I thought Shermer's Neck was a town in America before I reached Lamballe

[T42]

On our late Diagonale, heavy weather and headwinds meant that we had to ride 340 km, have a 2-hour rest, then 290 km with a 1-hour rest followed by 170 km.  At around 250k of the second stint I began to have trouble holding up my head. Gradually this got worse until I was looking straight down at the handlebars with a fine prospect of the bottom bracket and gears.  After every couple of minutes riding like this I could lift my head again for a glimpse ahead, like a swimmer thrusting up for air, and then it was down again for a while.  I could also lift my head with a fist under my chin and steer with the other hand.  The countryside was hilly, to say the least: belting downhill in this latter configuration was interesting.  Fortunately the roads were mostly dead straight or I'd have been straight dead.  Riding through Paris this way was also amusing.

Anyway, I've been told that the condition is known as Shermer's Neck. Nice to know that I have a malady named after a somewhat noteworthy character but honestly, I'd rather he had kept it to himself.

[mattc]

If you read that article you'll see it's called:
Shermer Neck.

 

(It's a common mistake.)

[Veloman]

If you read that article you'll see it's called:
Shermer Neck.

 

(It's a common mistake.)

You also need to contact all these:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=shermer%27s+neck&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4MDNE_enGB565GB573&q=shermer%27s+neck&gs_l=hp...0l2j0i22i30l3.0.0.0.4498...........0.FRSXepi2fy4

[T42]

An apostrophe S doesn't make a deal of difference, it's still a pain in the arse.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Can't tell your arse from your ... ?

[jsabine]

Referred pain, obviously ...

[mattc]

If you read that article you'll see it's called:
Shermer Neck.

 

(It's a common mistake.)

You also need to contact all these:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=shermer%27s+neck&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4MDNE_enGB565GB573&q=shermer%27s+neck&gs_l=hp...0l2j0i22i30l3.0.0.0.4498...........0.FRSXepi2fy4

I think "need" is over-stating it slightly.

I thank you for providing evidence for my assertion!

For the obsessives,

(click to show/hide)

the 3rd hit is informative:

Michael Shermer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Shermer
An acute medical condition is named for him: "Shermer Neck" is pain in and extreme weakness of the neck muscles found among long-distance bicyclists.

[T42]

Can't tell your arse from your ... ?

Dear chap, I couldn't possibly use such a vulgar word as elbow.

Although come to think of it, holding my head up did give me a pain in the elbow after a while.

[rob]

Never had this in 20 years of Audax riding, but got it 22hrs into this years 24hr TT.   Suddenly found myself staring at the road, unable to lift my head.   I pushed my head up with one hand and stopped for a lay down every 20-30 mins to take the pressure off.

I think it was the aero position causing me to lift my head higher than I do on my audax bike, which is pretty upright.   I also had a heavier helmet on overnight with a headtorch zip-tied to the front.   

I have had my neck muscles loosened by an osteopath.   Not sure whether to find some stengthening exercise to do over the Winter this year.

[T42]

That sounds just like my affliction, right down to the 22 hours & the head torch.  An extra factor in mine was wearing a baseball cap under my helmet to keep the rain off my specs: I had to rack my neck right back to see any distance under the peak.

How long did yours last?

[hellymedic]

I recall one LEL rider using bungies to keep his head up...

[rob]

That sounds just like my affliction, right down to the 22 hours & the head torch.  An extra factor in mine was wearing a baseball cap under my helmet to keep the rain off my specs: I had to rack my neck right back to see any distance under the peak.

How long did yours last?

I finished the last 2 hours of the race and spent the rest of the day either lying down or fast asleep in the back of the car so hard to tell.   I rode to work the following morning and for the rest of the week.    I could hold my head up again but my neck was sore for the next couple of weeks and I had a fair bit of trouble sleeping.

I've done a couple of long audaxes since with no issue and I have a 12hr TT in a few weeks.   I'm going to have a re-emptice treatment with the osteopath the week before (I have other back issues besides the neck)).

[rob]

I recall one LEL rider using bungies to keep his head up...

Saw a few neck braces on PBP.   A couple of inner tubes tied to the helmet and round the waist.   Also a coathanger in a small rucksack attached to the helmet.

Things we do to ourselves just to get a badge.......

[T42]

I rode about 200 km with mine. Tried attaching helmet to rucksack but it nearly sent my glasses for a burton so in the end I just put up with it.

That was a week ago now.  I'm just back from a 70k toddle without any problems. Got a 200k early Sept, should be OK.