Probably something to do with your bike fit. Could be too stretched out, bars too low, etc. Have you had a pro bike fitting. Usually around $150. or so, but might be a good investment.

Ditto taking a look at bike fit, but should that not be the case pay attention to if you are keeping those areas relaxed while you ride. I was having a huge problem with this and discovered that I was tightening those muscles a lot when I rode. Once I consciously started relaxing them, things got a lot better. I still get a little stiffness, but I think that's a normal byproduct of a long ride...

Good luck!

M

---

------------------------------------------------------------
The beatings will continue until morale improves

I've had huge issues with the exact same thing. I second trying to relax a little bit. I find myself very tensed up in the shoulder area which leads to severe pain. Relaxing will absolutely help (although it never solved my problem).

I asked my massage therapist and chiropractor (an avid roadie) what I could to do alleviate or at least help the problem and here were their suggestions (which have worked for me).

1. shorten the shoulder/neck (have no idea the real name of it) muscle as much as you can when you ride. I used to try to stretch the muscle out (putting my chin to my chest to really try to pull on the muscle) and that is the exact opposite of what they suggest. Instead they told me to shrug my shoulders (move shoulders towards your ears) to help shorten the muscle. I do that coupled with pinching the muscles with my thumb and pointer finger. I'll used to have to do it every 10 miles or so but now I'm doing it around every 25 miles.

2. Perform a head bob from the neck like a Rooster/chicken like 5-10 times every 10 miles or so during your ride (again trying to keep the shoulders relaxed as much as possible).

Suggestion #1 is what has saved my bacon but I know that QRgirl also does #2 and it helps her out a lot.

Best of luck to you. Neck/Shoulder pain sucks the big one. Eventually with a lot of trial and error you'll be able to find the recipe that works for you.

---

____________________________
Life is Short...Run Long

I find that the side I look to see what's behind me when riding (can I pass, is a car trying to run me over, etc.) is the same side I prefer to breathe on while swimming (my left). So after a long ride I do a recovery swim and I breathe on the other side (right). This tends to stretch my neck and balance things out. Also, pilates has helped me.

My neck and shoulders are getting tighter as I ramp up for IMFL, and I am thinking of throwing down the cash for a weekly massage. Have not took the plunge yet, as I imagine this will be a tough "habit" to break once I start.

1) Make sure your bike has been professionally fit

2) Stretch when you can while riding and when you're done.

3) Weekly massages are the key squesen ;-)

---

Come crawling faster

OMG, this is so interesting, b/c I was almost gonna give up on the whole aero position thing. I was certain my fit was precise and one ride, I was tweaking the shades and I realized it was my sunglasses giving me the headache!

Because the frame of my Oakleys are set in a way that made just peering up difficult, I began to rise more than was necessary, hence making long rides miserable.

I haven't found the solution, but I do pull the shades down a bit on the bridge of my nose so I can ever so slightly see the road ahead while aero, relieving me of the need to constantly raise my neck, which caused severe neck / trap pain on anything over 30 miles!

Good luck.