I consider cycling "automatic exercise." All you really have to do is get started - the rest takes care of itself.
Once you have pushed off and are pedaling, you are required to get back. The further you go... the further you must go.

All the better if there is a hill involved at some point.

The lines separating physical health from mental health, and mental health from fun, aren't lines at all. Rather, the three exist in a broad band where they converge during the part of your life called riding a bike. For me there's no real separating them.

If you think about it fun inhabits a pretty broad spectrum. Somewhere in that broad band there's riding your bike in the dark at 5AM. It's 8 degrees and oh so tiny snowflakes are randomly materializing in the beam of your headlight.

^^^This.

Going on 6 years, here.
And ya, it's still fun.

Actually, the coming seasons are really fun (with studded tires!)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/...ddd95d36_b.jpg

Fun is the best reason, everything else is a fringe benefit.

Marc

"One of the best things about bicycle commuting is that it can mitigate the displeasure of having to go to work."—BikeSnobNYC

A few years ago there was a poster who had something like this in his signature line: "Work... the 8 hours between bike rides."

Does anyone remember this? Who was it?

In the meantime - USE IT!

I ride to work to justify bike-related purchases to my wife. If biking weren't fun, this wouldn't be necessary.

Oh heck yes!

We live rural and I commute about 15 miles one way. The ride is very scenic, lots of fun, good exercise, saves money by not driving. I enjoy riding so much that if for logistical reasons I don't get to bike for more than a few days I start getting grumpy about it.
Cost savings is not a huge factor because I drive an 81 VW diesel pickup that gets 50 MPG but it is very nice to only buy 20 bucks worth of fuel every couple of weeks and save wear and tare on a vehicle I consider irreplaceable.

Good comments; I can relate to them. If I dont ride for even a day, I get a little out of sorts.
I drive an 88 Mitsubishi pickup truck. I have fixed and tweaked it until it runs like a reliable top. IT doesnt take much gas to fuel it, and I like that. But I like to ride more for the riding, than the gas savings... even if they do mount up over a year.
Most people wouldnt want to do these things, however. Which I suppose is why we notice it all the more....

Love to ride. To work and back is 3.5 miles. Average commute last year was about 19 miles round trip. Sometimes end with up wards of 40 miles for the work day. Losing weight, eating more, meeting people, hitting the skate-park just some of the perks!