A beer stop instead of coffee?

alexanderomahon

I enjoy my coffee and cake stops as much as the next person on two wheels, but just wonder if anybody has a beer stop when out on a spin?

I lived in Munich for a few years and over there a drink made of 50% beer and lemonade is called a radler, which means “cyclist”. Friends told me it was quite normal for cyclists to stop for a beer, especially in the summer.

Just wondering why this eurocycling tradition has not caught on over here, or has it and I'm just cycling with the wrong people!!!

Here is link to how radler came about
http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/Radler.html

kenmc

1 beer is just teasing..... better none till you can get home and enjoy properly

cdaly_

I did stop for cider and sandwiches in the middle of the Dying Sow 300 last summer. Was just the ticket. You'll find that the english for 'radler' is 'shandy'...

Sagi

I'm from Austria and surly I'd stop for a Radler, it's for the electrolytes. Stopping for a coffe is something I have not considered so far. When going on a longer tour where you spend the whole day in the saddle it might be more than just one stop for refreshments.

It' a shame there is no Radler here, great alternative to a beer on a hot summer day

Lumen

I think I managed the ROK on one 600ml water bottle and a pint of Guinness.

CianRyan

Sagi wrote: »

It' a shame there is no Radler here, great alternative to a beer on a hot summer day

Half pint, bottle of lemon a d a pint glass. Same thing no?

smithwicks

Alcohol-Frei Erdinger is nice, good beer taste and won't have ya giggling away to yourself on the final leg!

Mycroft H

I've had a pint of Guinness in J Foxes once.

531

I remember doing a sportife and with us was a very well known Irish racing cyclist. I was surprised at the time seeing him drink a pint of what looked like lager but was probably shandy during the foodstop.

I have heard of a guy claiming to have drank 6 pints of cider during a bordertrek foodstop.

531

CianRyan wrote: »

Half pint, bottle of lemon a d a pint glass. Same thing no?

If you mean lemonade, yes. Is shandy an old fashioned thing now?

Traditional shandy was beer (e.g. smithwicks and red lemonade, lager shandy was with white lemonade). Surely they still sell that in pubs? Used to be great after playing football before driving home.

Then there was Club Shandy. Tasted horrible, had a tiny percentage of alcohol but was sold as a soft drink. There was a debate as to whether drinking it broke our confirmation pledge!

Raam

My bro lives in Munich and we always stop for a Radler. I love em, very refreshing.

shaungil

Have on a Friday commute home stopped in the man of War (home of the Herry Reynolds) locals always love the lycra. Only 3 miles the rest of the way home but was a bit hairy after 6 pints in the twilight. Fantastic

smacl

smithwicks wrote: »

Alcohol-Frei Erdinger is nice, good beer taste and won't have ya giggling away to yourself on the final leg!

God no, rotten stuff. If I was going for pretend beer, I'd maybe risk a becks. Did an interesting circuit of mt Leinster last year with a number of beers taken; good fun but probably none too clever. I don't think a pint of shandy or even a single Guniness would do any damage other than leaving a dehydrated body slightly more dehydrated. Grand at a touring pace over a lazy day. A velo rural bike pub crawl could be fun, but I don't think the AGS or other road users would thank you.

Dermot Illogical

I've stopped in Skerries to sit outside one of the pubs at the harbour watching the sun go down on a summer's evening while drinking a beer or two. I can highly recommend it.

Esroh

Anyone doing the Tour de Connemara who likes a Pint of porter should stop in Hamilton's of Leenane or Keane's of Maam. Stops at said hostelries have been know to have a serious effect on time spent on a spin:D

Darkglasses

I've certainly been tempted to stop for a Guinness when spinning around the back-roads. But if you're taking it fairly easy and not sweating much, does it make you need to pee more often?

Cookie_Monster

I've stopped for a beer once or twice instead of something else and generally end up feeling a bit **** afterwards. Beer + Activity = not a good idea IMO, much prefer a beer afterwards with feet up somewhere

colm_gti

My club had its inaugural night ride last year, we stopped in Mooneys (??) for a pint of guinness after descending from the Sally Gap at 2am...

Dawn Rider

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I've stopped for a beer once or twice instead of something else and generally end up feeling a bit **** afterwards. Beer + Activity = not a good idea IMO, much prefer a beer afterwards with feet up somewhere

Me too.

Beer during the session leaves me tired and gassy

Though a shot of vodka is sometimes just the ticket.

On some holiday tours through France, we'd have a medicinal pastis at lunch.:D

piston

You mean it isn't normal to put Smithwicks in your bidon? :eek:

Dermot Illogical

piston wrote: »

You mean it isn't normal to put Smithwicks in your bidon? :eek:

Bidon? It'll be Kronenbourg 1664 then.
Smithwicks is for bottles.

petethedrummer

I would stop but I generally train on my own and I prefer to drink in company.

Lusk Doyle

No different from drink driving. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Seaswimmer

531 wrote: »

I have heard of a guy claiming to have drank 6 pints of cider during a bordertrek foodstop.

I was part of that cider drinking group that did various maracycles and Border Treks. We were nearly going to ask for sponsorship from Bulmers at one stage.
I remember stopping in Beleek on the way to Sligo during one border trek where we stayed in the pub on the corner for 2 hours. The last 30 miles was done in a daze. We also used to spend the best part of 2 hours in a pub in Hillsborough when doing maracycles but there was only 12 miles to go.
We also spent rather too much time in the Glenmalure lodge during Wicklow 200's but that wasnt as pleasant as there was still a good bit to cycle.
It always had to be Bulmers as its isotonic or at least that was the excuse we used.

I was a lot younger then but would still have the occasional pint or 2 of cider nowdays when leisure cycling..

seamus

Couldn't do it myself. I've gone for two pints after work and then cycled home and I just found it an unpleasant experience. Drinking and routine tasks just have never worked for me - in college I could never have a pint and then go to lectures or go studying. Once I've had a pint, the rest of the day is a write off, the only thing I can do is have more pints.

MiseryMary

A beer stop instead of coffee? Coffee CoffEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE! COFFEE!

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

thebouldwhacker

I came across this a while back. Third last paragraph for those in a hurry.....
http://thefsb.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/tom%E2%80%99s-nutrition-tip-for-long-distance-cyclists/

Also a nice article about Radler here.
http://portajohn.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/radler-the-cyclists-beer/


Also drink cycling is illegal.

el tel

Sagi wrote: »

I'm from Austria and surly I'd stop for a Radler, it's for the electrolytes. Stopping for a coffe is something I have not considered so far. When going on a longer tour where you spend the whole day in the saddle it might be more than just one stop for refreshments.

It' a shame there is no Radler here, great alternative to a beer on a hot summer day

Whereabouts in Austria are you from?

I cycle in Lower Austria a lot. Usually lunch on a ride comprises Weiner schnitzel and a couple of either Zipfer, Hubertus or Wieselburger. Never bothered with radler :pac:

Cookie_Monster

Lusk Doyle wrote: »

No different from drink driving. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Indeed it isn't, one if fine :pac:

amjon.

A couple of summer me and a few friends cycled out to Laragh and had a carvery and 6 pints of Guiness. Cycled back over the the Sally Gap. It was grand.

Sagi

el tel wrote: »

Whereabouts in Austria are you from?

I cycle in Lower Austria a lot. Usually lunch on a ride comprises Weiner schnitzel and a couple of either Zipfer, Hubertus or Wieselburger. Never bothered with radler :pac:

Hi, I was living in Vienna, usually used to go mountainbiking in the wienerwald, there are a couple of nice stops for a Radler, and I'm craving for a Wieselburger but I guess that has to wait until i go home the next time

TheNah

colm_gti wrote: »

My club had its inaugural night ride last year, we stopped in Mooneys (??) for a pint of guinness after descending from the Sally Gap at 2am...

I prefaced that happy adventure by having 4 pints in Houricans pub in a dastardly display of pre-hydration!!

alfalad

Think the reason Irish people don't do it so much is because one normally leads to five and then you're in trouble. If we could keep it to the one it would be fine.

seamus

alfalad wrote: »

Think the reason Irish people don't do it so much is because one normally leads to five and then you're in trouble. If we could keep it to the one it would be fine pointless.

FYP

CramCycle

Sagi wrote: »

It' a shame there is no Radler here, great alternative to a beer on a hot summer day

I usually have a Smithwicks shandy half and half when out on a long Audax, just one, always enjoable to get the energy boost.

spiderman1885

Cant beat a stop in the Summit in Howth for a few pints! Descent always feels a lot faster!

bikerdude69

Just have an Irish coffee and thats the best of both worlds ?