Drinking coffee has almost become synonymous with cycling but is it a good idea to drink a cup of coffee before or after a ride? If it does give you a bit of a boost, is it possible to use this to your advantage? *

Here are 6 reasons why you should drink coffee before and after your ride.

Pre-workout benefits

Most store-bought pre-workouts include 150mg - 300mg caffeine. This is equating to about one or two cups of coffee. The reason caffeine is used in pre-workouts is because it has shown to increase energy and focus. So drinking a cup of coffee (or two) 30-60 min before your ride will help you ride for stronger and continue for longer.

Muscle pain

A study done by the University of Illinois determined that cyclists who drank coffee prior to a ride, experience less muscle pain during a workout than those who didn’t. Thus, drinking coffee before a ride will allow you to ride faster and for longer.

We are not sure what the science is behind this, but we are just going to go with it.

Recovery benefits

See it as refuelling the engine… Drinking coffee after a ride helps replenish the body’s glycogen levels. Glycogen is the body’s fuel during exercise and fatigue develops when the active muscles, glycogen levels are depleted.

General health

According to health.harvord.edu people who consume between three to four cups of coffee a day reduce the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease by 8% - 15%. The high number of antioxidants in the bean has proven to fight inflammation and neutralize free radicals in the body.

Mental health

The final reason we believe coffee is essential for cyclists is the social aspect. Riding a bicycle would not be as much fun if you didn’t get to share the details of your ride with others afterwards.  Let’s face it, there is no better way to discuss the almost crash moments, the KOM and the next ride than over a good cup of java.

Ride bikes, drink coffee, have fun!

*We are experts in making bicycle components and not health practitioners. If you experience nausea, tummy aches or heart palpitations, cut down on the coffee and consider seeing your doctor.