Caffeine and cycling

jhuskey said:

I am aware that a lot of so called power drinks and gels contain caffeine. I for one do not consume caffeine in any form. I was wondering how many of you do caffeine daily in some form either just to wake up or a an engery booster for training.

I drink diet soda, so I get alot of caffeine that way. And sometimes the Power gels I use on long training rides have caffeine, depending on the flavor

I love caffeine, it's great and not unhealthy apparently. Plus one to two cups within an hour of endurance apparently increases your performance.

The only caffeine I get is in my espresso Hammer Gel. 50mg a dose.

I voted that I can thread a sewing machine while it's running. :eek: I can drink a cup of coffee right before I go to bed. I do have something of a caffeine addiction and it does seem to help if I down some coffee before a ride. I've been thinking of taking some iced coffee on my longer rides to see how it does for me. The caffeine in sodas, diet or otherwise, just doesn't seem to have the same effect. I'm not crazy about fizzy drinks anyway.

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Is there LIFE before Caffeine?[/FONT]

Bicycling mag had an article about buring body fat with a morning ride on just coffee! I have been doing that, at least the first hour before adding carbs with a power drink. No problem riding on an empthy stomach! (No I'm not racing, just 18-22MPH cause I love it!)

travis200 said:

The only caffeine I get is in my espresso Hammer Gel. 50mg a dose.

HammerGel, what a kick!

starship said:

HammerGel, what a kick!

I am sure it would give me a lift and help drop pounds but I am not sure I would sleep for several days. I haven't had caffeine since 1981.Except maybe a small in chocolate.

jhuskey said:

I am sure it would give me a lift and help drop pounds but I am not sure I would sleep for several days. I haven't had caffeine since 1981.Except maybe a small in chocolate.

Sleep for me is not a problem. I have tried to go caffeine free, but Iced Tea and chocolate has been my downfall!

I'm definiatly in the death before decaf camp. I'm just glad that science has finally proved what I've been saying all along. It's not as bad a diuretic as originally thought and its easy fast fuel, (or at least motovation).

isnt caffine a diuretic? - i.e. makes you [censored] out more than you take in like alcohol. dehydration isn't a good thing - i got one hell of a cramp one day which i put down to not enough water intake.

i do however drink 2 cups of columbia's finest - coffee of course - in the morning before a ride but i now make sure that i drink often to avoid a decline in form.

chisa1234 said:

isnt caffine a diuretic? - i.e. makes you [censored] out more than you take in like alcohol. dehydration isn't a good thing - i got one hell of a cramp one day which i put down to not enough water intake.

i do however drink 2 cups of columbia's finest - coffee of course - in the morning before a ride but i now make sure that i drink often to avoid a decline in form.

I read somewhere that its the extra fluid you drink that can cause that effect, 3 full mugs would be almost a litre of fluid.

I only started drinking caffeine (in flat white coffee) after I took up cycling. :p You know the middle aged crisis guys posing in front of the coffee shop with the lycra and the flash bikes- ogling the young women who don't even know they exist! :eek:

Bugger Caffine, try EPH (now legal I believe). I used it to lose a few KG in my last "comeback" While it may have been proven not to enhance performance it sure as hell wakes you up and shoots Kg's off the midriff like you wont believe!!!! When not training I drop 1.5 - 3lt of Coke a day.....Im an addict what can I say 🙁

steve said:

I read somewhere that its the extra fluid you drink that can cause that effect, 3 full mugs would be almost a litre of fluid.

once you become habituated to caffiene, the dieuretic effect and insomnia wear off (or decreases drastically).

ric

Fixey said:

Bugger Caffine, try EPH (now legal I believe). I used it to lose a few KG in my last "comeback" While it may have been proven not to enhance performance it sure as hell wakes you up and shoots Kg's off the midriff like you wont believe!!!! When not training I drop 1.5 - 3lt of Coke a day.....Im an addict what can I say 🙁

eph... do you mean ephedrine? in which case it's a non-legal drug in terms of UCI/WADA

ric

ricstern said:

once you become habituated to caffiene, the dieuretic effect and insomnia wear off (or decreases drastically).

ric

Agreed. I don't have any issues with a diuretic effect until I start slamming the water, which I do right after my 2 cups of coffee in the morning.

Steve

jhuskey said:

I for one do not consume caffeine in any form.

No chocolate?

What are you? A Monk?

coolworx said:

No chocolate?

What are you? A Monk?

No I usually stay away from the dark chocolate.The regular stuff doesn't bother me. I don't eat a lot of candy at all.
Monk don't have wild sex,Do they?

ric_stern/RST said:

once you become habituated to caffiene, the dieuretic effect and insomnia wear off (or decreases drastically).

ric

This isn't true for everyone.

I haven't actually measured it but the stimulus and the diuresis have never (over 20 years) worn off for me. I've never suffered from insomnia as a result of caffeine.

It is discussed often in the group I cycle with, and none off them have noticed any lessened effects - even with insomnia 😎