FLOYD’S OF LEADVILLE CBD LINEUP REVIEW

Review & Photos by Dario DiGiulio

Most mountain bikers spend a good deal of energy and time figuring out how to progress in the sport, but we tend to forget a critical component of that pursuit. Recovery, as broad a term as it may be, is a key part of getting stronger and faster. However, it’s rarely the activity of choice when a bike ride is the other option. With the goal to help aid in faster and more effective recovery, the folks at Floyd’s of Leadville have developed a full range of CBD products that cater specifically to outdoor athletes and atavists alike.

THE LAB

I’m not going to get too into the weeds on the science and murky market of CBD on a general level, but instead just focus on the Floyd’s of Leadville products and how they worked for me. There is tons of information from scientific bodies that one can reference when talking about the effectiveness of products like this, and I’ll leave it to the reader to dive in and see if CBD is something that will improve your recovery.

All that said, Floyd’s extracts their cannabidiol from hemp, not marijuana, so there’s less concern of anything too exciting happening to you when you partake. They do make “full-spectrum” products that contain trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis), but the quantities are very small. I was sent an assortment of products to test out, including tincture, balm, cream, and some soft gel pills. The idea with all the forms of conveyance is to find the means that works best for you and your body, so you can target your approach.

THE DIRT

If you’re like me, the dosage and content information on the Floyd’s of Leadville website can be a bit confusing but shooting them an email is an easy way to get things sorted. There are obviously myriad conveyance options at hand here, so it’s just a matter of finding the things that work best for you. This is why it’s nice to have such small volume dosages available, as it allows you to try a few things out and see what works. For me, it’s been the SoftGels, the Rx Tincture, and the Sports Cream.

The Floyd’s goods showed up at the perfect time this summer, as I came home from a 14,000’ climbing day to find the parcel on my doorstep. As one of the hardest physical days I’ve had this year, recovery played a key role in keeping my body in good shape for the following period, so I figured it would be a great time to test some of the CBD goods out – I needed all the help I could get.

The most immediate benefit comes from the Sports Cream, where you can feel the warming or cooling (product dependent) sensation instantly. I’ve long been a proponent of menthol rubs like IcyHot to help with sore muscles and joints, and the Floyd’s creams are essentially just that, but with the added benefits CBD can provide. Things like menthol essentially draw more blood flow to the applied area, which helps with faster recovery – the pain abatement from CBD is a bonus.

The SoftGels and tincture are a slower burn, but helped a lot overnight, aiding in the recuperation you get from a good night’s sleep. After any massive day, I tend to pop a couple of the gels or a dose of the tincture and find myself a bit less creaky and sore come the next day. It’s hard to say if this is placebo or not, but I find I have a pretty good sense of my body’s ability to recover, and these did seem to help me.

The Wolf’s Last Word

All in all, if you’re someone like me who enjoys a long day of masochistic bike fun, then targeted and intentional recovery can be a critical means to staying in the saddle. Nothing is a panacea, but if you’re training hard or just riding a lot, it seems CBD can aid in your body’s natural bounce back from stress, and the Floyd’s of Leadville products seem like solid offerings to get your fix.

Website: Floydsofleadville.com