Neck pain
It is a common misconception that neck pain is part and parcel of cycling. That is simply not true — you don’t need to suffer in silence.
Why does neck pain occur?
On the bike we spend much of the time extending our necks to see ahead. The body is not designed to spend that long looking upwards. Spinal joints compress, deep neck flexors stretch, and postural muscles at the back of the neck are overworked.
The good news is bodies are adaptable — muscles strengthen and lengthen to support your position. If you are new to cycling and experiencing neck pain, persevering for around 4–6 weeks often sees symptoms settle as you adapt. If you are an experienced cyclist still suffering after months or years, we can help.
How can we help?
The main contributing factor is reach. Assuming the saddle is correct, bars that are too low or too far away force you to overreach with the shoulders to access the hoods. Constantly shifting hand position — or spending most of your time on the tops rather than the hoods — is a sure sign reach needs adjusting.
Bar width matters too. Bars that are too wide load the upper back and neck as those muscles support your position. Width should be comparable to your shoulders for equal weight-bearing through the upper limbs.
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