How to AVOID Neck Pain when Cycling

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
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West Wales
How to avoid neck pain? Don't ride a bike !
It can be reduced, however, by:
Not having drop bars.
Raising the bar centre up to or higher than the saddle nose.
Installing swept back bars that incorporate a rise. (Helps with wrist pain too).
All this is dreadful for aerodynamics but, hey, we ride assisted bikes don't we?
Best way to negate neck pain? Buy a recumbent :p (Retreats to bunker with popcorn in hand)
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,268
30,652
How to avoid neck pain?

Ride sitting upright with comfort handlebars, like the Dutch, the Danes, the Germans, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Africans, the Indians and numerous others in the third world.

Together well over half the entire world's population, they are hardly likely to be wrong.
.
 

chris_n

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 29, 2016
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Niedeau, Austria
As a 60 something I don't have neck or back pain with low bars on my cross country MTB or drops on my road bike. I do find that on a hardtail bike if I'm too upright I doo get lower back pain if the surface is rough.
 
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Az.

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 27, 2022
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Plymouth
As a 60 something I don't have neck or back pain with low bars on my cross country MTB or drops on my road bike. I do find that on a hardtail bike if I'm too upright I doo get lower back pain if the surface is rough.
Perhaps suspension seatpost would help?
 

chris_n

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 29, 2016
755
454
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Niedeau, Austria
Perhaps suspension seatpost would help?
The point being I don't need such a thing (and I use a dropper), if you are too upright the shocks go straight up your spine. There is a however though, following hernia surgery with a titanium mesh implant maybe I will move to full suss for my EMTB but road bike is still no problem
 

Raboa

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 12, 2014
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A bike fit is a good thing to do if you want to be fully aligned.
 

portals

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2022
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Dutch style more upright handle bars, suspension seat and comfy seat are on my to do list this summer (along with mudguards and panniers)...

My bottom back gets sore enough after 1/2 hrs and I thought riding the bike would strengthen my wrists but that doesn't seem to be happening, they get sore too so I think my posture is bad.

A year ago the look of the bike was important to me, not so much now, looking for comfort these days.

LBS guy advised against getting front suspension forks, he said most are cr@p unless you spend a lot...
 
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portals

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2022
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Thanks for the link, I'll need to check out if it will fit on my bike, might well be worth a punt!
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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West Sx RH
Redshifts are quite good and the blurb say's 70% of shock is removed .
I have them fitted to two of my non suspension bikes and they are good at damping shocks.
 
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Bikes4two

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 21, 2020
1,020
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Havant
I discovered after several long tours (2 weeks plus) that the neck pain I got was down to wearing vari-focals as I was craning my neck up a lot to focus in on the nearby obstacles on the road/towpath/bridleways.

Fortunately I now no longer need to wear glasses so for me the problem is no more.
 
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portals

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 15, 2022
675
188
I discovered after several long tours (2 weeks plus) that the neck pain I got was down to wearing vari-focals as I was craning my neck up a lot to focus in on the nearby obstacles on the road/towpath/bridleways.

Fortunately I now no longer need to wear glasses so for me the problem is no more.
Yes I've had that problem in past (maybe 2 yrs ago), whilst working and putting screen on my big 32 monitor, you end up tilting you head upwards straining your neck to get the correct focus through vari-focals.

My prescription has changed since then and I haven't yet bothered to get new glasses as I can now see without tilting neck... :)
 
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grumpyG

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 30, 2023
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There's a very good way, thatbwirk snfie me after knee replacements, but it can be expensive...52577