I'm 61 and started bike commuting 8 years ago, although I've been cycling since college days. That's actually when I first started bike commuting because my 10-speed was my primary means of transportation throughout college. I went to UGA, which has a very spread out campus, and a bike was the only way I could get to many classes on time. I also couldn't afford a car.

I started bike commuting again during "Bike to Work Week" in 2007, thinking I would try doing it on Fridays. Pretty soon I was riding my bike to work almost every day. My office moved downtown a few years ago, increasing my round trip commute from about 22 to 31 miles, so I initially wondered if I could keep it up. However, I'm bike riding to work as much as ever -- weather permitting. The longer route makes it a real challenge on days when it's raining, sleeting or otherwise nasty, so my commute frequency is highly dependent on the weather.

I've commuted on a bunch of different bikes, starting out with an Italian racing bike that was fun to ride but less than ideal for carrying loads or using larger tires and fenders. I then switched to a touring bike and added a sport tourer and cross bike along the way. Riding different bikes is one of the ways I make my commute interesting, and I choose my ride based on the weather, how far I plan to ride, how much gear I want to carry and the route.

In contrast to many cyclists, who seem attracted to the sport due to racing, the Tour de France, etc., my initial interested in cycling was more utilitarian -- commuting and touring. I ride a number of bike tours every year, ranging from weekend to weeklong trips, and I would love to ride across the USA some day. That is part of my motivation for commuting -- keeping myself in shape for bike tours. I just completed Cycle NC at the coast last weekend, and I've got several more tours planned during April, May and June. My big trip for this year will be riding the GAP - C&O Canal trails from Pittsburgh to Washington DC in May.