In an earlier post, I talked about knee pain and how to fix it by making a few adjustments on the bike. Knee pain is the most common pain on the bike, but back and neck pain is not too far behind. The number one way to reduce or eliminate back and neck pain is to maintain a neutral spine. Everyone’s neutral spine position is different. This position has the least amount of compression and stress on your spine. Your spine is typically made up of 24 bones called vertebrae. I say typically because some of you may have extra vertebrae or fewer than 24 vertebrae. Each one of those vertebrae stacks on top of one another like a Jenga game. But instead of stacking perfectly straight, they are strategically placed curves to permit mobility and stability. 

The goal when cycling is to maintain these natural curves. This natural curve is your neutral position. 

Lower back and neck pain usually occurs when the spine is forced beyond its natural curves. Lower back pain is the result of an increased bend or flexion. The neck pain occurs when you hyperextend at the base of your skull. Your mid-back becomes rounded. You may feel pain between your shoulder blades. This pain results from increased rounding and lengthening of the muscles between your shoulder blades.

If you restore the natural curves of your spine when cycling, your body will thank you. Fortunately, easy bike fit fixes could save you from hours of pain.

The most common problems of your fit that contribute to your back pain are at the cockpit or handlebars. But, before you even begin to make adjustments at the handlebars, you must make sure that your shoes, saddle position, and seat height are positioned correctly. Check out this post for the details.

If your shoes, saddle position, and seat height are set correctly, then off to the handlebars. The following is a step-by-step system to adjust the cockpit.

1. Check handlebar width – Using too narrow or too wide handlebars can be part of the problem. The handlebar width should be about one inch shorter than your shoulder width. Handlebar width is defined as the distance between the center of one hood to the center of the other hood. Shoulder width is measured from acromion to acromion. The acromion is the bony bump at the front of each shoulder.

If your handlebars are not appropriate for your shoulder width, consider replacing them.

2. Incorrect stem length and height – The stem is the component that attaches the handlebars to the bike. Often, the stem is too long. Before switching out to a shorter stem, consider a few steps.

A stem has a rise. The rise is the angle of the stem. Depending on how it is placed on your bike, the rise may be reduced. If this is the case, flip the stem over if possible and reattach the handlebars. When attaching the handlebars, make sure that the hoods are level.

In some cases, the stem is part of the handlebars. If that’s the case, then you can only add or remove spacers as discussed in part 3 below.

Now you need to test the new position. The elbows should be bent to 20 degrees and the lower back bent to 45 to 55 degrees.

I would highly recommend taking these measurements as you are pedaling to make it a more functional and realistic measurement. If the back is bending less than 45 degrees, then move to step 3.

3. Stem spacers – You can add spacers to increase the rise under your stem.

The higher the stem, the less lower backbend. The less lower backbend, the less stress on your spine and muscles. After adding a spacer, retake the elbow and back measurements. It may take some trial and error, but manipulating the rise of the stem and spacers will usually get you into the right position. If manipulating the original stem doesn’t work, then consider a different stem. Most likely, you will need a shorter stem.

Evaluating the handlebar width and stem can resolve most lower back pain and neck pain. However, if you are not mechanically comfortable or having difficulty finding the correct position, visit a bike fitter at your local bike shop or see a physical therapist trained in bike fitting. If it is difficult to find the right position, these professionals often have adjustable stems and other tools to get you in the right position.

I Still Hurt

You had a bike fit, and all of the measurements look great on paper. But you still have pain. Be aware that the bike fit is only one part of the pain equation. It is usually the main part, but there are other contributions. Anatomical causes include degenerative changes of the spine, muscle weaknesses, and reduced muscle flexibility. If you continue to have lower back and neck pain, see a physical therapist or medical professional to help you solve the problem.