As some of you may have read my previous posts, I have been experiencing 'between shoulder' discomfort after about 20 miles of riding (have been dealing with this for the last 1300 miles). This past Saturday I went to a local bike shop to take a look at some bikes. The manager and another guy at the shop are 6'4" and 6'5" (I am 6'4"). Of all the different 'fits' I have had done, they have been by 'typical' riders (6' max maybe). Not one of them told me something that I was told almost immediately this past Saturday when up on a trainer...."Don't CRICK your neck up to see down the road, keep your neck in line with your back and roll your eyes up to see ahead of you". I rode 80 miles on Sunday morning and experienced the least amount of soreness between my shoulders by rolling my hips, keeping my flat back, and keeping my neck in line with my back. Without rolling my eyes up any, I would be looking about 3-5 feet in front of my front wheel, but slightly rolling my eyes up gave me plenty of vision - could stare at the lower back of rider in front of me with little effort and could roll eyes up a tad more to see all the way down the road. It worked great for me...using peripheral vision I could easily see what was ahead of the rider ahead of me and when I was leading, I would focus on only about 20 feet in front of me and every 10-15 seconds glance down (by rolling eyes up a little more) the road to see if anything was coming up...if we were on a very long flat section, at times i was simply looking a couple feet in front of my front wheel. Worked well for me, but don't risk an accident by not seeing what is going on ahead of you. This little trick and changing hand positions (including more time in drops than I could do before) worked fine.

Rolling your eyes will help, and it's good to be fitted by an expert who knows what you're up against (I'm 6'4", too, and I've found staggering ignorance among average-sized shop employees, even very knowledgeable ones, about fitting a bike to taller riders).
You might consider raising your handlebars so they're about level with the saddle, too. I did that on the advice of Grant P. at Rivendell, and it's the most effective thing I've done in terms of comfort (and eventually performance, since I could stay on the bike longer) in decades of riding.
Might not be necessary if you're youngish, fit and flexible, as many bike-shop workers are. I know an LBS owner who's 6'7", and he can ride all day hunched over bars six inches lower than his saddle. But I can't.
Raising the bars also increased my time in the drops from about 0 percent to maybe 40 percent of my riding time, and hasn't slowed me down any, so whatever effect it has on aero drag apparently is cancelled out by the comfort and higher fitness level.

I have a 120x17 stem with the maximum amount of spacers and with 38" inseam, getting bars even with saddle is a tough thing to accomplish. I have about 1 to 1.5" from saddle to bar. The only way I would ever be able to get saddle and bar even would be to go full custom which I am just not interested in spending the money to accomplish. I don't see myself doing many 80+ mile rides so if I can do 40-50 regularly in comfort, that is good enough for me.

You might consider raising your handlebars so they're about level with the saddle, too. I did that on the advice of Grant P. at Rivendell, and it's the most effective thing I've done in terms of comfort (and eventually performance, since I could stay on the bike longer) in decades of riding.
Might not be necessary if you're youngish, fit and flexible, as many bike-shop workers are. I know an LBS owner who's 6'7", and he can ride all day hunched over bars six inches lower than his saddle. But I can't.

What Cory said. Look, you can try all kinds of tricks to make a too-small bike less painful, but you'll pay for it down the road. I am 6'6". I rode a 62cm road frame and a 22" ATB frame for decades, and now I pay for it with constant back and hip pain.

Bottom line, get a bike that fits you. You can get a custom frame starting at $850 or so:

http://cycloculture.blogspot.com/2008/03/allan-wanta-building-custom-frames-for.html

Or you can cruise eBay and craigslist for big, old frames. I found a custom 68cm Keith Lippy frame and fork on eBay a few years back for $52! All Reynolds 531. Nice, long top tube... Plus I found a 67cm Bridgestone frame and fork with a 61.5cm(!!) top tube for - get this - $20!! Yeah, you have to be patient, but it can really pay off in terms of riding comfort, enjoyment, and long-term health.

Don't let the short folks tell you you should ride something too small for you. Find a bike that fits.

- FBB

I agree with getting a bike that fits, but for some reason taller riders automatically assume they need a long bike. The most comfortable I have ever been is with a tip of saddle to center of stem length of 56cm. With my dimensions, an effective top tube of 58-59cm is ideal. Anything longer than that and I am shortening the cockpit by sliding seat way up on rails and/or putting on a super short stem. Right now, with the 120x17 stem on a 60.6cm top tube with seat ALL the way up on rails I achieve tip of saddle to center of stem of 56cm. What would be good for me would be about a 59cm top tube and about a 25-26cm headtube.

And didn't like it. I am not as tall as the OP but just decided to give it a try today on my ride and see how it feels. I was wearing sunglasses (So Cal) and they blocked my view. Removed them and tried it again and I immediately had a "dizzy" feeling and found it difficult to focus and eyes got tired. May work for others but not me.

And didn't like it. I am not as tall as the OP but just decided to give it a try today on my ride and see how it feels. I was wearing sunglasses (So Cal) and they blocked my view. Removed them and tried it again and I immediately had a "dizzy" feeling and found it difficult to focus and eyes got tired. May work for others but not me.

Just curious how much saddle to bar drop you have...I have about 1.75" so I don't have to roll my eyes much at all. I don't have a visor on my helmet and the frame of my sunglasses didn't obstruct my vision. I rode 6 hours on Sunday with no problem at all.

I am FAR FAR from any type of expert about anything related to Road Bike Riding....but check this out. The position I am describing is per the rider on the left:

http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/09/road-bike-posture.html

What would be good for me would be about a 59cm top tube and about a 25-26cm headtube.

Not to revive a dead thread or anything, but it sounds like you could use a 1970s or 1980s Fuji 27" frame. Looooong seat tubes/head tubes and 59cm top tubes. Sounds like they would fit you perfectly, and they made some nice ones. If you can find an old Fuji Del Rey, snatch it up!

- FBB