Caffine and Riding

[Barbarian]

How do y'all feel that caffine effects your riding? Most research over the years shows it has a mild but definite effect on improving endurance in runners and bicyclists. It does this by allowing the muscles to burn more fat and save glycogen for awhile.
But I think more important to us is how it affects your coordination and speed. An extra cup of coffee seems to make me ride with more intensity but sometimes I feel a little bit tense also. So I've never really come to any conclusions. What do y'all think?

 

[Jaibbe]

Well I don't know any effect's because I don't drink coffee at all. But I have seen top driver's drink battery or redbull products in practise break. So caffine must have some good effect...

 

[JTT]

JUst remember to offset the caffeine with extra water :cool:

 

[Casper250]

i heard something to the fact that you will only benifit from the effects if you stay away from caffeine in your diet, but take it right before a race. I guess your body builds up a tolerace to it after drinking it every morning:think

 

[Saratoga]

It cracks me up when people reply that do not have an answer. If they do not even drink coffee then why are they posting a reply? As for myself, I drink alot of coffee but never before riding. Physically it might be slightly beneficial. Mentally however it is a disaster. I cannot concentrate or focus. I cannot find the flow or time obstacles correctly. Therefore, I drink coffee after riding so that I have enough energy for the drive home. As for other caffene drinks, nothing gets me going like coffee.

 

[Anssi]

Originally posted by Saratoga
As for other caffene drinks, nothing gets me going like coffee.

Probably because nothing normal has nearly as much caffeine as coffee.

 

[bud]

I need to be relaxed to ride at my best so I avoid it. I found it contributed to arm pump too...

 

[Barbarian]

Thanks for the posts guys. For what it's worth, I've been riding my unicycle allot lately and have noticed better balance with drinking less caffine. Last week was two cups every morning and one in the afternoon. This week just one cup in the morning. Balance has definately been better when I ride in the afternoon after work. I had a virus last week also to so that may be part of it.

 

[JTT]

Originally posted by Anssi


Probably because nothing normal has nearly as much caffeine as coffee.

Actually many soft drinks have more caffeine than normal coffee, some more that espresso :eek:

 

[Anssi]

http://wilstar.com/caffeine.htm

We don't have decaf over here.

 

[mgorman]

I was told by fellow racers and a nurse that caffine dehydrates the body. Though I don't drink coffee, it is nothing for me to drink 5 glasses of Iced Tea with my dinner. Usualy after the 3rd glass, the waitress just brings a pitcher. I have been trying to get away from Mt. Dew and Iced Tea for a few reasons.

1) the dehydration part because I also race bicyles where the body has a tendency to bonk a little harder. Plus you still have to peddle back unlike just going slow and twisting the throttle in a moto race when you bonk.

2) I sleep better which makes for a better "next day". Instead of falling asleep at 1:00am I now fall asleep within 5-10 minutes of hitting the pillow.

3) Coming off a caffeine hi, like a sugar hi, usualy leaves you feeling more tired than when you started. I figure being well hydated is more important than a slight energy boost that will fade.

my 2¢

 

[Murf]

If there is any history of glaucoma in your family, look out for caffeine. The pressure in my eyes was high, and the Dr. said lay off of caffeine. Two weeks later, the pressures were down considerably. I love iced tea, and Pepsi but, I like being able to see better.

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Many soft drinks do have more caffeine then coffee. The funny thing is I can drink a cup of coffee and fall right asleep (though I don't make it a habit to drink coffee at night).

Tea is a different story. In the old days I drank tea all the time and never thought anything of it. Some where down the line I just about quit drinking the stuff but on the occasion I do have a glass I can't go to sleep for hours.

I drive a lot at work, it's not uncommon for me to put in a couple hundred miles a day around town. To keep the old whistle wet I usually pick up a 20oz Dr. Pepper a few times a day. That stuff is loaded with caffeine! From time to time I say to my self, "self, you need to cut out all the D P's, it's not good for ya." I can tell you that your body goes through withdrawals when you quit. it can take a couple of weeks before your body gets used to it. I would feel exhausted all the time but eventually I would feel better. Just when you think you've got it licked you'll slip one in and it's a head rush. What am I doing? :confused:

 

[Chief]

Although there are beverages with more caffeine, coffee really seems to have that certain kick for me like nothing else. Coffee has hundreds of substances in it. Awhile back I did a little research, they decaffeinate coffee by rinsing the beans in a substance derived from bananas. Decaf has about 5% as much caffeine as regular. I find it still gives me a boost, though not as wired. I don't normally drink decaf.

I brew it really strong, let it cool, then store it in the fridge. (It's not as bad as letting it sit on the burner for hours and ferment, still tastes fresh to me). I usually only have one cup when I wake up, occasionally one more mid-day, and rarely one after dinner. I mix a lot of milk in it, so it's kinda a homebrewed cappuccino.

As far as expresso, I heard although it tastes a lot stronger than regular coffee, it actually has less caffeine since the beans are roasted longer for the darker taste. Makes sense to me. Maybe the concentrated brewing process offsets this. It's effect on me is not nearly as strong as what I normally drink.

I find it's great for curing an occasional headache (possible withdrawal symptom?)

Over the years, I've built somewhat of an intolerance to it, if I couple it with any other type of caffeine (cola, tea) in the evening, it takes me a lot longer to fall asleep. If I drink 2 or 3 cups, or more in a short time span, chances are I'm going to be HIGHLY irritable, and it takes a few hours to wear off.

I don't really consider it a performance enhancer for myself, Years back they strongly advised against it before exercise. I don't know about now, I guess not, due to the influx of 'energy drinks' containing caffeine, effedrine. If I drink it just before I ride my mtn bike, I find my endurance suffers. I also tend to avoid it when I'm already stressed out.

Like a lot of questionable substances, I think it's ok in moderation. I do like the feeling of that one cup in the morning.

A little history, (I'm a little fuzzy on this) folks were known to frequent coffee houses (days of early America?). They would drink it all night long until they hallucinated.

One of the best brews I ever had was when I brought back ten lbs of Jamaican Blue from a trip. It was a bargain at 3 dollars a lb.

Little known and seldom used facts by Cliff Claven:)

 

[MrWink]

caffeine and riding...

I drink a lot of coffee and was wondering the same about caffeine helping me to be more alert when riding, particularly for the later part of the day... I took a couple of over the counter caffeine pills a few weeks ago. I noticed the effects more after the riding than during.. my hands were shaking like mad and I felt like I was speeding.. not really the effect that I was desiring!:aj:

This past Saturday we rode 85 miles at Stoddard Wells exploring and checking out the Slash X and I brought some fruit that I ate between rides and that did the trick! I was alert and had plenty of energy.. that's gonna be in my pack from now on... unless I figure out that it was just a fluke! LOL

ok.. I've rambled enough!

C h e e r s,
gene

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

I've got a friend that swears grapes do the trick to boost energy.

 

[RM125Guy]

i drink about a 2 ltr a day of pepsi.....and i drink about that much riding when i go back to the truck for gas and before riding and after it doesn't seem to hurt me?

 

[Chief]

I'll second the grape theory. I also like raisins for a boost (they also carry well :) ) I work 12 hour shifts and without a doubt, my best days are the ones with the best lunch (lot of fruit, fish, vegetables, not too much fat)

As far as the Mtn Bike and MX goes, I try to stick to basics. Granola bars, water, fruit. I guess the power bars and drinks would do me well, never tried them.

Chief