Originally Posted by
Jaywalk3r
It's hard to compare cities in which I've lived and cities in which I've ridden while visiting. Route planning is key to a good urban cycling experience, and being local typically allows better route planning. I love riding in my current city, but much of that enjoyment comes from my familiarity with the roads and knowing the most bike appropriate routes to get from here to there. If I were passing through the city on tour, or just visiting the city, those aren't the routes I'd be riding on.
Good point, I guess you point out on my trips I'm more of a tourist (recreational) rider versus a commuter; I've been a commuting-tourist (?) I don't have good knowledge of the cities I'm riding and that does have a major affect on my comfort. With that said, based on my travels, I'd be happy riding on the street of San Fran than Chi-town.