To Defend my city... Depending on where you work, more and more people are moving to intown neighborhoods in Atlanta. Sure you get a smaller house but also a dramatically shorter commute. Check out Kirkwood, Inman Park, Oakhurst, Decatur. Also if you live in town and you explore a little you can jump from one neighborhood to the next and not encounter too much traffic for your week day rides. On the weekends you can get out to some country roads within an hour no sweat. Silk Sheets is a very popular ride. I also think there is a good community of cyclists here: numerous shop rides, NARC, several other groups. Atlanta gets a bad rap for traffic but has many other fine qualities. If you are going to be in Charlotte for the long term in 15 or 20 years it will also have a terrible rap. My two cents