papaki72

Since last spring, being a programmer at work and riding quite a lot an oversized flat bar fitness bicycle, I developed cervical syndrome. Last summer I had excessive pain and numbness in hands along with pain on my upper back. I sold my bicycle and now that I feel a lot better, with pain and annoyances in hands though, I am planning to buy a properly sized road bicycle. I plan riding 20-40 Km each weekend with it. Would that be a bad idea? Is it going to make it worse?

Iride01 

Properly sized bike goes a long way. Properly fitting you to that bike might go even further. Likely you might have to change something up, saddle height, tilt and fore/aft on the post. Also, handlebar height.

Failing those lower cost things that are just adjustments, then you might need a different saddle, narrower or wider handlebars. Longer or shorter stem. Handlebars with more reach. All sorts of things.

Riding 40 km once a week will probably give you lots of time to recover between. I'd think your issues will come after getting used to 40 km per week and then trying to increase your distance or frequency. Changing anything of your routine usually takes an adjustment period for your body and might also require some other bicycle adjustment.

We are talking about shoulders, neck and/or upper back aren't we?

icemilkcoffee 

If an activity causes you so much issues, my first inclination would be to stop doing it.
Now if you really want to give it another go, focus on getting your upper back flat or slightly arched in fact. You want to minimize neck craning. Another thing you need to do, is to get used to rolling your eyes up to see, instead of lifting your head up and craning your neck.
As to numb hands- your legs should be holding up most of your weight. Not your butt and not your hands. When you are pedaling hard, the legs are naturally pushing down on the pedals and lifting your body up. When you are coasting along- straighten one leg and stand on that leg.

papaki72

Yes we are talking about shoulders neck and upper back. In the bicycle I had I was falling to the flatbars so hard that sometimes after 40km I could not eve shift speeds. It was a large frame size (54 or 56) while I am 1.65m tall.

Iride01 

Don't forget to consider cruiser type bikes. They are made for comfortable, leisurely riding for short distances. If your riding is going to be more on the low end of the 20 - 40 km range, they might suit you better.

So if you think you want to sit more upright... go with a cruiser. If you think you'll be okay with leaning forward, then go with a road bike. Road bikes aren't the only bikes made for the road. The name really implies they were made for endurance type rides of longer distance.

Be certain to get one with gears though. The more hilly your terrain, the wider the range of gear ratios you will need on any type bike.

BlazingPedals

You're right, a 54 or 56 cm bike would be too big for you, but I'm not sure how that would contribute to cervical syndrome. If you want to go more-upright, you should get a cruiser or a hybrid. A recumbent would also work, especially one with a more upright seatback, but probably not easily available to you.

papaki72

Would it be possible that my profession, working on a computer, could be the exclusive source of the problem plus age (47)? Another thing I noticed is that when try some weight training I get pain on my upper back. I had everything stopped since last September and now I am trying to get back to being more active.

Iride01 

I spent ten years exclusively behind a computer in one of my many careers. The computer itself doesn't harm you. <grin> Staying inactive when you have a chance to be active harms you. Don't let things on the computer dominate you so much that they rob your free time that you have to do activities that give you some cardio and if desired, strength training.

You don't have to do anything formal with training plans and calculating it all to minutiae. Just get out and move quickly. Making your HR get to a higher HR is good for you. (But not high HR from looking at porn on the computer)

papaki72

Indeed, computer does not harm. But unfortunately, I must spend quite some time in front of it at the office. I always try to steal some time from it and spend it on a high paced walk.

shrtdstncrdr

It sounds like you're only riding on the weekends? It may be better to ride a few times during the week well as since I would imagine it would feel like starting over from scratch every time you got on your bike with that much time (several days) between rides. And don't be afraid to readjust the bike in various ways to suit you better as you put on more miles. This is how you'll learn how to adapt the machine to you. It's all about comfort and as you gain saddle time, how the bike fits will evolve a little as well.