My entry into cycling nearly a decade ago was through a weekly social ride where we (unoriginally) joked that we were “a drinking club with a cycling problem.” Indeed, nearly every ride started with a pre-ride happy hour, included a mid-ride beverage stop, and ended at a bar where we’d celebrate the ride, swap stories and down a few more beverages. While perhaps my ride club is an extreme example, cycling culture is deeply interlaced with drinking culture. Just think about the beer-fueled fans at cyclocross races, the lush vineyards showcased during the Tour de France, the sacred post-ride beer tradition or the many beer and wine sponsors of team kits.
While many people enjoy the addition of a post-ride drink as a social lubricant, I’ve personally been struggling with the ubiquity of alcohol in cycling culture, and how I fit in as a non-drinker. I quit drinking nearly two years ago after realising it brought me no benefits However, now I’m often left to wonder – can cycling still be a social outlet as a non-drinker?
