Training & Nutrition - best time of day for bike ride?

What time of day is best for a good bike ride? I see some people ride 5-6 am,..other people like me ride during the hottest part of the day noon till 2 pm. My brother years ago would ride 2 am in the morning, he said its great because theres no cars on the road and you have the streets to your self.

I imagine most folks ride when they can fit it in their schedules.

As much as I hate getting up early and riding, I feel like that's when I am at my best. Many years ago when I was studying Exercise Physiology I read studies that claimed that our bodies operate most effiecently through the middle part of the day. They claimed that there is a significant drop in energy level after @3:00 PM. Unfortunately I don't remember the details on the subjects or the findings of the study. The only reason I remember what I do is because I was training and I hated getting up at 5:00 AM and working out. I always felt better on the odd days that I could workout at 11:00 AM and the studies seemed to support my experience.

My two cents worth.

I would say "when I can" but I seriously have no power first thing in the morning. Even when I was an avid gym rat I could only work out in the evening. I tried a ride at 9am (not early really) last week and sucked soooo bad. I couldn't get over obstacles, my bodies response time was slow it weas horrible. I will only ever ride in the morning if I have to but I seriously avoid it :)

I'm pretty good if Iwake up around 7am... eat a little breakfast, change clothes, pump the tires get on the road about 8:30 or so... this week I have been riding for an hour so so when I get home from work, around 6:15pm... not as much energy that time of day.. although I usually go out before eating dinner.. so I may just be low on energy... but overall my rides this week were good... lots of damn hills in my new neighborhood

Jeff

I'm not a morning person, but I start all my workouts as soon as possible in the morning. I usually lift starting at 4:45am, then by 6:30- 7am, I'm on my bike and riding. Depending on if I have someplace to go, either it's a quick hour and a half or so, or if I don't have anything else to do, I can go for 3- 5 hours. Then I have the rest of my day to do whatever, which is nice.

The weekends, I don't start this early- Saturdays, I try to sleep in, and I'll be on the bike by 10am, and Sundays, I have to teach an aerobics class at 8am, and afterwards, I'll ride my bike for the next few hours until I go to my volunteer job.

I cannot see myself starting out at 5pm. Too much traffic...

I'm wanting to do some midnight rides and stuff like that. I like riding at night- it's calm and peaceful, and if you're in the city riding around, they highlight some of the sculptures and statues and stuff like that, and it's nice.

Koffee

I am definitely not a morning person either but my job often requires overtime into the evenings without any warning. So that means riding in the morning before work or probably not at all. I leave the house at 6:10 to meet my buddy at the bike path at 6:30. We ride 30 miles before work and I'm at my desk at 8:30.

Every morning I have to drag myself out of bed and if I wasn't meeting someone, I'd probably never make it. But everyday I'm glad I've done it. Any exercise I get in the afternoon is a bonus.

Best time is after 7 or 8pm est. Its still warm out but with a nice cool breeze. perfect weather. LOVE IT!

Joe

BTW it doesnt really get dark till about 9:15 here rightnow so thats whay i say 7 or so. then you can get a nice 2 hour ride

Where do you live Joe_jk? Your location field is blank. (As an aside, it's nice to know where folks are from, so I'd encourage everybody on BF to at least put down a region.)

The best time to ride is NOW!

I prefer mid morning, around 8:30-9:00. I can get in one or two hours and then have the rest of the day for errands, chores, or golf.

Im From Ontario Canada Colaso. Where are you from? O I bet it says on your profile

haha. Sorry

Joe

I'm not a morning person either, but I've realized that riding in the morning is best on weekends because of the traffic. THe route we usually go gets tons of traffic on weekends, and the bike paths are clogged with all kinds of morons- roller bladers, skateboarders, kids and families, etc. It's much better in the mornings. However, I like late afternoons especially in the hotter weather, when you can only go at 6 am or 6pm. No way am I getting up THAT early.I don't like to ride too late in the day. I tend to have trouble sleeping if I exercise too late in the day, but at this time of year it's tempting with the long days.

Oh I LOOOVVEEE biking after 6 or 7 its soo much nicer. You get a good workout plus theres a nice breeze as your riding. At least for now until the "HOT" weather comes a long. I love it rightnow though.

Joe

24 hours a day! :D

Until you've ridden every hour of the day and night you have no idea how beautiful the whole 24 hours really is. :)

with my work schedule I usually get on the bike about noonish, and it texas that means I get to enjoy some nice warm weather. I go to work at midnite and off at 11am. It worked really well last summer, just have to make sure I stay hydrated....lots of water in the camelbak.

I agree with Machka all day is best .