sourdoughT

For me the factors were: I wanted time out to slow down in life every day whether it was rain or shine and here in Seattle it's mostly rain. I also see it as a part of the overall package of physical fitness.
For me since my commute is 18 miles round trip it is actually quicker by bike than bus. Though when I first started this in Feburary and committed myself to this line of thinking and follow through, I took my time building up to the eighteen miles every work day. I actually enjoy my bike commute!!!

banerjek

Original inspiration? I was in junior high and got thrown off the school bus for fighting. My parents weren't about to reward me with a car ride for misbehavior, so I rode my bike 7 miles to school each way (we lived outside town). During the 10 days I was suspended from riding, I noticed that I was roughly twice as fast as the bus -- it took me less than 1/2 hour to go one way, where the bus was 2 hrs total (45 min in the morning and 1:15 in the afternoon). When the suspension was lifted, I kept biking.

girljen

It started with ped commuting, a 3-mile walk to and from work. I wanted both a longer commute so I could wind down, and some physical activity at the beginning and end of my 12-hour shifts. I was worried about my weight because I had just had a baby.


About two months ago, my brother finally convinced me that I should start bike commuting. My last cycling experiences, long and drawn-out painfests on x-mart bikes, had closed my mind to the idea for a while. But I figured that if my brother could do a 9-mile commute each way, the three miles from my house to work wouldn't be a big deal.

Now I'm hooked.

Winter76

Money, Speed, Fitness.

I save $12 a day over driving, I'm 20 minutes faster than taking the bus and I'm a fat ******* who's slowly getting thinner and I'm not dieting.

Markok765

I get $5 a day for biking [bus is 2.50 each way]

lksfirecapt

Having two children I felt strongly that I needed to do my part in addressing global climate change. I wanted to be an example that words and discussion are fine, but until you put the rubber to road you really can't say you've done your part.

Also the thought of the people in the "oil industry" getting anymore of my hard earned money kept me up at night....

nemo

Hi. my name is nemo and I am an addict.... Endorphine rush well and the look on the faces of people who have not seen me come in geared up yet... PRICELESS!

LittleBigMan

I wanted to boost my fitness. I was walking several miles a day, and I knew if I wanted to walk more, I'd run out of daylight.

Since then, the fun, the fitness, the freedom, the cost savings, the environmental impact, and the positive feelings all made it very hard to quit.

caloso

A combination of my character defects: I'm too cheap to pay for parking; too impatient to drive; too anti-social to take public transport; and too vain to get fat.

Andy_K 

I met with a health coach at work. She told me if I was going to succeed with an exercise program, the exercise would have to be something I enjoyed. About the same time I was thinking about buying a Prius to cut down on my emmissions, but the $20,000+ price tag was tough to swallow. So I kept my old car, stopped trying to use the treadmill and bought a bike. Obviously it was a great decision all around.

daredevil

It was a way to insure that I got to ride every day.

LittleBigMan

...and too humble to brag about your character defects.

LittleBigMan

You selfish swine.

tekknoschtev

There was no one impetus that brought me to riding my bike. More or less, the drive and final push over the edge came due to a combination of facts. Gas prices crossing $3.50/gallon on a regular basis (and now $4.00/gallon) was the final motivation I needed. We have a gym at my house, nothing fancy, but I never used it despite wanting to get in better shape. I'm 6'0" and weighed 190-195. I'm not fat, but I've definitely got a gut and want to get in shape for both health reasons and possibly to appear more attractive, though its mostly health. Fact of the matter is, I'm a computer nerd by nature, and I work in front of a computer 8 hours a day as is, so.... its a lot of sitting on my arse not getting myself in shape. This helps me in many areas so it works!

On top of that, after starting riding, I definitely get a rush when I'm done with ride and I love it! Having the bike computer helps me strive to better myself.

Machka 

When I lived in Manitoba, it was a choice ... 45 minute bus ride vs. 20 minute bicycle ride. I opted to sleep in, save some money, and get more cycling in. I commuted by bicycle pretty much year round for my last 6 + years there .... and didn't even own a car during that time.

Prior to that, my commute was 2 miles round trip so I walked ... and I did that for the first 6 + years I was there.

It's only been recently (the last 3 years) that I've started using a car.

And now my commute is a lot longer and costs me $7.50/day in fuel. I'm trying to ride a few times a week, when the weather is decent, to increase my fitness level and save myself some money.

daredevil

Let me first say, I know you were kidding.

Commuting really is a great way to get your riding in while impacting the family less. That was another big consideration for me. Far from selfish, pretty considerate of us I would say!

I just noticed LBM, you've been around these forums since 01? wow, bet you've seen a lot.

Az B

I've been cycle commuting since 1982 where practical. It just seemed... easier.

Even when my commute was too far to bicycle, I rode my motorcycle as it gets 50+ mpg.

I've always had cars, but it always seemed to be less than constructive to be driving around all the time. And traffic in Atlanta has been bad for years and only gets worse. I really hate driving in traffic, and that's about the only driving you can do around here.

Az

LittleBigMan

This is the case for a huge number of people. Our jobs have become very sedentary, not our fault. But we all need to find alternatives to get the right amount of exercise to compensate for what we don't get.

When I ride my bike to work (or errands, whatever,) the time I used to spend sitting (who needs more of that) I spend getting a good workout. By the time I get home, I don't need to work out, I've already gotten plenty of exercise.

daredevil

My point exactly! Well put. Then you can spend time with your family.

LittleBigMan

I would agree, as that was one main reason I started bike commuting.

LittleBigMan

I've been in the Atlanta super-region for about 35 years, and started driving about the same time. I remember when some of the main arteries in my neighborhood were 45 mph., two lanes with potholes.

Yup, no matter how many lanes they add, it just seems to fill up with cars.



I'm with you. If bicycle commuting has taught me anything, it's that driving is an extremely wasteful activity, and the bicycle is by far a superior invention in every way than is the wasteful, expensive, smog-belching, traffic-jamming motorcar.



(If find it interesting that automobile insurance ads, like some automobile ads before them, are targeting bicycle commuting as a ridiculous thing. Remember the goofy guy wearing a white shirt, tie, sport coat, along with RED cycling shorts and BLACK socks parking his commuter bike at the office, while a female coworker makes fun of him? I'm thinking a good tv ad for a bike company would be a bike commuter encouraging a frustrated, overweight car commuter to ride a bike. I remember one overweight guy who told me he used to run and ride all the time, but he stopped due to injury. After we crossed paths, he decided to get back into Triathalons. Now he's very sleek and he wins quite a bit in his 50+ category.)

robtown

Fresh air, fitness, freeing up the car for my daughter's limited use. I save $4 a day in gas (more on upkeep) and I probably spend $8 a day on bike stuff.

Black Bud

I have exactly the same motivation behind bike commuting, the "no excuses exercise program".

When I DON'T ride, I miss it. Why do you think my sig. line says "A bad day on the bike is better than a good day at work!!"?

urban rider

The doctor told me "You have type two diabetes" after I drove home I sat in my car and said a small proayer, What am I gonna do? The next day the car would not start. I got out my old Sears bike and I have been riding ever since. Oh yeah, my diabetes is under control.

Gas, .69 cents, the price of a can of beans.

nbac23

A combo of a few things. 1.) I gained 25 pounds in the last 4 years and this is a great way to work out. I bike a hour and 20 minutes a day instead of driving 45 minutes a day - so 1:20 of riding in only 35 minutes. 2.) I have a perfect job for biking to work (it does not matter what in the world I look like at work! and I generally dont have to be there at any specific time...) 3.) an older lady at my work does it sometimes and I was always amazed at her 4.) only a few people do it.

As I have been doing it I find that the ride home is the best. I am a little winded when I get to work, but I think I will get better as I get in better shape. The ride home is awesome. At night....I just unwind with few cars. Oh, and its DOWNHILL!!!

the savings in gas isnt a lot for me after you add in all my bike purchases. (15 miles a day) But I do think that I will stretch the life of my car. If I can save 2,000 miles a year on it...that would be nice.