caffeine

[bonj2]

It says in cycling plus that caffeine "mobilises fatty acids" so your body might be more inclined to burn a higher ratio of fat to carbs.
Anyone swear by a swift espresso before a hard ride?

Although i've developed a possibly slightly bad habit of not being able to drive anywhere without a takeaway latte on the go. (the milk probably adds more fat than the caffeine mobilises!)

 

[jimboalee]

Yup. My little espresso machine does four in one blast.

Since my trip to the TdF 1998 in Dublin. The USPS team were at the next breakfast table. Wow! Could those guys eat? And coffee... Doblo,doblo espresso, so I thought, if that's good enough for George, Frankie and Lance, that's good enough for me.

There were two other teams at the Kilternan. Can't remember them.

Oh. Weetabix, 6 each. 8 x 6 = Two 24 biscuit boxes.
Toast. Wholemeal with squeezy honey, 1 bottle each.
Milk. 1 pint each, mostly on the Weetabix and in the coffee.

Then the Soigneurs packed the musettes with Danish pastries and doughnuts. Left none for me.....
Greedy bas***ds.

 

[Joe]

I always have a black coffee (from a cafetierre) before riding. Not sure if it's the best idea but it gets me in the mood
And it's probably why my heartrate is always rather high at the begining of a ride!

 

[Eat MY Dust]

Although i've developed a possibly slightly bad habit of not being able to drive anywhere without a takeaway latte on the go.

Drinking a coffee while driving, sounds a tad illegal to me.

 

[Fiona N]

If I'm heading out north from Kendal, I usually stop by Wilf's Cafe and get a double expresso. Not sure whether it's that or the banana and walnut cake I get with it, but somehow rides always go better from Wilf's

 

[bonj2]

Drinking a coffee while driving, sounds a tad illegal to me.

it isn't illegal.

 

[Eat MY Dust]

it isn't illegal.

OK not striclty illegal, but you can still be charged for it. Do you consider it safe to drink hot coffee while driving?

 

[pubrunner]

A study from the University of Birmingham in England showed that caffeine helps the body use more carbohydrates from energy drinks/gels that are taken during exercise (Journal of Applied Physiology, June 2006).

Caffeine delays fatigue by preserving stored muscle sugar. Muscles get their energy from sugar and fat in the bloodstream, and from sugar, fat and protein stored in the muscles. When muscles run out of their stored sugar, they hurt and become more difficult to coordinate. Caffeine causes muscles to burn more fat, thus sparing stored muscle sugar to delay fatigue.

Studies have shown that caffeine in the form of capsules/tablets is more effective than when taken in coffee.

Beneficial effects do not occur consistently in habitual caffeine users, suggesting a level of ‘caffeine tolerance’. One way round this may be for caffeine users to shun all caffeinated foods and drinks for a period of 4-6 days prior to pre-event supplementation in order to optimise its benefits. I have tried this method in preparation for an off-road marathon (running) and it seemed to work very effectively. I also consumed a few gels which contained caffeine during the event. I finished much closer to faster runners than I usually do.

 

[pubrunner]

Regarding caffeine, care must be taken not to take too much.

Back in the 1980s, I was running 40-50 miles a week and I drank almost entirely coffee - about a gallon a day ! One morning, I woke and found that my pulse was 125 (normally only 40 resting); I went to the doctor (after I'd had a cup of coffee to help me 'relax') and it was found that my heart was beating arrythmically - fast and erratically.

I was told that I was to have no coffee/tea or chocolate for a month. After 4 or 5 days, I suffered from severe headaches and nausea - basically, withdrawal symptoms. I now drink decaffinated tea & coffee.

 

[PaulB]

I can't drink anything with caffeine in, me. It's one of the things that give me hideous migraines. Can't say I've ever felt to be missing out.

 

[bonj2]

OK not striclty illegal, but you can still be charged for it. Do you consider it safe to drink hot coffee while driving?

you can be charged with careless driving if you are judged to be driving while not concentrating but drinking coffee at the isn't a specific offence in itself.
If you were seen drinking coffee at the wheel by a policeman you wouldn't necessarily be stopped and charged with careless driving - only if he thought the way in which you were doing it was careless.

I think it's safe as long as you don't let it affect your concentration, which i don't.

 

[bonj2]

Regarding caffeine, care must be taken not to take too much.

Back in the 1980s, I was running 40-50 miles a week and I drank almost entirely coffee - about a gallon a day ! One morning, I woke and found that my pulse was 125 (normally only 40 resting); I went to the doctor (after I'd had a cup of coffee to help me 'relax') and it was found that my heart was beating arrythmically - fast and erratically.

I was told that I was to have no coffee/tea or chocolate for a month. After 4 or 5 days, I suffered from severe headaches and nausea - basically, withdrawal symptoms. I now drink decaffinated tea & coffee.

well a GALLON ! f*&ckin hell - even I don't drink that much

 

[Eat MY Dust]

Yawn

 

[Kovu]

Love the coffee me, don't think it's made any difference to my ride, but couldn't live without a capachenio.

 

[gavintc]

Drinking a coffee while driving, sounds a tad illegal to me.

Yawn