Originally Posted by
FBinNY
I'll start.
I'm a lifer, having started bicycling in my teens, and an active tourist and sport cyclist favoring long rides with small groups of friends.
That's pretty much me. I crave long rides, especially the kind that don't involve dealing with traffic. Give me some hills to climb and I'm even happier. Utility riding is just a way to both spend more time in the saddle and sneak in some extra fitness.
Admittedly, I do spend some time on other parts of FBinNY's metaphorical shelf. However, I think I'm mostly just rationalizing all my cycling when I justify it with environmental concerns and whatnot. I'd still ride even if it was shown to be worse for the environment, so my selfish joy is clearly my motivation. Well, that and the fact that if I didn't ride I'd be obese.