jyl

I like cruising into work in the pre-dawn, cool wind and lightening sky, empty roads. Crossing the bridge, admire the river and hills waking up, get to work awake myself, pumped up for a dynamic day staring at computer monitors. I especially like it on dark and stormy winter mornings, me defiant, impervious in my rain armor, beating through sideways rain on streaming roads, a hero in my own mind. Go tell the Spartans, indeed. Other times I unleash my madly powerful sprint up the bridge approach, crushing the pedals at 45 mph - everything is doubled in my little fantasy, because it is my fantasy - at 180 bpm - um, not doubled. In the afternoons I enjoy joining the stream of bike commuters, feeling kindly to the two wheeled masses, then insolently I ride them and their bike trailers off my wheel as I accelerate up the 2 percent grade to the roar of imaginary crowds. After dancing with death on our major arterial roads, I stride confidently into the bike pub. Ho! Barkeep! I command a restorative draught.

Jim from Boston

As a decades-long, year-round commuter, dittoes to all the above. I gave these reasons in answer to a thread, "Why would you bike commute in the winter?"

downwinded

Many of the reasons listed above land on the plus side of my list as well. One of my favs though, is the look on the face and the response of the coworkers when they ask that "you rode your bike today?". In their mind something was extremely uncomfortably. Heat/humidity, rain, snow, wind, or even the threat of something they deem terrible. When in fact, the mornings ride was maybe the most comfortable of the week! Cool early mornings or, just the right layers of clothing when it's cold or, other factors that make a commute enjoyable and your surprised, delayed response is something like "uhhh...yeah, why not?"

Sixty Fiver

My bikes run on bacon.

What is not to like ?

parkersdad

I do it to try to stay in shape and to see nature as it wakes up.

mgw4jc

Like others, I am inside for work all day, so being outside for my commute is great.

I enjoy observing things like
- how tall is the corn field this week?
- that box on the curb meaning the house got a new TV.
- am I ahead of or behind the school bus?
- the lady who always seems to be dressed way too warm for her morning walk.
- the progress on the chuch addition construction
- did that old Bronco 4x4 sell yet?
- the ever-present banana peel on a particular section of sidewalk

I also like not having to check or worry about traffic before leaving.

DunderXIII

oh wow.. it does

jrickards

"Waking up" on the bike, clearing my mind before work, enjoying the sunshine.

On the way home, it is more about sunshine, enjoying the physical effort.

essiemyra

What I like about commuting by bike is that it gives me two opportunities a day to ride my bike. When riding my bike I like noticing the flowers and scenery all around me.

ill.clyde

So many great answers in here ... I could echo many of them.

It's fun. Beats driving. Saves wear and tear on my already old vehicle. Saves me money on gas. I'm healthier. It puts me in a good mood, before work, but especially after work. It also helps me wind down and deal with any stress from work. There's something very gratifying about knowing that not only CAN I do it, but that I choose to do it. And yeah, it's kind of cool to have co-workers notice and be a little surprised when they find out I do it and how far I ride. Had one guy see me in the parking garage on Tuesday, "Didn't ride your bike today?"

Plus it's a ready made way for me to get my miles in without giving up a lot of my time after work.

jrickards

Oh yeah, walking through the office, by my co-workers, in a cycling jacket and lycra shorts with sweat dripping down my forehead on a day that is 3C/37F.

Steely Dan

i like bike commuting because:

1. i get to ride my bike twice everyday!!!!!!!!!

2. it makes me feel more connected to my city.

3. it saves me tons of cash by allowing our family to remain a one-car family (my wife won't ever give up her car).

4. the train is expensive ($8.00/roundtrip)

5. cars are stupid.

TransitBiker

- Andy

BobbyG

Everything.

hermanchauw

Much faster and less tiring than walking to the MRT station and to get my shoppings on foot or by bus.

joeyduck

This. Or the days you look like a drowned rat with a huge smile. Cause you have to be happy riding bikes.
@hermanchauw I find walking for errands or to the local boulevard for a leisure stroll not enjoyable and I am thinking I could be biking to do these. I still love grueling death march hikes though.

devianb

I couldn't agree more. I don't like any part of my commute going to work. Work to home I have no time limit so I can ride leisurely and actually enjoy it.

wilfried

• It's faster than any other mode of transit.
• It's completely predictable. My ~3 mile commute takes 13 minutes +-1.
• The bike leaves exactly when I want it to. No waiting, no delays, no announcements about sick passengers, police actions, or signal malfunctions.
• No going underground to the train platform to wait some indeterminate amount of time, especially in the summer, when the temp. can hit 120 degrees, and the station becomes the very vision of hell.
• The bike can get through almost any traffic.
• You actually see and experience the world, the environment, sun, sky, the weather. You don't go down into a hole in the ground, wait a while, and emerge from another hole in the ground. Not strictly on my commute, but I've seen far more of the city by bike than I ever did traveling by train.
• No jostling with other grumpy, harried, bored passengers, squeezing into overcrowded cars, listening to crazy people, preachers, the spiel of panhandlers, or other loud, obnoxious people.
• It saves on train fare.
• It's fun.

In some ways, I actually love the subway, but all in all, I don't miss it.

Ridefreemc

Thank you for taking the time to write this

Telly

Commuting gives me back 50 minutes (25 minutes per commute) of *me* time with no phone calls or other distractions, and let's me put some order to my thoughts.

-=(8)=-

Ruff tuff mc bikers have t-shirts, decals n stuff that say "Cars are Cages". I find this to be true. Sitting in traffic in a car is humiliating. It goes against a lot of stuff I believe in.
The older I get, the more I question the wisdom of people choosing to waste so much time ~ time they will never get back~ in such a negative and soul crushing way.
The bike is the ultimate act of freedom. No 'official documents' involved, no restrictions, I can go anywhere in ninja-like stealth with the added bonus of feeling good when I get off the bike. I think being a bird is the only thing that would give you a better method of travel

spivonious

-Schwarzenegger legs
-Less money burned on gas

wphamilton

Bingo.

I'll add that it makes me stronger, and being on the up-side of that curve feels good.

RidingMatthew

i am currently a desk jockey i lost 35 pounds and it is a great way to keep the weight off. plus it is useful.

i am much happier when i can ride. although i find that 4 days a max is really the max 5 tends to make angry at stupid car drivers.

mstraus

Why do I like bike commuting (not much to like about non-bike commuting)??

1. Gets me to workout/ride doing something I already have to do (commute) and only takes a bit longer counting my shower then my alternative (transit).
2. Makes me feel awake and energized when I get to work.
3. Views like this both ways on my commute