You’ve probably asked yourself this question if you’re looking to improve your performance and get the most out of your bike workouts. Finding the ideal time to go riding often depends on our daily routines: work, studies, or other obligations. Some cyclists prefer to get up early and head out in the morning, taking advantage of the first hours of the day before starting their day. Others choose to ride in the evening, after they’ve finished their responsibilities and can enjoy a moment to disconnect.

However, the ideal time to go cycling also varies depending on the type of discipline you practice. If you’re a fan of mountain bikes, the early hours of the day can offer quieter and cooler routes to explore trails. On the other hand, those who prefer gravel bikes may find better conditions during the middle hours of the day, when mixed paths are drier and more visible. For those who enjoy urban cycling or long distances on road bikes, the evening can be perfect to avoid peak traffic hours. And if you have an electric bike, you have more flexibility to adapt your rides according to battery life and terrain conditions.

Is there a perfect time? It will depend on your goals, your routine, and the type of bike you use, but knowing the advantages of each time slot will help you maximize your experience on two wheels.

Mornings vs afternoons

There are contradictory theories and scientific studies about whether it’s better to exercise in the morning, afternoon, or at night. But most agree that, beyond the chosen time, what’s important is to be consistent and, if possible, stick to the same time slot. For example, a study from the University of Irvine (California) supports the early morning hours as the best time to exercise. In the morning, metabolism speeds up and the so-called happiness hormones (like dopamine and endorphins) are generated. These will contribute to better post-exercise recovery. On the opposite side, there’s a study from the Israeli Weizmann Institute of Science, which concludes that the last hours of the afternoon—between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.—are the best time to train.

Whether it’s cycling, running, going to the gym, etc. At those times, our body temperature is higher, muscles barely need any warm-up, and calorie burn is greater. In short, the body is already active and we can gain efficiency and have less risk of injury when exercising. So, which one should we trust? Next, we’ll present the proven advantages of cycling in each time slot.

Benefits of cycling in the morning

Several studies, along with the increasingly frequent fasting training programs of many professionals, such as the German Sebaskian Kienle, highlight the advantages of training in the morning. In general, they are as follows:

Greater weight loss

Going out cycling in the morning is better than in the afternoon if your goal is to lose weight. If you train while fasting, even more so, since the body will use more fat than glycogen (carbohydrates) to function.

Reduces stress and anxiety

Training in the morning releases large amounts of so-called happiness hormones: dopamine, endorphin, and serotonin. This reduces stress and anxiety, subsequently relaxing muscles and joints.

Better recovery

The release of hormones has a positive effect on rest and subsequent recovery. In addition, you will reach the end of the day more tired, which helps you sleep better.

Benefits of cycling in the afternoon

Other studies, unlike the previous ones, point to the afternoon as the ideal time of day to achieve maximum performance. Specifically, the last hours of the afternoon, already at sunset. These are the advantages of going out cycling in the afternoon:

More active body

Muscles and joints will take less time to reach full performance because body temperature will be higher. In the morning, it is necessary to warm up beforehand or ride more gently at first, but in the afternoon we will take less time to reach the optimal activity zone.

Increased performance

The most recent studies consulted agree on an increase in the athlete’s overall performance of 10% or superior compared to the morning.

Less fatigue

Having more energy will delay the onset of fatigue, motivate you more, and help you complete your ride with good performance data.

Benefits of cycling at night

Although it is less common, there are those who choose the early hours of the night to train, mainly because they finish their day late and it is during this time slot that they can find time to go out cycling.

There are several advantages to training once the sun has set:

Greater accumulated energy

Something similar happens to afternoon rides. We still have a large amount of energy accumulated, due to the increase in body temperature, which we can take advantage of by burning it pedaling at the end of the day.

Releases more stress

It is possible that after a hard day of work or study, the only thing you feel like doing is resting. But doing a cardiovascular activity, such as cycling, will help to relax muscles and joints from accumulated tension. It will also release adrenaline, one of the hormones that stimulates the human body and provides an extra boost of energy.

Helps you sleep better

The general idea is that if you have done a stimulating activity like sports at the end of the day, it will then be hard to relax your body again to sleep. But several training experts contradict this idea. Especially relevant is an article published in the Washington Post in which several sports science experts explain the benefits of exercise in improving sleep.

So, is there an ideal time to go cycling?

There really isn’t a definitive and clear answer to this question. It has been proven that going out on your bike offers many benefits at any time of the day. Although at one time or another, certain advantages will be emphasized. It will depend on your goals or the reason you go out to ride. If what you want with cycling is to have a good physique, lose weight, etc., undoubtedly the best time to go out is the early morning hours. On the other hand, if you intend to train at the highest level and increase your performance, the late afternoon or early evening seem to be the best times according to the studies consulted. In any case, choosing one time or another will depend on your work or study routines. The most important thing, above all, is that you are consistent with your rides and try to do them at the same time to start seeing results.