[radair]

I usually wait until AFTER the ride to crack open my favorite beverage (Harpoon IPA...mmmm). But an incident in Moab this spring involving a tie-dyed Coloradoan's oil pan and a strategically placed rock had my ride partners and I waiting for a long period of time. With a cooler of ice cold beer in the truck.

One of the guys (we'll blame lidarman) claimed there was a strange noise coming from the cooler, and after he opened it to investigate we all ended up with tasty Hazed & Infused ales in our hands. Eventually, after driving around in circles a few times, the ride commenced and it turned out to be a superb one, one of those magical rides you'll always remember, where you hit every obstacle perfectly.

So this got me to thinking, on those rare occasions when I quaff one or two beforehand, the ride always turns out excellent. Coincidence? Or is my alcohol-addled brain just thinking it was a great ride? Is this worthy of extensive research, or a recipe for disaster? Insert alcohol warning label here.

Oh, an infamous flatlander sent me this pic the other day. As long as the person at the wheel was sober, you could get blasted and pedal all day.

.

 

[kristian]

Sounds like a plan to me

When we used to do "practice weekends" on the DH course at Keystone, we always had beer for lunch (as opposed to with lunch). Those were some of the few times that I ever remember drinking before/during a ride though (I must have blacked out on the rest of them )

 

[Drewdane]

So this got me to thinking, on those rare occasions when I quaff one or two beforehand, the ride always turns out excellent. Coincidence? Or is my alcohol-addled brain just thinking it was a great ride? Is this worthy of extensive research, or a recipe for disaster? Insert alcohol warning label here.

.

I remember hearing once that the injury rate of drunks in car crashes is lower than that of sober victims, because the drunks are so relaxed their bodies just flop around, while sober people tense up and thus help contribute to torn muscles, twisted limbs, etc.

Now, I don't know if that's true, but the same principle may apply here. A beer or two could work to loosen you up just enough to contribute to your "flow". At the same time, the alcohol's well-documented effects on judgement and inhibition may induce you to cruise through technical sections that would otherwise have had you all tensed up and facing disaster...

OTOH, I could just be totally full of it. Wouldn't be the first time...

 

[bluronthetrails]

Lol

man you guys are high or something haha. It makes sense why drunks are hurt less, but its just funny thinking someone like a pro biker getting a little drunk before the race and magically floating through all the technical sections...LOL

 

[Earthpig]

biking + drinking + more biking

So this got me to thinking, on those rare occasions when I quaff one or two beforehand, the ride always turns out excellent. Coincidence? Or is my alcohol-addled brain just thinking it was a great ride? Is this worthy of extensive research, or a recipe for disaster?

As the old saying goes, been there and done that plenty of times. Before I went on my diet kick this spring, I would often pack a 22 oz can of malt liquor in my Camelbak for mid-ride libation. Always gave me a little boost and was nice and refreshing. And no, I'm not an alcoholic. I hadn't had a mid-ride beer all this year until two days ago. I went with some buddies on a group ride and we had to turn back after less than 10 miles due to a threatening thunderstorm. We stopped at our usual post-ride hangout and drank our normal pitchers of brew. However, the threatening t-storm just sort of scooted over the top of the foothills and blew away, and I was itching to go back out and ride, so I did. Whereas, before the brews I was hurting and felt like I was pedaling a brick through mud, afterwards I felt more "fluid" and stronger. Here's my theory of why - beer contains maltose, a form of glucose, and thus energy. In fact, maltose has the highest glycemic index of any form of sugar, so it bumps up your blood sugar and makes you feel stronger. However, at the same time, your liver is pumping out gads of insulin, so eventually you'll get that woozy, low blood sugar feeling if you keep riding, because the insulin processes the maltose and goes overboard, eventually sapping all your energy reserves. Luckily on Wednesday, I got that blood sugar crash right at the top of the climb, so I didn't have to climb anymore. However, a warning - if you drink and ride - GO SLOW and dont' try anything technical! Your reflexes and balance will be impaired, and even the slightest impairment could spell disaster on (or make that off) the bike!!!

 

[Pete]

One of the guys (we'll blame lidarman) claimed there was a strange noise coming from the cooler, and after he opened it to investigate we all ended up with tasty Hazed & Infused ales in our hands.

Lies, damn lies all of it.

Since riding the lifts and DHing isn't real riding I usually have a few beers at lunch while watching tha corpulent DH guys waddle around in their moto getups while burting "yo dood!" in between hits off of their menthol cancer sticks.

 

[radair]

Speaking of the devil....

I'd give you photo credit, but for some reason it's not showing up anymore. Must be the damn IT guy....

 

[radair]

Ha, it must have been your idea to crack one open then. You should post a pic of the oil slick..., or maybe the tow truck going the other way (with the bottle on the dashboard).

 

[gabe0807]

In Ned Overend's book, ride to win, he mentions that people need to relax more on the bike. He states that this is why some times people that are slightly intoxicated often ride better than sober. He then quickly states that he does not recommend drinking and riding because it has many other adverse effects on your balance, reaction times, etc.

 

[jdub347]

A few years back a couple buddies and I got a bit tanked (@ 6 Heinekins apiece) before we rode Panorama/Timber Mesa in Pine Top. Needless to say, it was interesting. Not being acclimated to the elevation and the brews kind of threw off judgment. I was a tad happy when that ride was over.

 

[BigHit-Maniac]

Well..... look @ Steve Peat... he chugs a beer or before his DH races....

 

[NCBigHit]

Its funny cause I have never really drank before riding, but the other day I was in WV with family and after a lunch that included a couple pints, we saw a place renting pretty crummy bikes to ride the local trails. I had to scratch the riding itch, so I got one and rolled out. It was a very rocky ride on a hardtail with a fork that basically did not function and I just rolled through it all going fast as hell. I was nowhere near drunk, or even buzzed, but I have wondered about the 'looseness' factor helping me along...I may have to change the contents of my camelback lol.

 

[Pete]

Ha, it must have been your idea to crack one open then. You should post a pic of the oil slick..., or maybe the tow truck going the other way (with the bottle on the dashboard).

Your wish is my command...

 

[bulC]

it can be tough

my old road club used to do an 80 mile pub to pub ride thru the PA hills. After about a dozen Molson Export Ales, I can recall some hard times pushing the pedals into a stiff headwind heading back.

also back east, I used to do occasional training rides with some track pros outa TTown, 140 or 150 hilly miles. we'd stop at bars instead of 7-Elevens for eats, and a couple of the pros would invariably have a shot and a beer and a snickers bar or two, sometimes two shots. so I started doing that too, and I must say, it made the legs ache less when we started up again, though if we were going all-out instead of at a social double rotating paceline pace, the results may have varied.

 

[lidarman]

Everything is better after a couple ales.

and on a side note, Rob....I drank the dickens out of that Harpoon stuff you have in your hood. mmmmmmmmmmm....miss it already!

 

[Stick]

Since riding the lifts and DHing isn't real riding I usually have a few beers at lunch while watching tha corpulent DH guys waddle around in their moto getups while burting "yo dood!" in between hits off of their menthol cancer sticks.

Speaking of which, missed you at the Mt. Snow deli on the last two trips. They've still got the best $2.50 big-bottle ales in the east!

 

[billybobzia]

i have packed a beer in the camelback for a mid ride snack and hae drank before driving to the trailhead, but dont make a habit of it......back when i was learning to WW Kayak it was pretty normal to swill a beer or three before a section of river to control the jitters, at first i thought it was a joke but found it worked well (not recommended for the class 5 rivers as you really need to be scared and able to make very quick decisions),

 

[bmateo]

A beer or two could work to loosen you up just enough to contribute to your "flow".

I don't like to ride after even one beer, mainly because the shaking makes it foam up and I feel like I'll explode...

OTOH, I do find that occasional TOKEn relaxation stop does indeed aid in my flow, and helps to get me relaxed and more focussed on the ride. I'd imagine that alchohol has to split that effect with the delayed response effect, and it would be a wash (as it were).

Smoke 'em if you got em....

 

[Earthpig]

tried it, can't do it

OTOH, I do find that occasional TOKEn relaxation stop does indeed aid in my flow, and helps to get me relaxed and more focussed on the ride. Smoke 'em if you got em....

Tried that a couple of times, but I can't smoke and ride. It seems to make the pain of climbing more intense than normal. That, and the paranoia of crashing on the downhill gets me spooked. Drink 'em before or during, smoke 'em after!

 

[Pete]

Speaking of which, missed you at the Mt. Snow deli on the last two trips. They've still got the best $2.50 big-bottle ales in the east!

Ahhh...good memories and some great beer.

It looks like they've changed labels since I last partook.