This Is Our LBS Coffee Ride – Every Town Has One

Ok so if you don’t know the acronym LBS is Local Bike Shop. And yes, the town needs to be large enough and the local surroundings support a bicycle shop. So Kavik, AK doesn’t have one. 

Back to the coffee ride, as I recently posted there are / may be  (all depends upon your genetics, interpretation, mood/disposition) benefits to drinking coffee. I can certainly attest to the benefits for cycling when properly dosed. 

Meaning for most of us don’t show up to a 50-mile group ride having downed a pot of coffee with your two or three donuts. You are going to crash hard, sugar, brain fog, and possibly your bicycle from that much caffeine loading early in the ride. 

The smart money is on grabbing your first coffee at or near the mid-point of the ride. For our 50+ mile group ride the coffee break comes just as we cross the 25 mile mark. Perfect!

Especially as our ride is mostly downhill/flat all the way to Starbucks. The one we frequent in Newport Beach, CA sits very near sea level. The ride back is indeed all uphill! Over 1250 feet back to my house. 

Oh and do eat something while you are stopped. In my case I will have already burned 550 calories.   On the return I will burn another 1100 to 1200 calories. Sure, your body carries a zillion calories as body fat but you need to ride really slow to take advantage of that reserve. Doesn’t make for a fun group ride. 

If your route permits do stop by your LBS and say hello. Spend some money if you can. These are all small businesses with owners and employees who live in our community.