Southern California - My neck!

Lately as my rides are getting longer and tougher, I get tightening pain on my neck after about 40 or 50 miles. I think it may have to do with my riding position (tilting my head up for extended periods of time) I try to angle my head a little lower at times using my eyes and take shorter glances forward to try to reduce the ammount of time I tilt my head up.

Has anyone else around here had to deal with similar pain ? and what do you do to minimize the pain ? stretches ? yoga ?
Thanks in advance!

My neck does seem to get a little sore on longer rides 70+ but I think for the most part it will be fitness, I noticed it mroe on flater rides when I am in the drops more. The more you do these rides the stronger you will become. I remember when my hands you to get tired from climbing at a faster pace butIi dont get that anymore.

There are exercises you can do to strengthen your neck, back and shoulders to alleviate this problem. Check ultracycling.com, site of the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association.

Only problem with yoga is hiding your tentpole and trying to focus on your breathing, balance and spinal elongation in a room crowded with fit, sweaty, young women.
Check your local library for DVDs, especially those that focus on the back.

Me too. Lots of folks have neck pain of various degrees, some due to muscles and some due to back/neck problems.

Raising your handlebars even a little bit can help a LOT. I raised mine from ~1 inch below the bars to ~1 inch above and it made a world of difference.

So consider that if you haven't already.

-Tom in SoCal

I used to run negative rise stems, over time I developed bone spurs on my spine. The bone spurs would trap the nerves in my neck and cause numbness in my arms and hands. My doctor made me switch to positive rise stems, so my neck wouldn't be hyperextended for long periods of time.

I used to run negative rise stems, over time I developed bone spurs on my spine. The bone spurs would trap the nerves in my neck and cause numbness in my arms and hands. My doctor made me switch to positive rise stems, so my neck wouldn't be hyperextended for long periods of time.
Thanks guys. Some good suggestions here. I am going to start with making some slow, minor adjustments to the set up and maybe join my wife for a yoga class, once a week. (She'll keep me focused) but thanks for the heads up Chris
I am also getting ready to start swimming again. That might help loosen up the neck, shoulder muscles.

I see it no different than "sleepy arms/hands" whenever you are in same position for an extended period of time, no variation, something is going to give.

I shake shoulders, raise to head one side at a time and practice head rotations few seconds every 10 mins, great at relieving tension on tight neck muscles.

I'm making an educated guess and assuming you don't have a visor on your helmet but if you do, removing it reduces the amount you need to raise your head to look forward.

Visors on helmets look great on the showroom floor and work great for mountain biking but don't work well for road bikes with low bars.