Originally Posted by
insignia100
Bike fit is important, but don't forget to work on core strength, too! Especially if riding a bike with race geometry vs endurance geometry, or in my case, switching from a hybrid to my first road bike.
+1
Upright riding lends itself well to putting a lot of weight in the back and less on the arms. When switching to a more aggressive position, like from a hybrid to road bike or similar, some of us tend to shift the weight entirely into the hands and arms. Even if this doesn't happen on a normal ride (whatever this looks like), a longer or faster ride can bring out bad habits, like using the hands and arms rather than the whole body to hold up one's weight.
Another problem I see with riders new to drop bars is the grip of death, which also leads to discomfort. There are few times when it's really necessary to hold the bars tightly. Check out people who are really comfortable on drop bar bikes; usually, they're just kind of resting on the bars, not actually gripping them.