A related link from "Randochap's" website Veloweb.ca. Provided without permission so don't yell at me Randochap!

http://www.veloweb.ca/storypages/wodensride.html

I've been drinking coffee more and more lately. Mainly for the taste and caffeine buzz.

One good use for the caffeine buzz has been to get me excited to workout when I'm lifting weights and other stuff that isn't as exciting as cycling ;)

Pooping? No one mentions any pooping?

I have one cup, first thing in the morning, followed *precisely* 25 minutes later by a good poop. Seriously, coffee doesn't make anyone else have to crap, like, immediately?

It is also for this reason that I don't drink it prior to a ride. I've never tried to, but I'm afraid of the possible effects.

DRINK it? I just get the fine grind espresso, dump some on the table, roll up a $20 bill and snort it....maybe I have been watching too many druggie movies.

Cheeken: no, that's a benefit. Have a nice mug an hour before I need to leave, do the deed, and leave for the ride light and carefree.

whats a cup these day? i mean what you get at the local coffee shop is certainly not 8 oz. my morning to go mug is 16 oz. sometimes have a post lunch coffee out of my 12 oz work mug.

anyway, prior to riding or running i like to have some joe to speed up the waking up process. mentally and phsyically. :)

i drink ar ound a pot of coffee a day, give or take a cup or two. honestly, coffee is my beverage of choice, usualy with french vanilla creamer.

I survive on Cuban coffee. The stronger and sweeter the better. I like it as thick as hersheys syrup. I do, however, suggest not drinking more than 16 oz at a time or you'll get the shakes worse than a meth tweeker and stay up twice as long.

I love the stuff but not black, too me it just tastes like mud. I actually haven't had a coffee in 8 days which is a record for me. Why? Weight loss and heartburn. As I stated I can't stand it black so it's creame and sugar for me. Usually 5-6 16oz a day. I have been a little groggy this week but no more heartburn. I love tea straight up so I've been drinking it instead.

I guess we all have different tastes, I much prefer it black than any other way. I avoid dairy anyway, and sugar just wrecks the flavour all together.

About the heartburn - not something i've experienced, but perhaps this is due to the acidity of the coffee you are drinking? Try a low-acidity coffee, you'll find it much smoother (less harsh) to drink too.

I drink more than I should probably admit. I drink it black. No calories. And it gives me an excuse to get up from the desk and walk around a bit every once in a while.

Well, here again I'm reading this thread with a cup in my hand. Does anyone use Splenda in there coffee? I've been using it for years with no side effects :twitchy: I used to use sugar and when I switched I lost 5lbs in a month.

I usually take it black. If it's fresh. If I have half a pot that's cooled off and I have to nuke it, I'll put a little skim milk and sugar in it.

I learned to drink coffee from my grandfather. When I was little, I'd get up at 5:30 to sit with him, just me and him, he'd drink it black and mine was 95% milk and sugar with a tiny splash of coffee in it.

No headaches from decreased blood flow? No shakes? No devil on your shoulder telling you to drink moaaar!

Oh and I guess, no, I don't drink coffee because I get too wired and turn into a lightning bolt with caffeine.

Starbuck's makes instant coffee now. The coffee comes in tubes. Pretty expensive

But the thing is, it works in cold water. Put 1/2 a tube in one of your water bottles and rock n' roll. And it's easy to take with.

Hmmm, interesting! How would that work supplementing with sugar - maybe in the form of unflavored heed? I might just have to try this.

Yeah, let us know. My HEED is the citrus stuff. That doesn't sound good . . .

Starbucks is dreadful. One of the few Starbucks products I
can stand is their iced coffee you see in glass bottles in stores.

Whole Foods has an instant coffee that is tolerable. Mt Hagen or some such.

You can also brew strong coffee onto ice and fridge it.
When I say strong, I mean the amount of beans.

Starbucks has proved that it is a cult. No other way to explain how they can get away with charging what they do for instant coffee. I heard someone talking about it at the office like it was some new technological wizardry that the brain trust in the R&D department of SBUX recently came up with.

Me, I like black drip dunkin donuts coffee with 2 splendas per 12 ounces. I drink it 3-4 times per week randomly. I avoid drinking it everyday on purpose because i don't want to build up a tolerance so when I need it, it is still effective.

Back in the 80's and earlier, Dunkin Donuts coffee was actually good. Now it's pretty bad.

Coffee is an art. You need to find what you like, and then spend some time learning to to make it.
Most cities simply do not have a place you can get good coffee, in fact, most of it is terrible.

I've only had Dunkin Donuts coffee a couple of times but I don't get it. Both times it was over-roasted and/or over-cooked. Just like Starbucks, now that I think about it.

We don't have dunkin' donuts here in the UK so I can't share opinion! If I ever buy coffee while i'm out, it's certainly never as good as what I brew up at home. Most of the coffee you buy out tastes quite acidic, mostly noticable due to the fact I have it black.

On the point about only having it 3-4 times a week, i've had 1 cup every morning this week to wake up with before breakfast, I get the same effect every time, and no crash! Hands up to you guys who can drink it through the day... if I drink it any time after a.m it affects my sleep at night (and subsequently, probably my recovery too). I don't seem to care for it at any other time of day anyhow.

Anyway, enough rambling, easy to tell i've just had a cup of my weekend special brew :D

You dont go to a fast food joint expecting an amazing burger (unless you just got back from a two week long back packing trip, or something). You wouldn't go to a dunkin donuts/starbucks expecting a great cup of coffee, as well.
1. Buy your own beans.
2. Grind them
3. French press.
4.????
5.Profit!


EDIT: Even better, get a mortar and pestle or some such device and give turkish coffee a shot. IMO, THAT is the essence of coffee.

Turkish is one way of making coffee. During the 20th Century, we figured out what makes coffee tick, so to speak.

If you want to maximise flavor, try an Aeropress.
http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.htm

I mention that one largely because the aromatic oils in coffee provide much of the flavor,
and all that boiling in the Turkish method removes those aromatic oils.