Joined
·
17,776 Posts
Does Cycling Have a Drinking Problem?
Bikes and booze have been linked for decades, but research shows there's no such thing as a healthy amount of alcohol.
www.bicycling.com
Does Cycling Have a Drinking Problem?
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
www.bicycling.com
Joined
·
26,097 Posts
I don't know that 'cycling' has a drinking problem. But people do.
When you get used to waking up and doing things with a hangover... you have a problem.
I've never bought into the 'healthy' benefits of alcohol. Like the 'glass of wine a day' being good for you. But drinking a beer or wine here or there isn't any more un-healthy than eating potato chips or fast food. Ya gotta have some pleasures in life.
From what I see, MTB'ers and off roaders seem to have more of a prevalence for drinking.
One of my road cycling groups does a weekly ride that starts at a brewery. In the peak of summer there will be 40+ riders. Afterwards there's only a handful that stop in for a beer afterwards.
No one, least of all herself, was counting at the time, but over the years she began putting away startling amounts of alcohol. On a weeknight, she could finish a six-pack. At an event like Crested Butte’s legendary chainless downhill race..... totaling eight or 10 beers over the course of the day.
This all seemed normal in a town where many locals simultaneously partied and pulled off casual athletic feats, and Phillips got used to waking up with a hangover and riding it off too.
Holy crap! Even in my college drinking days she would've given me a run for my money.When you get used to waking up and doing things with a hangover... you have a problem.
I've never bought into the 'healthy' benefits of alcohol. Like the 'glass of wine a day' being good for you. But drinking a beer or wine here or there isn't any more un-healthy than eating potato chips or fast food. Ya gotta have some pleasures in life.
From what I see, MTB'ers and off roaders seem to have more of a prevalence for drinking.
One of my road cycling groups does a weekly ride that starts at a brewery. In the peak of summer there will be 40+ riders. Afterwards there's only a handful that stop in for a beer afterwards.
Joined
·
17,776 Posts
I would agree that (at least in my circles) cyclists don't have a drinking problem any more than people in general.
One thing I have noticed is that downhill skiers seem to like to get plastered. They joke that they are drinkers with a skiing problem. I'm a xc skier and was once on a joint trip with downhillers. The downhiller table sure got drunk and roudy at dinner each night.
One thing I have noticed is that downhill skiers seem to like to get plastered. They joke that they are drinkers with a skiing problem. I'm a xc skier and was once on a joint trip with downhillers. The downhiller table sure got drunk and roudy at dinner each night.
Joined
·
9,597 Posts
Like minded people, is all.
Skiers that like to drink are going to ski with drinkers who like to ski. Non drinkers or drinkers, no matter the hobby, are more often than not, going to find a group whose choice matches theirs.
Hard drinking cyclists/skiers/golfers hanging with hard drinking cyclists/skiers/golfers and the non drinkers hanging with the non drinkers.
The moderate drinkers will probably be found with the non drinkers.
alcoholics are going to with other drinkers who like to ___. Non drinkers or drinkers, no matter the hobby, are more often than not, going to find a group whose choice matches theirs.
^ yessir ^
*I am an alcoholic and up until my early 30's, I FOUND FRIENDS everywhere including road races, obstacle course races, and cycling groups.
Today it's the same except no alcohol and the people I meet tend to be normal drinkers / non-drinkers or former drinkers like myself. The ones who are glued to substances or struggling other ways usually weed themselves out of my space. Sometimes they need a little nudge and that's okay too.
^ yessir ^
*I am an alcoholic and up until my early 30's, I FOUND FRIENDS everywhere including road races, obstacle course races, and cycling groups.
Today it's the same except no alcohol and the people I meet tend to be normal drinkers / non-drinkers or former drinkers like myself. The ones who are glued to substances or struggling other ways usually weed themselves out of my space. Sometimes they need a little nudge and that's okay too.
Joined
·
9,597 Posts
Me too, for what it's worth, and that sure is the way I see it working.
Joined
·
9,597 Posts
A "crew cut" would solve that worry.
Joined
·
21,868 Posts
As others have noted, this is just like-minded people congregating. I'm a life-long skier and none of the people I ski with are drinkers. You may have noticed that drunk people, or people drinking to get drunk, really don't want sober people around. They know how sober people will see them.
Joined
·
9,087 Posts
A lot of the studies that found moderate drinkers were "more healthy" is because complete non-drinkers tend to be over-represented by people with serious health conditions. Most stage 4 cancer patients aren't hanging out in bars all day. That said, while even small amounts of alcohol are not good, I tend to agree that true moderate consumption is not significantly worse than the occasional snack binge.
I don't think cycling has a particular alcohol problem, but I do think there tends to be a big beer culture in the cycling community. When you've burned a huge number of calories after a ride, a beer that quickly restores your blood sugar is particularly enticing. But some folks have difficulty limiting to one or two- once they get started, they have a very hard time stopping. I've attended AA meetings to support friends in the past, and a common denominator among AA people telling their stories is the inability to stop after one or two. I'm lucky in that my body seems to have a pretty natural point where it says "no more" that comes after about 2-3.
Joined
·
5,353 Posts
I see Cycling has replaced Get Fit For Your First Century in 30 Days to more clickbait content. Gotta move product, I guess.
I think one of them is called RBR forum.
MTBR scooped this story by a couple weeks.
www.mtbr.com
Does cycling have a drinking problem?
A friend of mine shared this on FB the other day, and I think it warrants a better space for discussion. https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/?fbclid=IwAR1_4Wam1D2ygyaiW4FjnXOV_BrBDJzTdjp7lDbfIHDE_F42-J1g95k8F1o As somebody who, by any...
www.mtbr.com
Joined
·
17,776 Posts
This is true. They need enablers and they resent the person in the group who chooses to stay sober.
That's not always true. As someone pondering/struggling with his "relationship to alcohol", I just had a fantastic week of road tripping and skiing with my teetotaling buddy. It was nice going to bed early and waking up fresh each day. I saved a bunch of money too.
Some of us respect and envy the sober guy a LOT more than you're suggesting.
"Alcoholism is the only disease people will yell at you for having" - Abe Lincoln.
Joined
·
26,097 Posts
See! It's the MTB'ers who are the drunkards.MTBR scooped this story by a couple weeks.
Does cycling have a drinking problem?
A friend of mine shared this on FB the other day, and I think it warrants a better space for discussion. https://www.bicycling.com/health-nutrition/a42259477/cycling-drinking-alcohol-effects/?fbclid=IwAR1_4Wam1D2ygyaiW4FjnXOV_BrBDJzTdjp7lDbfIHDE_F42-J1g95k8F1o As somebody who, by any...
Joined
·
21,868 Posts
In any discussion of drinking, I'm always reminded of two quotes:
My college chemistry professor: "Ethanol is merely the least poisonous of all alcohols."
Ann Landers (when asked who was the real person, the sober or the drunk): "Alcohol removes inhibitions. The drunk person is the real person." That's nice when they're a happy drunk, not so nice when they're mean, belligerent, depressing, disgusting, etc.
Joined
·
17,776 Posts
And then there is the joke that alcohol kills all the inferior brain cells. That's why you always feel smarter after a few drinks.
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
