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My bike is a pain in the neck
Learned bike users, I come to pick your brains.
Bikes are all still a bit foreign to me (except for the three gear bike of my childhood, that's an old friend 
) and I really am trying my best to love my road bike. The saddle issue is sorted - I think. I can spend longer on it than I used to be able to, but now I'm finding I'm getting neck/shoulder ache. Is this likely to be another fitting issue? Poor technique? Just a case of getting used to it?
Bizarrely, I think my glasses are making me tip my head into an unnatural position so I can still see through them when I'm positioned on the drops.
I've entered the Great Notts 50 mile ride next weekend, and I'm dreading to neck ache!
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Comments
When you start riding you get some neck ache however if this has persisted through a decent period of time it's time too get a proper fit, as it shouldn't hurt at all... Except maybe your underside if you know what I mean
A picture would be useful. You could be too low, too long, or a combination of both but it is hard to tell.
How tightly do you hold your handlebars? If you're hanging on for grim death that could be a factor; tension in your lower arms can cause tightness in shoulders/neck as well as magnifying vibrations from the road.
I find flipping/rotating the handlebars up a bit helps. It may not suit the purists but who cares!
I second the tension thing in your lower arms
are you staying in one particular position for too long?
Hmm, maybe I need to raise my handlebars? They're quite low, but I didn't think I had them in a death grip... it's definitely something to try though!
I tend to ride in the drops, even though it's much more comfortable on the hood. I just don't feel like I can reach the gears/brakes properly from a more upright position. To be fair, I've probably got terrible posture when I'm on a bike, but I just assumed that everyone does!