I used to commute (by car) to Langley for work from Vancouver, 45km each way. The Port Mann bridge, non-twinned in those days, was the soul-destroying bane of my existence. Its really a delight to be in a place where I can cycle the lion's share of the 12 km to and from work while enjoying the safety and luxury of curb-mounted bike lanes. Here's hoping my future perspective on gridlocked, stop-and-go traffic will remain that of the cyclist... there's something really satisfying about zipping past the four-wheeled prison cells as they inch along, bumper to bumper.
Bike theft in Berlin is a serious problem, everybody seems to have their own sob story (or two). My current ride is a 20 year old steel road bike, a solid and nimble ride, but one which doesn't exactly stand out in the rack. When I treat myself to something a little more fancypants, you better believe it will be spending the nights in my front hall.