When it comes to riding for fun, winter can be the best part of the year. You can actually ride in Central Park without hitting a 10K, tourists looking up at buildings instead of where they're going, people on walks who don't keep their rugrats from running in front of bikes, pedicaps etc. Now if we could just get rid of the rollerbladers wearing ipods so they can't hear you call out "on your right, buttmonkey".

Only warning is this: avoid riding in midtown from thanksgiving until Jan. 2. It's wall to wall human flesh.

On average, it's just not as cold here as you think. Especially coming from San Fransisco. Look at it this way, if you get through a winter, you'll have a summer to look forward to that's actually warm!