Bogotá waking up on two wheels
It's 4:30 in the morning. The thermometer reads 8 degrees and the fog still covers the eastern hills. While the city sleeps, hundreds of cyclists are already pedaling through empty streets, with blinking lights that look like urban fireflies. It's not a movie scene: it's the reality of those who rise early in Bogotá to ride a bike before traffic turns the city into chaos. And no, I'm not talking about the Sunday Ciclovía, which starts late and fills up with tourists on rented bikes. I'm talking about the real routes, the ones we locals use to train, clear our heads, or simply get to work without losing an hour on a packed TransMilenio.
By September 2026, the phenomenon of the "dawn cyclists" has grown so much that there are already organized groups leaving at 5:00 AM from different points in the city. The New York Times even dedicated an article to them in 2025, highlighting how at 2,600 meters above sea level, with unpredictable weather, Bogotanos have turned sunrise into their sacred hour on the bicycle. But beware: popular routes like the road to La Calera or Alto de Patios have become so crowded that they're no longer safe at certain times due to the number of novice cyclists and private cars. So here are five routes few know about, designed to ride fast, safe, and with the city almost empty.
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What to do: the early-rising cyclist's ritual
Before getting into the routes, you need to understand what riding a bike before 7 AM in Bogotá really means. It's not just exercise: it's a lifestyle that combines training discipline with the need to move efficiently. Those of us who do it know that at that hour the city belongs to us. Traffic lights are synchronized for vehicle flow, but since there are so few cars, you can maintain a steady pace without stopping every two blocks.
Logistics are key. Most early risers head out in thermal clothing, with mandatory front and rear lights (the law in Bogotá requires lights visible from 50 meters), and carry at least one waterproof jacket because the morning fog can turn into drizzle in a matter of minutes. Coffee from neighborhood shops that open at 5:30 AM becomes the best ally, and bike shops that serve from early on are pure gold when you get a flat tire mid-route.
A curious fact few know: the Bogotá Mayor's Office has a smart traffic light system on Carrera 7 that syncs between 5:00 AM and 6:30 AM to give a "green wave" to vehicles going 40 km/h. If you pedal at that exact speed, you can cross from Calle 26 to Calle 100 without stopping. It's a secret experienced cyclists know that turns the city's busiest road into a personal speed track.
Route 1: The 'Cerros Ring' along Calle 85 to La Patagonia
This is the route I do at least three times a week. It starts on Carrera 7 with Calle 85, right next to El Virrey Park, and climbs all the way up Calle 85 to Carrera 11, where it becomes the road to La Calera. But don't take the main road everyone knows: we locals know there's a detour along Calle 88A that connects to the old road, the one that passes by the Club de Los Lagartos and climbs winding between eucalyptus trees and gated residential developments.
The full climb is about 9 kilometers with an average gradient of 5%, enough to warm up your legs but not as steep as Patios. The best time to do it is between 5:30 AM and 6:30 AM, when the fog is low and the sun is just beginning to peek out from behind the San Rafael Reservoir. The descent is the tricky part: with the fog, visibility drops to less than 20 meters in some stretches, and the road gets wet from the morning dew. Expert tip: descend with both hands on the handlebars, lights blinking, and braking gently before each curve. It's not a route for setting descent records.
Upon reaching La Patagonia (the point where the good pavement ends and the unpaved road toward the páramo begins), there's a shop called "El Refugio del Ciclista" that opens at 6:00 AM. There they sell tinto with yuca bread for $2,500 COP, and they have a free air pump to adjust tire pressure before heading back. The return can be on the same road or, if you're feeling energetic, descend via the road to La Calera down to Calle 85 and from there home. Total distance: between 25 and 30 kilometers depending on where you live.
Route 2: The 'Wetlands Circuit'
If mountains aren't your thing but speed is, this is your route. The circuit connects three of the city's wetlands: Humedal de Córdoba (at Calle 116 with Carrera 7), Humedal de Jaboque (in Engativá), and Humedal Santa María del Lago (at Calle 80 with Carrera 80). It's a completely flat route, about 40 kilometers total, that can be done in under two hours if you maintain a steady pace of 25 km/h.
The magic of this route is in the silence. At 5:30 AM, the wetlands are covered in low fog, and the herons and tingua birds are just beginning their activity. There are no cars, no noise, no traffic lights on most of the route because the bike paths bordering the wetlands are separated from the vehicle road. It's the perfect route to listen to your thoughts, meditate while pedaling, or simply enjoy a city few see: the Bogotá of birds and native vegetation.
An important detail: the stretch between Humedal de Córdoba and Jaboque passes through Avenida Boyacá with Calle 80, and there you do have to cross a couple of pedestrian bridges. It's not complicated, but you have to get off your bike to climb the ramps. The natural hydration point is at Parque Santa María del Lago, where there's a public drinking fountain that works from 6:00 AM. The full route ends where it started, making it ideal for those living in the north of the city who want a long ride without straying too far from home.
Route 3: The 'Guadalupe Climb' via the old road
Everyone knows the climb to Monserrate. We local cyclists know the real challenge is Guadalupe, the twin hill next to it, with a longer climb, less traffic, and better views. But the secret of early risers is the old road, the one that leaves from Calle 12 Sur with Carrera 3 Este, passing through the San Blas neighborhood and climbing a cobblestone path that was the old road to Choachí before they built the main road.
This route is technical and demanding: it's 12 kilometers of constant climbing with ramps exceeding 8% gradient. But the reward is enormous: at 6:00 AM, when you reach the summit, you have the entire city at your feet, with the sun rising behind the hills and the fog covering the Bogotá river valley like a sea of clouds. It's a spectacle few tourists see because most go up Monserrate by cable car or funicular, never by bike.
The key detail of this route is that the old road has almost no vehicle traffic ever. Cars going up to Guadalupe use the main road (the one leaving from Avenida Circunvalar), so cyclists have the old road practically to ourselves. That said, you need to bring good lighting because there are stretches with trees that completely block the dawn light, and the pavement is broken in some areas. Locals recommend doing it on a road bike with 28mm or wider tires, and carrying at least one spare tube because loose stones can cause flats.
Route 4: The 'Carrera 7 Corridor' before 6:00 AM
It sounds contradictory to recommend Carrera 7, Bogotá's most congested road, as a bike route. But there's a trick we urban cyclists know well: between 5:00 AM and 6:30 AM, this avenue becomes an empty highway with synchronized traffic lights that allow you to maintain a steady pace of 40 km/h. It's the perfect route for those who live in the north and work in downtown, because under normal conditions that commute takes 45 minutes by bike on bike paths full of pedestrians and street vendors. At that hour, it takes 25 minutes.
The full route goes from Calle 134 (where Carrera 7 begins) to Calle 26, passing key points like Parque de la 93, the Colpatria building, and the National Museum. The trick is maintaining the exact speed of the traffic lights: if you pedal at 38-40 km/h on the flat stretches, you get the "green wave" and don't stop at any intersection. It's almost like having an exclusive lane.
That said, you need to know the exceptions: the traffic lights at Calle 72, Calle 45, and Calle 26 aren't synchronized with the system, so you have to stop no matter what. You also need to watch out for SITP buses that start running from 4:30 AM, although at that hour they're empty and quite respectful. Locals who do this route every morning already know the exact spots where you need to slow down and the potholes in the pavement to dodge. It's a route of accumulated knowledge, not suitable for beginners who don't know the road.
Route 5: The '170 Loop' returning via Avenida Boyacá
For those seeking distance without traffic lights, this is the definitive route. The full circuit is 55 kilometers, starting at Carrera 7 with Calle 170, climbing all of Calle 170 to Avenida Boyacá, descending Boyacá to Calle 80, and returning via Avenida Cali to Calle 170 again. It's a nearly perfect rectangle that surrounds the northwest of the city, passing through areas like Suba, Engativá, and Guaymaral airport.
The advantage of this route is that Calle 170 and Avenida Boyacá have exclusive bike lanes for much of their length, and at 5:30 AM they're completely empty. The only tricky stretch is the crossing at Calle 80, where you have to use the pedestrian bridge over Humedal Jaboque, but afterward you pick up the bike path without issue. It's a demanding route due to distance, but it has no significant climbs, so you can maintain a steady pace of 28-30 km/h throughout.
The best time to do it is between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM, especially on Saturdays when traffic is minimal. That said, you need to bring at least two water bottles because there aren't many hydration points along the way, although at Avenida Boyacá with Calle 153 there's a 24-hour gas station with a public restroom. The return via Avenida Cali has a gentle uphill slope that serves to cool down your legs after the effort on Boyacá, and you finish exactly where you started, which makes logistics easy whether you leave your car or arrive by bike from home.
Safety and logistics for riding at dawn
Riding before 7 AM in Bogotá has its risks, but with the right precautions, they're minimal. First is lighting: Colombian law requires a white front light and red rear light, but experienced cyclists carry two rear lights (one steady and one blinking) for greater visibility. In the fog, the lights pa
