Numb hands, sore neck, unhappy back.... - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

07-12-2004, 11:35 PM

..... I think I have a fit problem.

I got my first road bike a few months ago; a Trek 2200. It was the first
bike I had ridden in a decade or so, so it took a while for me to get used
to riding it.

Now that I have a few hundred miles on it, I find that I have consistent
pain in my hands (with numbness), a sore neck (from craning my head up to
see), and a sore upper back (around my shoulders). These symptoms usually
kick in around 20 miles or so.

I've been playing with the seat position, handle bar angle, and other things
based upon fit information I've read on various web sites. In the end, I
suspect my handlebars are too low. After setting my seat in the ideal
position so that my legs and knees are in the proper location, I find that
the top of my seat is about 4 inches above the top of the handle bars. From
what I've read, this is a bit extreme - and could lead to the symptoms I've
having.

Does that sound about right? If so, what do I need to fix the problem? My
Trek manual refers to raising the handlebars, but I've read elsewhere that
I'l actually need to purchase some sort of extension. I assume the manual
is somewhat generic.

Is a 4 inch drop too extreme to resolve with an extension?

I'll take it back into the shop where I purchased to get it modified if
necessary - but I prefer to have an idea what the problem is before I go in.

Thanks in advance,
-Dave