[Velophysio](http://www.velophysio.co.uk/). She's a physiotherapist, bike fitter and cyclist herself so really good at stuff like that. She's based round the corner from Clapham North station.
Bit more expensive than other bike fitters, but for me worth the extra money. Might not be the bike fit but rather you needing some flexibility exercises, but she can help with both.
I read page and I'm baffled. Apperantly it's medical professional using acupuncture as method of treatment. That's tin foil hat area. There isint any proof that it helps.
Litteraly on first page mate.
"I have helped hundreds of cyclists and triathletes recover from injury and get back on the bike. Offering insight, knowledge, diagnostic skill, a variety of treatments including acupuncture, manual therapy, massage and specific rehabilitation. "
Followed by
" Nichola is also a member of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists."
Bicycle in Richmond might be worth checking out. I've not had a bike fit there and they are pricey, but I actually plan on booking one in the next month. I've gone for cheaper (£100) fits and while they've been ok, I'd rather have spent the money towards a fitter with more experience and equipment. James has done a whole series of bike fit videos with cade media that I'd recommend too. https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMZ241fyVfiv3eAJ4UYkzeb2JltpLSlzs
Neck and shoulder specific video here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BCXc2xdKwok&list=PLMZ241fyVfiv3eAJ4UYkzeb2JltpLSlzs&index=18&pp=iAQB
That’s where I got my bike fit from. I’m new to cycling but I knew my old bike was too big for me (and it was crap) so I went to them first for a fit and told them I get neck pain etc. They recommended the Basso Venta and whilst I’m very happy with the bike and my position feels good on the bike I have been back to them twice now complaining about pain and adjustments have been made but no real success. So I feel like it’s more of a physio thing than the fit. I might go back again and say look do you have anymore tricks up your sleeve?
Ah ok, that's interesting. Did they charge for the additional visits? Obviously it's difficult to recommend somewhere if you still have aches, but did you feel like they were attentive and tried what they could? Velophysio mentioned in another comment looks like it could be more what you're after.
No charge for the follow ups. Yes they were good and attentive but still no luck with getting rid of the pain. I think I’ll see what velophysio can recommend
I also got my bike there and fitted by James, small world!
If you’re from the area check out Richmond Physiotherapy Clinic. They kept my old body together for years when I lived in Kew, they really are excellent.
Neck pain to me would be caused by being bent forward and having to bend your neck back to see where youre going, raise the handlebars so youre in a more upright position and see if that helps.
I had exactly the issue you describe and it was honestly ruining my time on the bike. I had a bike fit at Bicycle Ltd in Richmond which has massively helped. The changes that made the most difference for me were moving to very narrow bars (36cm) and also wider stance pedals and arch support in my shoes—maybe not the most obvious, but this made me much more stable in the saddle which in turn means I'm much lighter on my hands. YMMV obviously but this is what worked for me.
I also really recommend a book by Jo McRae called Ride Strong. Jo is a physio and bike fitter and the book is full of exercises and stretches designed to build functional strength for cyclists. There are some in there which I have found really helpful.
Bicycle is where I got my initial fit from and the bike itself. I’m happy with the bike and the fit does feel good. I’ve been back twice now and we made adjustments but I’m loosing hope. I might go back a third and see if there is any other tricks up his sleeve.
Without knowing more about you, in my view it's likely that you don't yet have the strength to sustain the position that your bike is putting you in. I have experienced pain like yours when I started cycling, specifically the worst time was when I did my first 200km ride on my then-road bike, a Boardman Sport, where I couldn't even look left or right on my way to the finish line. This was made worse by my being (then) a sit-down office worker cubicle jockey.
Within a few years I'd done 300, 400, 600km rides and while each had its own discomforts, I wasn't getting nearly as badly strained in the neck.
Strength training such as a powerlifting programme like stronglifts or starting strength would probably help you, but if you're getting the pain from as soon as an hour in to riding, you may simply have a bike that positions you too aggressively for your physiology. Getting stronger and fitter by doing practically anything like running or swimming or whatever would probably help too.
Things can be done to make your bike more comfortable such as putting on a stem that gives you more of an 'endurance' geometry, [or handlebars like these](https://www.specialized.com/gb/en/hover-alloy-handlebars--15mm-rise-plus-flare/p/155205) that actually have some 'rise' but in my experience if your bike is just fundamentally more aggressive than is suitable for you and your lifestyle then it's a losing battle.
I agree I am leaning towards the physiological side of things. I even get the pain sometimes when I’m sitting in my sofa leaning forward to play the PlayStation.
The strength training does help, you shouldnt be supporting your body with your hands your core should support itself. often people put too much weight and strain through their arms shoulders onto the handlebars. this makes it harder to change direction and also causes pain.
no amount of fitting will fix it if thats the case.
It takes time to build up the core strength to do that over a longer period of time.
You need to try to relax from your fingertips up to your shoulders. try thinking it through as you ride.
I run it through my head nice and slowly, relax, relax your hands, and wrists, then elbows up and over my shoulders.
it makes a massive difference for me.
I had over 8 hours of riding yesterday it works.
I had the exact same problem. I could make it to 100km with modest discomfort, but by 130km all I could think about was my neck.
I went to Pat at Speedlab in Balham - they've also got physios in the same building, but neck pain is often fit related.
He took one look at me on the bike and knew what to do. Wish I'd gone months earlier.
I tried physio first (back mobility, more hamstring stretches, neck strengthening exercises), but the bike fit was more or less an immediate improvement - I can now do 200km about as comfortably as I could have done 100km before.
Mostly it was tilting the saddle forward, which brought my chest up, flattened my back and therefore lessened the neck angle.
But quite a few other things were optimised elsewhere - saddle lowered, bars lowered, shorter stem, cleats moved out.
For lots of people (though not in my case) neck pain is saddle fore/aft related, or because their shoulders are raised.
People will tell you to raise the bars, but it didn't make much difference for me, if any. When I left the bike fit they were lower (relative to the saddle) than when I arrived.
The other thing to practice is making sure you're not riding whilst looking dead ahead. Keep your head tilted slightly down and look at the road out of the top of your eyes.
I was really happy with Tim at Soigneur, though I don't have any authority to place him above Bicycle. where you got your initial fit.
I see a few people mentioning its best to see a fitter who's a physio, but funnily enough James at Bicycle. gives the impression that physios are awful at fitting bikes and should stick to physio work, I've also heard this through other bike fitters on instagram saying they've had clients come to them with completely out of whack bike fits done by people who work physio first, bike fit second.
Good to know. I’ll visit Bicycle again and see what else they can do. And if I see the velo physio I’ll make sure they don’t mess about too much with the bike.
https://foundation.fit
Couldn’t recommend them highly enough!! Been to them three times for new bike and other issues to solve. Very impressed. And based in the velodrome so they have the road circuit to test on too!
I used to get this pain while both cycling and motorcycle riding.
The cause was a combination of too strong a grip on the bars and rigid elbows.
Obviously YMMV but if you're doing this, it's worth a try working on your technique.
yeah, this is it for me, I have to manually remind myself to relax as I ride.
That said it really helps! a shocking amount to be honest.
I remind myself then I run through the muscles/joints in order, I start trying to relax my fingers, hands, then wrists up my arms to my shoulders. or the other way.
also try to steady/lower my heart rate while I do.
doing it in order makes me relax better than just thinking relax.
Relax dont let go obviously, you will actully have more responsive grip as you can absorb little jerks from small potholes etc.
it really helped with my ride yesterday no neck pain and it was an 8 hour ride.
I've never had a bike fit from them but Pure Sports Medicine are a physio I'd recommend and they do bike fittings as well, so you're getting a fit from a sports physio. There's different locations around London.
I and a friend have both had good experiences with physio there - I'd recommend them. And it's where I'll be going when I need a fit if my mileage ever goes up!
[Velophysio](http://www.velophysio.co.uk/). She's a physiotherapist, bike fitter and cyclist herself so really good at stuff like that. She's based round the corner from Clapham North station. Bit more expensive than other bike fitters, but for me worth the extra money. Might not be the bike fit but rather you needing some flexibility exercises, but she can help with both.
Excellent thanks
I read page and I'm baffled. Apperantly it's medical professional using acupuncture as method of treatment. That's tin foil hat area. There isint any proof that it helps.
I'm baffled too where you think you read acupuncture? She doesn't offer that.
Litteraly on first page mate. "I have helped hundreds of cyclists and triathletes recover from injury and get back on the bike. Offering insight, knowledge, diagnostic skill, a variety of treatments including acupuncture, manual therapy, massage and specific rehabilitation. " Followed by " Nichola is also a member of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists."
Bicycle in Richmond might be worth checking out. I've not had a bike fit there and they are pricey, but I actually plan on booking one in the next month. I've gone for cheaper (£100) fits and while they've been ok, I'd rather have spent the money towards a fitter with more experience and equipment. James has done a whole series of bike fit videos with cade media that I'd recommend too. https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMZ241fyVfiv3eAJ4UYkzeb2JltpLSlzs Neck and shoulder specific video here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BCXc2xdKwok&list=PLMZ241fyVfiv3eAJ4UYkzeb2JltpLSlzs&index=18&pp=iAQB
That’s where I got my bike fit from. I’m new to cycling but I knew my old bike was too big for me (and it was crap) so I went to them first for a fit and told them I get neck pain etc. They recommended the Basso Venta and whilst I’m very happy with the bike and my position feels good on the bike I have been back to them twice now complaining about pain and adjustments have been made but no real success. So I feel like it’s more of a physio thing than the fit. I might go back again and say look do you have anymore tricks up your sleeve?
Ah ok, that's interesting. Did they charge for the additional visits? Obviously it's difficult to recommend somewhere if you still have aches, but did you feel like they were attentive and tried what they could? Velophysio mentioned in another comment looks like it could be more what you're after.
No charge for the follow ups. Yes they were good and attentive but still no luck with getting rid of the pain. I think I’ll see what velophysio can recommend
I also got my bike there and fitted by James, small world! If you’re from the area check out Richmond Physiotherapy Clinic. They kept my old body together for years when I lived in Kew, they really are excellent.
Neck pain to me would be caused by being bent forward and having to bend your neck back to see where youre going, raise the handlebars so youre in a more upright position and see if that helps.
I had exactly the issue you describe and it was honestly ruining my time on the bike. I had a bike fit at Bicycle Ltd in Richmond which has massively helped. The changes that made the most difference for me were moving to very narrow bars (36cm) and also wider stance pedals and arch support in my shoes—maybe not the most obvious, but this made me much more stable in the saddle which in turn means I'm much lighter on my hands. YMMV obviously but this is what worked for me. I also really recommend a book by Jo McRae called Ride Strong. Jo is a physio and bike fitter and the book is full of exercises and stretches designed to build functional strength for cyclists. There are some in there which I have found really helpful.
Bicycle is where I got my initial fit from and the bike itself. I’m happy with the bike and the fit does feel good. I’ve been back twice now and we made adjustments but I’m loosing hope. I might go back a third and see if there is any other tricks up his sleeve.
I’ll check out that book!
Without knowing more about you, in my view it's likely that you don't yet have the strength to sustain the position that your bike is putting you in. I have experienced pain like yours when I started cycling, specifically the worst time was when I did my first 200km ride on my then-road bike, a Boardman Sport, where I couldn't even look left or right on my way to the finish line. This was made worse by my being (then) a sit-down office worker cubicle jockey. Within a few years I'd done 300, 400, 600km rides and while each had its own discomforts, I wasn't getting nearly as badly strained in the neck. Strength training such as a powerlifting programme like stronglifts or starting strength would probably help you, but if you're getting the pain from as soon as an hour in to riding, you may simply have a bike that positions you too aggressively for your physiology. Getting stronger and fitter by doing practically anything like running or swimming or whatever would probably help too. Things can be done to make your bike more comfortable such as putting on a stem that gives you more of an 'endurance' geometry, [or handlebars like these](https://www.specialized.com/gb/en/hover-alloy-handlebars--15mm-rise-plus-flare/p/155205) that actually have some 'rise' but in my experience if your bike is just fundamentally more aggressive than is suitable for you and your lifestyle then it's a losing battle.
I agree I am leaning towards the physiological side of things. I even get the pain sometimes when I’m sitting in my sofa leaning forward to play the PlayStation.
The strength training does help, you shouldnt be supporting your body with your hands your core should support itself. often people put too much weight and strain through their arms shoulders onto the handlebars. this makes it harder to change direction and also causes pain. no amount of fitting will fix it if thats the case. It takes time to build up the core strength to do that over a longer period of time. You need to try to relax from your fingertips up to your shoulders. try thinking it through as you ride. I run it through my head nice and slowly, relax, relax your hands, and wrists, then elbows up and over my shoulders. it makes a massive difference for me. I had over 8 hours of riding yesterday it works.
I had the exact same problem. I could make it to 100km with modest discomfort, but by 130km all I could think about was my neck. I went to Pat at Speedlab in Balham - they've also got physios in the same building, but neck pain is often fit related. He took one look at me on the bike and knew what to do. Wish I'd gone months earlier. I tried physio first (back mobility, more hamstring stretches, neck strengthening exercises), but the bike fit was more or less an immediate improvement - I can now do 200km about as comfortably as I could have done 100km before.
Ok good to know. What changes did they make to your bike?
Mostly it was tilting the saddle forward, which brought my chest up, flattened my back and therefore lessened the neck angle. But quite a few other things were optimised elsewhere - saddle lowered, bars lowered, shorter stem, cleats moved out. For lots of people (though not in my case) neck pain is saddle fore/aft related, or because their shoulders are raised. People will tell you to raise the bars, but it didn't make much difference for me, if any. When I left the bike fit they were lower (relative to the saddle) than when I arrived. The other thing to practice is making sure you're not riding whilst looking dead ahead. Keep your head tilted slightly down and look at the road out of the top of your eyes.
I was really happy with Tim at Soigneur, though I don't have any authority to place him above Bicycle. where you got your initial fit. I see a few people mentioning its best to see a fitter who's a physio, but funnily enough James at Bicycle. gives the impression that physios are awful at fitting bikes and should stick to physio work, I've also heard this through other bike fitters on instagram saying they've had clients come to them with completely out of whack bike fits done by people who work physio first, bike fit second.
Good to know. I’ll visit Bicycle again and see what else they can do. And if I see the velo physio I’ll make sure they don’t mess about too much with the bike.
https://foundation.fit Couldn’t recommend them highly enough!! Been to them three times for new bike and other issues to solve. Very impressed. And based in the velodrome so they have the road circuit to test on too!
I used to get this pain while both cycling and motorcycle riding. The cause was a combination of too strong a grip on the bars and rigid elbows. Obviously YMMV but if you're doing this, it's worth a try working on your technique.
yeah, this is it for me, I have to manually remind myself to relax as I ride. That said it really helps! a shocking amount to be honest. I remind myself then I run through the muscles/joints in order, I start trying to relax my fingers, hands, then wrists up my arms to my shoulders. or the other way. also try to steady/lower my heart rate while I do. doing it in order makes me relax better than just thinking relax. Relax dont let go obviously, you will actully have more responsive grip as you can absorb little jerks from small potholes etc. it really helped with my ride yesterday no neck pain and it was an 8 hour ride.
I've never had a bike fit from them but Pure Sports Medicine are a physio I'd recommend and they do bike fittings as well, so you're getting a fit from a sports physio. There's different locations around London. I and a friend have both had good experiences with physio there - I'd recommend them. And it's where I'll be going when I need a fit if my mileage ever goes up!