sorry for being normal :?.

just trying to give a view from the other side of the fence, not everybody who rides MTBs is a T-total health freak, some of us like to burn the candle.

Well I almost never drink since about the last 8 years, and I can easily go 3-18 months without a drop of alcohol, and when I do it tends to be no more than a unit or so.

Having said that, last night I had a pint of bitter and half a bottle of Cotes du Rhone 8)

Although I don’t know when I’ll have another drink again………maybe Christmas.

+1 concerning drunk people being boring btw.

I gave up 5 years ago as i started having panic attacks when hungover and figured wasn’t worth it anymore. Think i have stuck with it as found i was more chilled person after a while off the booze .

Alcohol can be great fun and can make some social events a lot more relaxing/enjoyable .Tempted now and again by a cold crisp beer on a summers eve ,but it passes pretty quick .

One of the best things about being t-total is amount of time you free up to bike,windsurf,snowboard etc .Stuff i never did when drinking was only hobby

I’m the first to admit i drink too much.
I don’t have enough drink free days… hmm.

I don’t drink, never had and probably never will. Smell of the stuff is enough to make me sick (stuff being beer and wine).

A Frenchman that doesn’t drink beer or wine… 😕

He’ll be telling us he doesn’t smoke 40 Gauloises a day next, or that he doesn’t like cheese and has been known to work between the hours of 12 midday and 3pm on occasion (enough stereotyping yet, or shall I continue?) 😉

I was brought up in the pub game so have always felt comfortable in pubs, bars etc. Probably used that as an excuse over the years to frequent them too regularly – and therefore drink too much. Loads of my mates (from teen years) drank/smoke/etc so that was my ‘thing’ too. Then University accelerated that even more blah blah … followed by spending many years doing the same as a result of it being a part of my working culture.

Have often given up for weeks and even months, and usually felt/performed better for it. But I enjoy a social drink, a quiet solo tipple as well as a full-on session. Don’t drink to get leathered (these days) – much prefer that ‘edge’ it gives me – that’s enough. My tolerance is high so can put a lot away if need be (which can unnecessarily expensive).

Would like to cut back to one day a week for the next few months. Currently on day two and feeling right in the groove.

Used to drink soda and lime as a pub ‘replacement’ so will do the same. But at home I’m getting into hot chocolate and low cal/no sugar substitutes like fiery ginger beer etc – anything that has a kick or similar quality to it. Never been a fan of no-alcohol beer/cider – just doesn’t do it for me.

Might be helpful for people to list their substitutes or tips. Plenty to be gained by giving up (or cutting back) the booze – and I reckon a few people here would be up for it.

Spent years drinking anything between “a little” and “too much.”

Got to a point now where I’m having a session maybe once a month and “a drink” most nights at least; although it’s one drink, I’m not happy with that. Apart from anything else, it’s bloody expensive.

So, I’ve decided I’m having a month off this month. Partly as a detox, partly to see if I can. I’d be lying if I say I don’t miss it, but it’s always been a “want” rather than a “need.”

It’d be a lot easier if I could find a reasonable substitute. About the best I’ve found so far in the alcohol-free ranges are Fre Merlot wine and Bernard Free beer. I’d ideally like a normal ‘soft’ drink, but I find a lot of it just too sweet. If I could find something alcohol free that tasted like bourbon and Coke I reckon it’d make a massive difference to my consumption.

Why does it have to be an ‘all or nothing’ scenario?

I enjoy alcohol but am a control freak so just don’t overdo it.

If I’m gonna be completely honest. I drink far too much. sometimes it’s evident on the forum. I’m a bit pissed now. I’m an all or nothing guy I think.

Hardly drink since leaving uni last year. Made losing weight so much easier. Still have a few every now and then and sometimes tend to overdo it at parties/nights out in town.

cinnamon_girl – Member
Why does it have to be an ‘all or nothing’ scenario?

I enjoy alcohol but am a control freak so just don’t overdo it.

When I can drink I find it very hard to get drunk as I know how bad I’ll feel in the morning so I stop before getting drunk, I’ve never been able to handle alcohol.

I gave up totally 8 years ago. I wasn’t dependant as in I couldn’t function without a drink dependant, but bad things were happening in my life and the switch that was supposed to decide when I’d had enough didn’t work anymore. Instead the bell for last orders was the signal to get 2 more pints and a double chaser, or to move to somewhere with a late license. I twice vomited in my sleep and woke up in the morning with a face and bed full; both times could have been fatal. The final straw was a works do in london, after the meal a pub, and then when everyone went home I walked the streets for anywhere that would have me. Missed the trains and slept rough in an underpass near Waterloo in a suit and tie. I woke up to find a tramp trying to go through my pockets for my wallet.

I stopped then. I had to because the ‘just a couple’ scenario would never work. I avoided situations, or if we did go out always made sure i drove so i had an excuse not to drink. A few close friends knew and those that didn’t understand weren’t close friends after all.

I like the odd drink now, but rarely partake and very very rarely get drunk, and it’s in control now.

I don’t think I’m boring because I’m not a steaming drunk, but if I am at least I’m alive with it.

not everybody who rides MTBs is a T-total health freak

Now this annoys me. Not everyone who abstains is a health freak. Enough of the stereotyping 🙁

Whoah – enough of this stereotyping! Not all health freaks are t-total!!

Molly are you up for the Afan Monster in August?

not touched a drop for 16yrs now, a horrid (but socially accepable) drug with terrible side effects, people can justify it all they want but its the cause of many of our problems innit

i ‘stopped’ about 5 years ago. every now and then I forget how bad it makes me feel and have some, then I remember and leave it for a while. Longest I went was for 2 years.

a few pointers…

at first it IS hard

the longer you leave it the less you want it

resisting the first drink in the pub is the hard bit, then it’s easier

becks blue is a nice tasting substitue and grabbing a cold one out of the fridge pushes many of the same buttons.

alcohol is a poison/drug, just the same as coke or anything else. Unfortunately, it’s ingrained into society and this makes it readily available and acceptable. Going to the pub with mates is still good up to the point they have had about 8 pints, then it becomes a bit of an eye opener.

Drinking, like riding mountain bikes, is FUN!

Teetotalling, like riding road bikes, is HELL!

Molly are you up for the Afan Monster in August

Yes, but my attendance at bike events during August and Sept is provisional of course.

Theotherjonv – Definately a cue to stop 😯

I miss the open Fridge and get a beer out in the evening routine, especially as it punctuates my day after working from home.

I don’t really drink much and don’t really like being drunk (too many sketchy nights out in my youth gave me an acute awareness of where my limit was). I do like the social drink down the pub but find just being there chilling and chatting relaxing not necessarily the drink but I do miss the drink and soft drinks just don’t seem the same but give the boys something to banter about.

alcohol is a poison/drug, just the same as coke or anything else. Unfortunately, it’s ingrained into society and this makes it readily available and acceptable. Going to the pub with mates is still good up to the point they have had about 8 pints, then it becomes a bit of an eye opener.

That’s more of a complaint about an excess of alcohol, rather than alcohol itself though. A pint after work or a glass of red wine with your dinner is hardly “poison/drug” territory, is it?

I’ve never been drunk, my mates tried to get me into drinking when I was in my late teens/early 20s, but I can’t stand the taste of the stuff, and I’m quite capable of making a tit of myself sober, thanks very much. Admittedly having an alcholic mother is a deterrent, never want to walk that path.

I am a Crunchie addict though. One glimpse of that golden wrapper and I’m lost. 🙁

All this talk of alcohol has given me a thirst 😛

I did 6 dry months once, didn’t lose any weight, didn’t feel any better, and you’ll struggle to prove that I’ll live longer because of it.

good thread.

after a run of truly incredibly bad hangovers i suddenly stopped drinking for about 3 or so years. i really did’nt miss it at all, except a cold beer when cooking sausages on the bbq, and in some ways quite liked being able to say ‘i don’t drink at all.’ anyway, i drifted back into it, and like quite a few who’ve already posted am an all or nothing drinker. desperately want to sort it out though and be able to stay off on school nights, but i’ve been trying since jan 1st and hav’nt managed yet! : (

There’s nothing quite like a couple of pints with mates, a few smokes and a good old chinwag. Wouldn’t be the same with soft drinks 🙂

Drinking, like riding mountain bikes, is FUN!

Teetotalling, like riding road bikes, is HELL!

There are more pubs that are close to roads though so I offer you this edit…

Drinking, when riding road bikes, is FUN!

There are more pubs that are close to roads though so I offer you this edit…

Drinking, when riding road bikes, is FUN!

on no, don’t tell me that.

this one’s almost at the end of my most regular road loop immediately before the last steep climb and just when my legs are starting to hurt. you can hear it whisper ‘i can stop your pain’ as you go by.

AS someone who religiously listens to the voices in their head I urge you to follow suit and stop in for a pint and some pork scratchings.

Add a dash of lemonade and beer is the best sports drink known to mankind.

All proper rides, on or off road, should finish at the pub. FACT! If they don’t, then you need to work on your planning. We finished last weeks night ride a bit late, just having missed last orders. It was like a death in the family.

Anyway… You’ll invariably have been slurping water or some god-awful sports drink for the previous few hours, so your body probably needs a pint of wife-beater or two to restore some kind of equilibrium

Just what you need after a ride is some easily digestible carbs, ideally in liquid form.

Informative thread. Good to hear both sides and in good jest too.

Moi.. Never liked drinking years ago, too busy riding for a semi pro team, rarely had a glass of wine etc. and didn’t like beer. Then stopped riding hard, held down a solid job and turned into a wine snob.. then a good few years ago stopped, took up the bike again and now I drink wine, the very occasional beer and matured into a lover of single malts..
What a turn around eh.

I find I can go weeks and weeks before opening a bottle of red, then i’ll drink it in a couple of days and then stop for another few weeks.. I don’t conciously think about it and can’t honestly say if it affects my training, I just think I push myself too hard and maybe open a bottle and blame the overtraining!! Could be wrong of course..hahah

I’m stopping for a bit then cutting it right back its got stupid again I’m actually BORED now that’s right BORED of drinking I’m not getting enjoyment from it now as its every night. I used it as a crutch when life was sh*t but now its just making life sh*t.

If that makes me boring then…. *does whatever fingers*….there’s more to life than drinking