I think it's so cool that so many people put down recreation and fun as the primary reason.

I think that people who don't commute by bike often think that when we ride the bike it's like putting on a hairshirt everyday and that we swallow this bitter pill because we're too cheap to pay for gas or we're only doing it for an environmental crusade or whatever when, in fact, once we start riding we love it so much that even if we started off riding to save a few bucks, shed a few pounds, avoid the traffic jams eventually we're just doing it because it's so much fun.

I can't underestimate the power of the above. I like being a little bit a part from the madding crowd- nothing seems to do that like the bike.

A couple years ago when I had a day off I'd ride my commute route for enjoyment. Now I know different routes, but then it was an easy choice as I could head out without planning of where to go.
Al

There are a number of reasons. It's the composite picture, not any element in it that keeps me on the bike.

I'd probably never have admitted it even to myself but I've done this as well- and I have lots of other routes but sometimes it's fun to just ride the commute without having to work at the end of it.

Fun, fun, fun!

I started bicycling again as an adult after reading through Ken Kifer's website on touring, and also because I wanted exercise. I stayed with cycling because it's the only exercise that doesn't feel like exercise to me. I don't dread doing a "workout" where I get all sweaty, exhausted, and feeling like I've just been beaten to a bloody pulp. I'd be commuting to work now if I found a good route to get there and had good lights/night riding equipment (let's just say that my shift gets out after the sun goes down, even during the summer). Oh yeah, and I don't currently have a bike, but I want to get a new one so badly.

1a. Fitness
1b. Love of cycling ( I guess you can call that recreation)
2. Gas savings

• Fun
• Fitness
• Mental Health
• Environmental Concerns
• Saves Wear and Tear on the Car
• Feeling Righteous from doing the right thing.

What he said.

I love tinkering on cars. This does not work well when you live in an apartment building. My landlady might have a heart attack, and she's a nice woman and doesn't deserve that.

I like long distance driving. This does not work well when you rarely travel, and a long trip is under 2 hours.

I don't like car insurance costs, gas costs, car maintenance costs that I can't cut by doing the work myself, the enviromental costs of running a car and the stress costs of me doing inner city driving.

I like getting regular exercise. I am also lazy and won't head out to the gym for fun. I *will* do things like walk or bike to get groceries, visit the library, and get to work. Then I get my exercise, do useful things and have fun.

I commute so I can feel like a kid again on the way to work and on the way home too. I also help the environment and get some free exercise as well as stress reduction. When I drive the whole trip my 47 km commute is 45 minutes in heavy traffic, and very frustrating. When I ride the first 11.5km, the rest doesn't bother me at all.....

[QUOTE=closetbiker;5737044]Nothing puts me in a more foul mood than one hour of rush hour traffic, when I'm in a car.

When I'm in a car, the last third of my commute takes longer than the entire commute does when I'm on my bike.[/QUOTE.)

And I am happy when bypassing stalled traffic on my bike.

I enjoy belittling coworkers for their lack of physical prowess.

Well, they enjoy belittling me because...well, I'm little...

Only reason I am riding my bike to commute is because I still can't afford another car yet and don't enjoy riding the bus, otherwise I would just pay what ever the gas price is/was to get to work comfortably with some tunes playing. I just may continue to ride my bike more after I get another car. Besides a bicycle is almost 0 cost to get somewhere faster than walking and marginally slower than say public transportation.