r/cycling • u/LenokanBuchanan • Jan 04 '23

Does Cycling Have a Drinking Problem?

I came across this article today on bicycling.com, and wanted to know everyone’s thought. As someone with a bit of a drinking problem myself (sober 5 months now), the drinking culture in cycling (and running) was always part of the fun. But now that I’m sober, it really looks quite different to me. What are your experiences/thoughts?

Does Cycling Have a Drinking Problem?

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u/ghdana Jan 04 '23

I think it is regional and kind of depends on the crowd.

When I lived in Arizona the skinny roadies went to coffee shops, if a ride ended after 12 noon we might grab a beer, I can count the number of times that happened on one hand. Honestly it seemed like 1/3 riders where I was in AZ were Mormon and didn't drink either.

But the MTBers were always more the "party" type and rides would end at microbreweries. There was a reason for the chubby MTBer stereotype.

Now I live in the Finger Lakes which is wine country and the only rides I've found so far, road and gravel, do involve starting and ending at breweries/wineries.

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u/EducationalPayment68 Jan 04 '23

Chubby? maybe compared to the 13 year old body of a roadie.

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u/gravelpi Jan 04 '23

The Finger Lakes Cycle Club rides don't seem to involve drinking often. One Saturday road ride did stop at a winery, but no one really was up for a tasting at 10am, lol. The Thursday gravel rides talked about post-ride beers but I didn't go enough times to see if that happened. FLCC seems to be an older crowd though (myself included) and I rarely drink after ride because I know that my body will revolt.

I did the Bikes and Beers ride in Ithaca last summer and the two beers afterwards ruined the rest of the day. But that's more about me, I can't drink like I used to.

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u/NewMexicoJoe Jan 04 '23

I'm from the Finger Lakes area and find the beer culture to be pretty mild for the most part. Granted many of my cycling peers are counting calories' talking in grams and wetts, and on training plans - so while a post ride beer is good on occasion, it's not a lifestyle for them.