Clocks go back: what time it gets dark in your city and how to keep riding

In the early hours of Sunday 25 October, at 3:00, clocks go back to 2:00. You gain an hour's sleep, but your evening rides suddenly lose an hour of daylight. If you usually ride after work, you'll notice it that week: what was a sunny loop on Saturday ends in the dark on Monday.

The clocks going back doesn't have to mean hanging up your bike until March. You just need to know when the light goes where you live, keep your lights on and have a couple of short routes you can ride in an hour. Here's everything you need.

What time it gets dark in your city

These are the sunset times in five cities, in official time, on the Saturday before the change, the Monday after and two more autumn dates. In brackets, the end of civil twilight: the stretch when you can still see without streetlights. After that, it's night for all practical purposes.

The times are an astronomical calculation for the centre of each city; in a valley or behind a mountain range the light goes a few minutes earlier. Routes per province come from Ciclismo en cifras on bicis.net (data as of 19 October 2026, n = 890 routes, © OpenStreetMap contributors).

Notice one thing: from 26 October to mid-December the evening only gets a good half hour shorter. The big jump is this weekend. If you get organised now, you've sorted it for the whole autumn.

Plan your weekday rides

Head out earlier or switch to lunchtime

If you set off at 17:00 in Girona or Palma, you have a little under an hour of daylight. In Madrid, an hour and twenty minutes. If your schedule allows, leave earlier or swap the evening ride for a lunchtime one. Another option is to move your long ride to Saturday or Sunday morning and keep evenings for something short.

Check the weather before you go

In autumn, with cloud cover, the light fades before the time in the table. Check the riding weather in Girona or pick your city there: it tells you what the afternoon looks like for the bike, with rain, wind and temperature, and saves you heading out under a heavy sky.

Plan on coming back in the dark

Even if you get your timing right, a puncture or a dropped chain can eat twenty minutes. Always head out as if you'll be coming back in low light: lights charged and an extra layer in your pocket, because once the sun goes the temperature drops fast.

Lights and clothing: be seen

What the rules require

At night, and also in poor visibility (fog, heavy rain, tunnels), your bike must have a white front light and a red rear light, plus a rear reflector. If you ride on roads outside towns, you must also wear a reflective garment. That's the minimum; what really protects you is being seen from far away and from the side.

Which lights to take

• Front: a light that lights up the way if you ride where there are no streetlights, not just one that makes you visible. For greenways and tracks, go for more power and a wide beam.
• Rear: a red light, steady or gently flashing. Many cyclists use two, one on the seatpost and another on the helmet or backpack.
• Battery: charge them the night before. The cold drains batteries faster.
• In daytime too: under grey skies, a rear light switched on makes you visible much sooner.

Visible clothing

Bright colours (yellow, orange, coral) work in daylight and at dusk; at night, what shows up is reflective material. What catches the eye most is what moves: reflective strips on ankles, shoes or pedals. A thin reflective vest fits in any back pocket.

Short routes and greenways for weekdays

With an hour of light, what works best are flat, car-free routes you know. Greenways are perfect: old railway lines, with gentle gradients and no traffic. Some ideas near the five cities:

• Girona: the Vía Verde del Carrilet starts right in the city. The whole thing is 58.5 km, but on weekdays you can ride a stretch out and back and turn round when it suits you. The province has 116 published routes, so at the weekend you've plenty to choose from.
• Madrid: the Vía Verde del Río Guadarrama is 11.2 km with 85 m of elevation gain: it fits into a short evening with time to spare.
• Valencia: the Vía Verde del Antic Trenet is 16.1 km with 53 m of elevation gain, almost flat.
• Mallorca: the Vía Verde Manacor - Artà is 26.6 km; in the evening, ride a stretch and come back, and save the full route for Saturday.
• Barcelona: with 106 routes in the province, look on the map for a short loop near home and keep the long ones for the weekend.

A tip: ride your usual short route in daylight and repeat it once it gets dark. Knowing every bend and every pothole gives you a lot of peace of mind.

And at the weekend, make the most of the mornings

The clocks going back has its upside: it gets light an hour earlier. If evening rides are hard for you, Saturday and Sunday mornings are yours. Every Thursday in El plan del finde, our newsletter, we tell you what the weather will be like, which events are on and a route that's worth it. Sign up for free from the footer of any bicis.net page.

Frequently asked questions

When do the clocks change in October 2026?

In the early hours of Sunday 25 October: at 3:00 it goes back to 2:00. From that day the sun sets an hour earlier than the day before; in Madrid, at 18:21 on Monday 26.

Do I have to use bike lights during the day?

Only at night or in poor visibility, such as fog, heavy rain or tunnels. Even so, keeping your rear light on in daytime under grey skies makes you visible sooner and costs nothing.

Which route can I ride on weekdays if it gets dark so early?

A short, flat, car-free one: a greenway near home is ideal. In Madrid, the Río Guadarrama one is 11.2 km; in Valencia, the Antic Trenet, 16.1 km.

Do I need a reflective vest to ride a bike?

If you ride at night or in poor visibility on roads outside towns, yes: you must wear a reflective garment. In town it isn't compulsory, but it makes you much more visible.