Feel the beat, not the burn: Effects of self-selected music in time-to-exhaustion cycling

The present study investigated the effects of exercising with self-selected music on exercise tolerance and related physiological responses during endurance cycling. Recreationally active adults (N = 29) completed two time-to-exhaustion (TTE) trials at ∼80% of peak power output under counterbalanced conditions: music (self-selected, 120-140 bpm) and no-music. Participants cycled longer with music (M = 35.61, SD = 14.01 min) than without (M = 29.80, SD = 11.47 min), t (28) = 3.62, p = .001, dz = 0.67. Heart-rate (HR) analyses (N = 27) showed greater cumulative cardiovascular load under music (AUC +15.4% vs no-music; t (26) = 2.40, p = .024), and a small isotime HR increase (+2.9 bpm, ∼+1.9%; t (26) = 2.75, p = .011). Music also extended the time participants tolerated suprathreshold effort, both in absolute (p < .001) and proportional (p = .005) terms. Total energy expenditure was higher with music (+69 kJ; +17%; t (28) = 3.34, p = .002), whereas energy-expenditure rate did not differ (+0.11 kJ min^-1; p = .652); post-exercise lactate was unaffected after controlling for TTE (cond. +0.32-0.39 mmol·L^-1; p ≥ .265). Aerobic fitness (VO₂peak) did not moderate the ergogenic effect (r = -0.28, p = .135). Despite longer performance and higher cumulative exposure, terminal responses (end %HRmax, %VO₂peak, RPE, lactate) were similar (all p ≥ .14). Qualitative data contextualised the participant experience. Results suggest that self-selected music may facilitate tolerance of sustained effort consistent with altered tolerance of effort rather than improved metabolic efficiency.