New rider... in pain!

[nomnomnom]

Hey all, my names Jess and Im from the Kapiti Coast

I recently got my license all sorted and got myself a sweet Suzuki Bandit to ride to and from work. I have an absolute blast and LOOOOOVE riding, but Im having some problems....

I live in Te Horo and work in Welly, so thats about an hours ride each way, on a good day (grrrr traffic). Now when I get home I feel fine, but when I wake up in the morning I can hardly move my head! I get a massive stabbing pain in my neck, its ok to move side to side, but looking up/down is a no-go for about 3-4 days afterward(without being able to ride for those days ). Is it just the way that I ride that causes this? And is there anything at all that I can do to help it? The pain is stopping me from riding and it really sucks!!! I have seen so many others riding day in day out, surely they cant just be bearing the pain?????


Heeeeeeeelp


Jess xxx

[p.dath]

It could be your helmet; but I'd see a Doctor or Physio about that. Sounds like you might have a problem with your neck.

[Juzz976]

Could be the riding position of the bike or yourself.

How does your suspension feel, is it stiff or loose?

[avgas]

Clearly you need a GN125

[Juzz976]

Clearly you need a GN125

No they make your bum hole sore.

But not from riding it, its a lifestyle thing

[HenryDorsetCase]

Hey all, my names Jess and Im from the Kapiti Coast

I recently got my license all sorted and got myself a sweet Suzuki Bandit to ride to and from work. I have an absolute blast and LOOOOOVE riding, but Im having some problems....

I live in Te Horo and work in Welly, so thats about an hours ride each way, on a good day (grrrr traffic). Now when I get home I feel fine, but when I wake up in the morning I can hardly move my head! I get a massive stabbing pain in my neck, its ok to move side to side, but looking up/down is a no-go for about 3-4 days afterward(without being able to ride for those days ). Is it just the way that I ride that causes this? And is there anything at all that I can do to help it? The pain is stopping me from riding and it really sucks!!! I have seen so many others riding day in day out, surely they cant just be bearing the pain?????


Heeeeeeeelp


Jess xxx

as a new rider, are you tensing up your shoulders (or your sphincter which then tenses up your whole back up to your neck and shoulders): sitting for an hour like that would make anyones neck hurt. Try and relax as much as you can.

Have a think about the way you're sitting on the bike: if your torso is leaning forward you crane your neck back to look forward, which can be tiring. You can alter stuff like handlebars and handlebar position, even footpeg and seat if you want to spend some money.

the other thing too that you are wearing a 1.5kg weight on your head, plus the extra force applied by the wind of your passage: So your bandit at 200kph is putting a lot of windforce on your neck muscles. If nothing else is wrong, you might have to get "bike fit". I dont usually ride in the winter, and I get quite tired after my first few rides in the summer.

Just some thoughts OTOH. Persevere: its worthwhile.

[davebullet]

Focus on relaxing your grip on the bars, and lowering your shoulders.

Sounds to me as if you are tensing up and doing the "newbie death grip" on the bars.

Unless you are really short and have a long reach to the bars, your elbows should be bent. This proves you are using your torso to support your body (and not your arms with heavy pressure on the bars). you need to work on using your core to give your upper body stability and allow your arms, shoulders and neck to be relaxed when riding.

In fact - the more relaxed you are on a bike - the straighter it tracks. this is especially true in cross winds or gusts. A Bike wants to hold a line (whether it is straight or around a corner). It's your handlebar movement that changes it. Therefore you only need a light hold on the bars. Even lighter when it gets windy (I know this sounds like the opposite of what you should do - but if you hold on tight in big wind gusts your body acts like a sail transmitting movement through the bars throwing the bike off line and your centre of gravity off with it).

Lastly what make / model is your helmet? Does it have the weight written on the label on the back? A heavy and unbalanced helmet can put strain on your neck.

PS: You will get through this. Don't let it put you off. But don't do the long rides whilst in pain. Pain prevents concentration and is a big hazzard. I recommend doing shorter rides focussing on a relaxing posture in low traffic conditions (to not induce stress or anxiety). Slowly build up your time with your new relaxed riding position until you can sustain longer rides.

[nomnomnom]

Lol - "newbie death grip" - this is probably what Im doing. It gets a bit intense sometimes, specially in rush hour 830 or 5 traffic!!

I think my riding position is ok? Im not sure, I havent been on any rides with anyone else so I havent been able to get an opinion really......

Im unsure about details of my helmet, Ill have a check when I get home(drove today, too scared to ride in the rain!!). I chose the only one in the store that fitted my miniature sized head, which happens to have a bikini-clad chick holding machine guns on it haha

And yea its definitely off-putting Have been considering selling the bike as the main reason I got it was for commuting (free parking RULES!). I think ill try more shorter rides on the weekends...*insert friends that have bikes here*

[avgas]

No they make your bum hole sore.

But not from riding it, its a lifestyle thing

Errrr its a suzuki.
Seeing as you ride a suzuki....clearly you are mistaking the above statement for that towards a honda?. Unless you are that way inclined?

[HenryDorsetCase]

Lol - "newbie death grip" - this is probably what Im doing. It gets a bit intense sometimes, specially in rush hour 830 or 5 traffic!!

I think my riding position is ok? Im not sure, I havent been on any rides with anyone else so I havent been able to get an opinion really......

Im unsure about details of my helmet, Ill have a check when I get home(drove today, too scared to ride in the rain!!). I chose the only one in the store that fitted my miniature sized head, which happens to have a bikini-clad chick holding machine guns on it haha

And yea its definitely off-putting Have been considering selling the bike as the main reason I got it was for commuting (free parking RULES!). I think ill try more shorter rides on the weekends...*insert friends that have bikes here*

there will be a bunch of rides you can go on organised thru this site.

"newbie death grip" made me smile, too.

[davebullet]

Yeah - don't give up on it. If you like biking but not the pain - we'll deal with the pain. You'll be glad you got through it and didn't throw in the towel.

Getting an experienced rider to follow you and check your riding position and grip would be a very good idea.

Any kapiti based volunteers?

[James Deuce]

Everyone is thinking too hard.

Don't listen to them.

You need to adjust your controls. Clutch and Brake levers need to be setup so you can operate them with out lifting or dropping your hand.

Some nice person in Kapiti needs to volunteer to help you with this.

Or you could follow this guide:
http://www.sportrider.com/ride/rss/1...ols/index.html

Once that's done, then start thinking about two things.

1. Relaxing your n00b death grip. (As mentioned by the clever man above.)
2. Breathing. You're not breathing deep enough. You're tense and taking fast, shallow breaths. Slow down Rossi.

[sinfull]

Lol - "newbie death grip" - this is probably what Im doing. It gets a bit intense sometimes, specially in rush hour 830 or 5 traffic!!

I think my riding position is ok? Im not sure, I havent been on any rides with anyone else so I havent been able to get an opinion really......

Im unsure about details of my helmet, Ill have a check when I get home(drove today, too scared to ride in the rain!!). I chose the only one in the store that fitted my miniature sized head, which happens to have a bikini-clad chick holding machine guns on it haha

And yea its definitely off-putting Have been considering selling the bike as the main reason I got it was for commuting (free parking RULES!). I think ill try more shorter rides on the weekends...*insert friends that have bikes here*

I'm picking miniture head = miniture neck and muscles getting a head wind workout !
The bandit should be an uprightish riding position would it not, or does it have lower bars and your finding yourself looking up to see ?
If so, do ya go to the gym at all Jess ? If so ask a personal trainer about some excersizes for ya neck ! If not ummm head stands lol

Local to Te horo (highway) and we've got a club going just north of Otaki, bit of an old mans club but all gentlemen cough who'd be happy to help with advice and possibly parts to get the riding position more suitable fo ya if your into it !
Couple of the wives ride and i'd be happy to introduce ya (not that riding buddies will be an issue long, the girls will be along shortly to naffle ya up on weekends)

[Maha]

Take the bus.

[Bald Eagle]

Take the bus.

Wash your mouth out. Public transport is always my least preferred method of getting anywhere.