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November 05, 2007
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How can I relieve the pressure on my back and neck that comes from road biking?
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Cross Concept Bike (courtesy, Bianchi)
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I’m a 57-year-old female cyclist who likes long day rides and touring. I have
always enjoyed a quick, responsive bike, but I’m now experiencing arthritis and
neck pain with the current, fairly extreme, bike configurations. I guess I need a
new bike. What type should I buy?
— Catherine
Victoria, British Columbia
Do you have a question of your own?
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 Well, Catherine…it may be time for a little different bike design. I
understand your interest in a quick, responsive bike. But the price you’re paying
for that is a bike with some real ergonomic issues. And, well, you’re getting a
little older now (the Gear Guy and his sciatica feel your pain!), and your joints
and neck aren’t as limber as they once were.
You can do a few things to modify your current bike, whatever it might be. The
biggest change to make is to swap out your stem (for non-bikies, that’s the thing
that secures the handlebar to the bike). Your current stem probably is a -5 or
-6, meaning that the horizontal portion of the stem appears to be, well,
horizontal. By getting a stem that’s a little shorter and has more of a rise, one
that angles up at least +5 degrees, you take a lot of pressure off your shoulders
and neck. Then it goes to your butt, but that’s another story.
You might also go to a slightly larger tire. Let’s say you’re running 700X23’s
now. Maybe switch to 700X25’s. They’ll offer a little smoother ride and better
cushioning, reducing small impacts transmitted through your arms to your
shoulders and neck. And dial back the air pressure a little, maybe reducing it
from 120psi to 100. That has a minimal impact on rolling resistance, but it
results in a much smoother ride.
The more drastic step is to switch to a bike frame with a more relaxed geometry.
You might find that some of the current generation of cross bikes offer a sporty
ride but one that isn’t as cramped as a criterium frame. Bianchi’s Cross Concept
($2,350) is an excellent bike, with a Scandium frame (rides like steel) and
Shimano Ultegra components.
And I’ll say it now before all the recumbent guys pile on top of me: Recumbent
bikes prevent almost all of the neck/back ills that afflict those of us riding
“wedgies.” The tradeoff is…you’re riding a recumbent. The Rans F5 Enduro
(ransbikes.com) is a nice little recumbent, for $1,800.
I just saw a posse of five guys on recumbents, every one of whom had a beard.
That seems to be the rule: ride a recumbent, gotta have a beard. What is up with
that?!?
Check out the new 2007-2008 Winter Outside Buyer’s Guide, packed
with reviews of more than 300 new gear must-haves. It’s available on newsstands
now.
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