Pinkbike Poll: Do You Cycle to Keep Healthy? Or Keep Healthy to Ride?

 This brings a great British tear to my eye. Cheers.

 For sure some of this. I went to my sister-in-law’s wedding and didn’t drink at all because I had a big climbing trip the next day, but generally when Saturday afternoon rolls around I’m gonna knock a few back knowing full well I’ll be hitting the trails the next morning. Then it’s not the drinks I’m cursing, but the smokes!

 Maybe it's just me but I've had some rides where I feel extra strong the day after drinking a few beers.....maybe I am making that up in my head but I swear it's true....

 @RadBartTaylor: Carb loading. I'm the same way as long as it wasn't in too excessive

 Classic camping/riding trip. Everyone meets up the first evening to setup camp, gets wasted, wakes up feeling awful and sweats out the booze on the ride. The second evening is usually much more mellow...

 @bonkmasterflex: nailed it!

 Here is how I see it... Shuttling next day? Riding Park? I'm cool being a little foggy in the morning, lets send it boys...

On the other hand, climbing + hangover = "boys I need to adjust my dropper, I'll meet you at the top"

 @RadBartTaylor: Carb loading.

 Missing option.... I'm over 40 so I've learnt how to deal with a hangover. Suck it up, live for now and climb with that head ache.

 You can still get wasted and ride bikes

 Judging by the upvotes of this comment, there's a sizable crowd here that likes to party on the weekend or there's a lot alcoholics that like to ride mountain bikes. The alcohol does loosen you up to take on some crazy stuff.

 if you still know what your doing take a panadol or 2 before you go to bed = no hangover

 @Curse-of-the-foot-long-sub: ha ha, I wish. Probably work if a six pack is a big day.

 @Peskycoots: Sorry!
I meant to do an upvote. Damn this little buttons!

 There’s also, “I MTB because the beers afterward taste sooooo much better!”

 What about a mid ride sip? Post and pre ride sip? Breakfast beers? Elevensies!?

 @Curse-of-the-foot-long-sub: I don’t mean to be a negative person when saying this, but if you drink alcohol with any regularity or get wasted please do not take acetaminophen at all. There is an effect of alcohol on the enzymes involved in metabolizing acetaminophen that can lead to a very acutely toxic affect due to the accumulation of something called NAPQI that causes liver failure. Use ibuprofen or naproxen.

 @Curse-of-the-foot-long-sub: Anything to keep your liver happy huh.. Panadol alone is bad for your liver but flushing it down with whiskey is just asking for trouble.

 @dmclemens: Beat me to it.

 So much this. I don’t enjoy riding hungover, but when most in our riding group feel the same it works out quite well. Misery loves company...

 @toaster29: livers are for babies

 @coffeecoffeemug: whisky from a flask on the cold fat bike rides

 @bdub5696: dude . . . I spent 14 months on a bike that was too big for me and had more travel then I needed (2016 Scot Genius Long Travel or LT 710 170mm travel front and back in size large and I'm 5'9 160lbs) EVERY single substantial climb had my lungs LITERALLY burning, and it didn't matter how deep of breaths I was taking it felt like I could NEVER take in enough oxygen while climbing. I live close to sea level, had nothing to do with altitude. It's all from the 12 years I spent smoking bud (stopped 5 years ago) and the 13 years I've spent smoking cigarettes. I turned 30 last Halloween (yes my birthday is 10/31/1990) and if I could go back in time to the parking lots outside of various small music venues across the greater LA area that still booked punk bands, I'd find my 17 year self and pull the cigarette out his mouth stomp it and say you'll thank me later. . . But then I'd immediately have to fight myself cause 17 year old me with a patched up vest, combat boots, no gel or egg yolk or glue in my "lazyhawk" that was any given color at any given time and pants i sewed myself into with dental floss would NOT have put up with some random 30 year old "normie" with nondyed longish curly hair, a short beard, holes in his ears where gauges used to be, a flannel, only moderately form fighting jeans and Onitsuka Tiggers or Sperry Topsiders on his feet. Not for a second LOL. I told myself years ago I'd quit by 35, but I REALLY want to give the California Enduro Series a shot and the BC Bike Race and Megavalanche are both on my bucket list. I know that as long as I'm still going through a pack every 2 days I'm going to most likely give a less-than-stellar, more towards embarrassing performance.

 @Heeven: I smoke too much weed and love my bong, but racing the CES is also making me try to cut back and switch to vaping instead. Hope it helps improve my lungs so I can get that extra edge. Good luck to you and see you at the races.

 @coffeecoffeemug: we'll often chuck a hard iced tea in each bag. I call them adult energy drinks. Caffiene, sugar plus 6% vodz. Perfect mid ride refresh!

 @bdub5696: I traveled home for the first time in a year for my sister’s wedding, was absolutely wasted by 4 in the afternoon and puked my guts out at the 6 am ride I’d agreed to with my homie the next morning. Good times.

 I've been to so many places around the world and if you hear a loud group , 9/10 , you know where they come from and where the booze is stashed

 "Accidentally Semi-Wasted" is the name of my Yacht Rock band. We wear corduroys.

 @mtb-thetown: switch to vaping? Just give up mate, f*ck switching.

 @Curse-of-the-foot-long-sub: your mum's for babies

 @mtb-thetown: Please don't. If you want to be riding for decades instead of years, get a plan together to drop it all. Vaping will destroy your lungs with less chance of regeneration (liquid oil vs solid particulates). It will be difficult to drop at the beginning, but will be so worth it. You got this.

 @rrolly: this is not true

 @rrolly: why not just eat the stuff?

 @Heeven: quit smoking and get a quicker 150 bike.

 @watchtower: nobody likes a quitter

 @Peskycoots: The Vape lobby (often backed by big tobacco) has some biased studies that show for obvious reasons biased results. I don't have access to the studies right now, but when we were digging into it, preliminary results were not good at all. I'm not guaranteeing anything, but I would be very surprised if vape companies are not up for some significant class action in the next decade or two.

Regardless if I'm right or wrong, you would be much better off quitting both and breathing fully again. As an ex-smoker, I can't recommend this enough.

 @rrolly: vaping concentrate isn’t just the oil cartridges, but cartridges usually contain added oil to keep them viscous.

Plenty of pure extract and concentrate out there if you live where it’s legal. And non-combustion is definitely healthier than smoking, if it’s pure and no oil added. Combustion creates the benzene that is largely responsible for cancer etc with cig smoke and it’s created when mj is burned as well.

 Totally agree @richt2000.

What they missed as well is the other fundamental “grown up answers”.

Like:

“I’m married and I have to lie to the wife to get out on the bike.”

“I’m married with two young kids and biking is a mental and physical respite from
Home life”

“This pandemic hasn’t effected my work and I have no time to ride. I really wish I was furloughed…..”

 @2-1RacingUK: If you have to lie to your wife to go ride your bike you might reconsider the whole wife thing... just saying...

 @rrolly: @emptybe-er: I'm glad everyone is so concerned. When I say vape, I mean flower through a volcano, not oil. I tried those concentrates years ago and am well aware of how bad that is for you. They shouldn't even call those vapes, they are just portable dab rigs.

Volcano isn't ideal, but edibles just don't do it for me.

 @bonkmasterflex: no it’s all good dude honestly.
It’s just a way of bypassing the overuse of working out with the better half, how getting out on the bikes can be achieved.
A young family is priority and biking isn’t, no matter how much you want to get out and ride.

 i think im accidentally in that state now... but i rode yesterday so its all good

 Good effort @bigwheelstinybike.

 @mtb-thetown: Vaping is not good for you either. Generally speaking, inhaling other than air or water vapor isn't great for your lungs.

 Remember the first beer just counts as hydrating

 @leon-forfar I just alcoholism to post my justify-ride...

 My drinkimg team has a cycling problem

 Where's the beer a lap option?
Beer enduro

 @Yaan: Now that's a discipline I can get behind. Beerudo. One beer a stage. Just a couple of stages with water breaks in between. End up finishing 10 stages and being hailed a hero.

 @Yaan: Beerduro** apparently they've already gotten to me ha!

 @Dmaxwell: LOL!

 That!

 @leon-forfar: oh it's a thing

 151 up-votes...that pretty much sums it up. "Pinkers" are a bunch of alcoholics that ride to justify their addiction. Lol.

 @SuperHighBeam: No no nooo! It's not an addiction, it's a post-ride celebration... that happens after every ride...which happens most days...


...Ok. maybe you're half right.

 @SuperHighBeam: We only drink on days that end in y

 @leon-forfar:

 I wish I could say the same for my body haha.

 Yeah it’s never Last Run, you may however have Another Run

 I thought the same thing when I marked “every 2 years”, because then it occurred to me....sh*t I’m due, and I’ve actually made some plans to travel and ride this summer.

 It's always "I feel pretty good, lets see how we're feeling when we get down about another one."

Or just "2nd to last lap!"

 I have an enduro moto injured shoulder for which the cortisone injection wears out every two - three years, after which a light tap on the shoulder revives the infection. So by default, I get a very annoying injury every 2 years.

 Purposefully avoided answering that question.

 @bonkmasterflex: My workaround has always been calling "2 skip." Take 2 more runs but skip the second one and get a beer.

 if you say last run then you might get forced to make it your last run by the trail gods

 @islandforlife: That's what I should have done.

 I definitely skipped it to be safe

 @bdub5696: I said the exact same thing. Im due for another ER visit.

 @islandforlife: Either you've just crashed, or your're just about to crash :-D

 Lol just the Lycra team

 getting exercise can be fun too. I've gotten into a bit of road biking lately, and I must admit, I kind of like it by now, the distances become relative, every ride is an adventure. also, a few nice side effects come with it: your fitness gets much better, ergo longer MTB rides, faster climbs, more downhills!

of course, neither do I ride bikes solely for the purpose of getting exercise, as mentioned above: yin and yang, as for everything in life!

 Triathletes?

 @Mazador: Pretty sure that's not who this article is for. I meant the average rider.

 If they put a chairlift up on my local trails I would most definitely have a seasons pass

 Once you are addicted to runners high it's all over. you just have to push through the pain for a few months.

 @zanda23: eww gross.

 @Boxmtb everyone who has their ebike article filter on

 @Bighill2015: They prefer to be called the Lycra Legion, Spandex Squad, Polyester People or if it's all dudes the Monochrome Men

 @Stonerz94: I wouldn't say I find road riding actual fun. It's certainly enjoyable getting out in the countryside, having a chat with your mates, and I can't deny there's masochistic pleasure in beasting yourself up a big climb, or hitting 80kph on a descent. But the first time back on the MTB after the local trails dried out enough to be rideable (couldn't travel to better draining trails) told me quite how huge the jump is between the fun of MTB and road bikes

 @Stonerz94: the roads/drivers where I live are too scary for much road riding. But gravel - excellent addition for me. Helps with the fitness when on the MTB and just getting out in the countryside helps with the mental aspect.

 www.pinkbike.com/photo/13667307

 @zanda23: I ran xc in high school just to keep in shape. My classmates some of whom made it to state pushed me decently hard. It’s the purest high you can get for sure and I can push harder on the bike than I ever could running. Even getting battered on a hardtail isn’t as stressful on the body as running. Both require decent form or injury can happen and I see too many joggers running themselves into potential injuries down the road from bad form.

 I was a little perplexed by the last two answers in the first poll set. The "..., I just ride for fun." vs "..., I cycle to help my mental health." I decided to click the mental health option cause ultimately isn't that the state one needs to have "Fun"?

 Aren't the mental health benefits somewhat related to the physical health benefits? The brain telling the legs to push the pedals, getting the heart and lungs pumping gets the right chemicals in the brain flowing.

 I do understand the drinking after a ride aspect for the social interaction part of a ride, but even if I did drink, I'd imagine it's similar to downing a 16 oz coke or DP after a ride. Sure, it tastes amazing, but I can get so much more hydrated on water and chocolate milk, so why do it? I'm almost never hungry for junk food after a good workout, and beer/soda are things I'd classify as junk food.

 Maybe I should do more stretching, the other week went for a decent ride ~2h no problems, not as pacy up the climbs like I used to be but not dying either, only went and threw my back out walking up the garden the next day

 I was looking for the 'I might have one or more beers during the ride depending on how long the ride is' option..but didn't find it.

 @gnarnaimo: I once drank a 3.2% tallboy between laps at a 12 hour race I was in. Caught some nasty glares and judgement, but I felt awesome that lap.

 @ruggedmaine: 3.2% ???
What was it,apple juice?

 @ruggedmaine: I once had a cider on my lunch break at a ski hill and immediately ate shit on a green run (I usually ski black/double black).... I don't drink and ski/bike anymore

 The ironic side effect of horrible US healthcare lol. We gotta try to stay healthy so we don’t get bankrupted by hospital bills. Ahhh, freedom.

 @BamaBiscuits: the “screw it I’m gonna get fat, smoke, and pickle myself” and still manage to survive til 85 plan is frustrating as hell to see work so often

 @sjma: survivorship bias. You only see the ones that made it and not the ones that didn't

 @joeshackleton: man if that isn’t the truth but I’m terrified by the fact 40% of Americans are obese including 18% of us that are morbidly obese. With a population of 330 million that means there’s almost 60 million morbidly obese people still huffing and puffing around

 @sjma: It's a real tragedy. It's one of the worst problems this country faces but I feel like it gets talk about so little.

 @joeshackleton: you know this is true, and it works the other way too.

Im a PT, i work in a nursing home/physical rehab center. The people i work with are often so young and so chronically ill, it gives the impression that by 65 everyone is missing limbs and has wounds all over. The thing is though, the people that stay healthy as they age, they rarely come through our facility. So its not as dire as it looks like to me sometimes.

That said, American's health as a whole, is just fcked.

 I have a YT Decoy and an Intense primer. I go back and forth about 50/50. The Decoy is good for fitness as well. Do a hard 30 miler on it and you are wrecked. It's more of a core workout though rather than legs and cardio.

 I tend to only ride my E-bike alone so far, and I've noticed that trying to maintain a 90-110 cadence nonstop until I'm at the top almost more tiring than riding my regular bike. It takes more strength on the regular bike to spin, but I'm definitely not sweating as much when I get to the top.

 @carters75: @leon-forfar: do you guys still feel like you accomplished something when you reach the top of a big climb or do you feel like you've lost some of that sense of accomplishment? ( if you care about that kind of thing)

 @IsaacO: It's different I would say. If I do like 25km on the E-bike, my upper body is more sore than it would be on a normal bike. On the regular bike, my legs definitely feel like they've been through more... Because they have I guess.

 @racerfacer: I don't consider either of those a flex.... 25k is only a 15 mile ride which isn't really that much for a fit rider on a regular bike. I think the totals are helpful because it gives an idea over how much you have to ride to feel the same amount of fatigue. .

 @IsaacO: it's different in BC maybe. 25km here is pretty large. i usually only hit 25km if i'm riding around squamish, it tends to be flatter and a bit more spread out so you can get the kilometers. my home mountain is a 3km climb up but you're gaining 400m of elevation, to put it in perspective. i could ride 25km at squamish and get maybe 800m. north van/mainland is definitely steep, short climbs.

 @crysvb: This! 25km in Squamish is no problem. 25Km on Seymour and I'm wrecked! Also @racerfacer, I was just giving a number as an example to compare the two. Also, who cares how many km's I rode? I'm just riding for fun. I'm not an EWS or XC athlete.

 @IsaacO: I agree with you. I've lost that feeling on the e-bike, but it's OK, because I make up for it at the gym. It's 100% beast mode at the gym! E-bikes are REALLY fun on turbo mode!

 @leon-forfar: I definitely get that. If I lived somewhere where the trails all required 2k+ ft of climbing just for a single lap in only a couple miles I think I'd be first in line for an E bike. LA trails require about 1400 ft of climb and about 5-7 miles per lap on most of the local trails. No small task either.

 I have to agree to a certain extent. While it would be nice to cover longer distances and ride more trail per outing I'm not sure I'd feel the same sense of accomplishment knowing I gave it my all. Ebiking seems more like a team sport and your teammate isn't a human who put in just as much effort as you, but a cyborg laughing to himself at the effort you're putting in and how puny and irrelevant you are. ...maybe I need couseling for my vivid intrepretations of how cyborgs really think about me. They probably don't think about me at all, which is a whole other conversation equally punishing to my self esteem.

 been riding forever and when i got an ebike in '19 i went all in and sold the analog rig because i just wanted more downhill (have since gone back to riding both). at the end of the exclusive ebike era i found that 5-6 days a week ebike equated to what had been about 2-days-a-week shape for me. granted, i use my ebike to shuttle for dh, not to get in shape. Other people may work harder on theirs. Now, when both bikes are running, I force myself to do 2 or 3 days a week analog, and as much as it sucks to climb so slow, man that post-ride high is as righteous as it's always been, and honestly, if i could have either bike at the top of a dh, I'd choose my revel rail. but the sheer quantity of dh on the kenevo is tough to beat. and that's a fun ass bike too even if it is a tank.

...and to respond specifically to the point about measuring progress, because you get so much more dh on an ebike, that progress is all about how quickly you get that dialed feeling back comparatively after a gnarly crash or setback/time-away (versus just being in-shape). It's no contest how much faster you get back to and surpass your peak riding ability on an ebike because of the sheer volume of dh you get compared to an analog rig.

 @Warburrito: E/GMBN did a climb video recently, 1000’ climbing race ebike vs regular, all the riders had average heart rates in the 170s for the ride, the ebikes just got to the top considerably faster...

 Their legs go in circular motions just as many times per climb as analog bikers......

 Ya I'm surprised this isn't an option on the 1st question. I ride for fun and getting fit is a welcomed bonus

 Edibles are the new bowls my friend.

 Usually 2(small) bowls from the bubbler to get nice and elevated

 Well wyorider, you are on a cycling page...skiing is great, but for the purpose of this poll, your skiing habits aren't as important to them as your balance between fitness and cycling specifically. Not trashing skiing, just don't think it's accident that other sports and activities aren't mentioned.

 Seasonal training plan:

Spring (mud season): gravel bike through axel deep mud ruts until the trails dry out (also go for some spring skiing)
Summer: mountain bike (heck yeah)
Fall: mountain bike until it rains too much to ride, resume gravel biking, start doing jumping lunges to not suck at skiing
Winter: Fatbike when the snow sucks, ski when the snow is good (the more backcountry the better)

Rinse and repeat!

 @jrden904: I’d argue that other activities should be taken into account for a fitness poll. Plenty of people focus mostly on yoga or HIIT training, and that context is included in the poll.

I just backcountry ski (ski it to win it!!) in the off-season and it’s a near ideal complementary activity to riding my bike(s). Plenty of other folks rock climb, kayak, run etc.

If you’re looking at a fitness profile for mountain bikers, the other activities they engage in are worth asking about.

 @bonkmasterflex: I’d say my “training plan” is pretty close to yours. Only difference is I avoid mucky gravel, so sometimes I run (ick). But not too often.

 I think all of that would fall under cross training.

 @wyorider: I agree...I would love to see polls on what other activities mountain bikers do. Personally, I enjoy about any physical activity outdoors and try to make time for windsurfing, skateboarding, kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking. I haven't found a good spot for surfing in Indiana yet, but once I do its getting added to the list.

 I agree. Just turned 50 & my life long friendship with pizza is starting to fray. My kids give me a "WTF" look when they want to get pizza & I say no thanks.
Alcohol definitely does mess with the sleep pattern. Very noticeable when you track your sleep.

 @Zoo1424: We don't have to be too extreme on the diet, but if I can manage the reduced calories without too much suffering, I go for it.

It that means I can climb easily on the bike and become less fatigued from packing extra weight around the midsection, then it's worth it.

 *In the ortho's office 6 weeks after smashing my collarbone into 4 pieces and getting it plated*

"You're healing well, Texag, in another 2 weeks you can start riding again."

"Doc, I started riding 2 weeks ago."

 @texag: I made it 9 days into my 3-6 weeks for multiple bruised ribs before I started riding again.

 Because it's the same except you miss out on the mindfulness BS and Lululemon pants

 @marge88: Despite my observations that Lululemon produce a range of aesthetically pleasing clothing, I remain unconvinced that a middle aged man wearing it will be perceived in the same way…

 Wouldn't you rather be hungover at work and feel great for riding?

 @iridedj: In theory, yes.

 Scrolled down to the comments for this

 How do you know? I never met someone on the trail drinking alcohol (ok Czech people but they are really hardcore drinkers AND mtbikers).

 @cxfahrer: Trail head beers is a real thing. You can tell.

 Because they don’t fit in my Fanny pack.

 @deez-nucks: Dangle Bong will fit in the fanny pack.

 @sriracha: googling that now

 @deez-nucks: don’t get caught not danglin’.

 Dude, huh?

 True ! LoL !

 I get a today every day. There will be a new one in 11 hours

 @sdaly: not here there won't. Xxx

 That's it I want be always ready for a great ride!

 @sdaly: today is tomorrow’s yesterday

 You had to make it creepy. . .

 Why’s that? In moderation is completely fine.

 @extratalldirtrider:
If you look at the physical side effects, alcohol is worse then heroin.

I'll stick to the drugs my body produces on it own.

 Marijuana doesn't affect fitness like drinking does.