tightened.. The fact that my helmet used to slide up and down made me compensate many times..
> 
> ...


Have you ever tested a more endurance oriented bike with a taller headtube and shorter top tube or shorter stem on your bike? After reading some of your comments, I am wondering whether your set up has you in too agressive of a position for your body. You might be too stretched out. I have no idea what you ride now, but endurance geometry bikes can take some of the pressure off of your shoulders and neck by by shortening the top tube a bit and raising the head tube. Similar things can be accomplished with a change in stems and how your handlebars are set up. It might be a better set up for you and it might be wise to have someone else take a look at you set up/fit. 

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/beginners-corner/race-endurance-geometry-307157.html


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

I hate to say it but I would ignore many responses in this thread. Sore neck, back and tingling hands seem to happen to every new rider.If you have only been riding your road bike for a month you need to ride more and get your core strength up. Make sure when you ride you keep a very light grip on the bars - try to keep all of your weight off the handle bars. Do this this make sure your elbows are bent. You have to continually focus on this, rack up the miles and months and give your body time to adapt.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Donn12 said:


> I hate to say it but I would ignore many responses in this thread. Sore neck, back and tingling hands seem to happen to every new rider.If you have only been riding your road bike for a month you need to ride more and get your core strength up. Make sure when you ride you keep a very light grip on the bars - try to keep all of your weight off the handle bars. Do this this make sure your elbows are bent. You have to continually focus on this, rack up the miles and months and give your body time to adapt.


It's your body and your bike, so by all means do what you like. I highly recommend not ignoring consistent and recurring pain from your body even in the beginning of cycling. Here's a little story about a guy named rashad. 

On my way to training for a triathlon in order to lose 30 or so pounds and get my blood pressure in check, I fell in love with cycling. 
after doing my research, I went out and bought the best entry level bike I could afford (and liked), a shiny new Felt F85. The guys at the shop I went to set me up during a fit session, but started fighting (literally) over what size bike was best for me in the middle. I had no clue what they were talking about, and just listened and nodded my head, excited and distracted by the idea of riding my new bike. 

I got my bike and started racking up miles only to constantly find myself in pain in my groin and shoulders and back after many rides. I tried a change in saddle and saddle set up, but that didn't really do anything. I searched the web for info and everyone suggested that it would let up after a while if "I just kept riding" but it didn't. I finally went to another shop just to check out carbon bikes on a whim (because I was starting to wonder if it was the frame material). Once the Trek guy fit me for a test ride (on a size 52cm), it became clear that there was no way that I should be riding a size 54 Felt F Series at *5'6 1/2"*. I was on the wrong size bike for like 6 months man, suffering unnecessarily. If the pain isn't easing up, please have someone else look at your fit (including your stem length, rise angle and handlebars). If it's dialed in, then great (at least you know), but if it isn't, then you may save yourself some series pain and/or injury.


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## slope (Aug 9, 2012)

I have MTB'ed for years, never had any pain.
Now I'm trying out RB'ing and it is painful!!


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