I commute because I enjoy riding and the commute is long enough ( 25 mile round trip) to keep me in shape.
All the other stuff is a bonus, like someone else aready mentioned.

I commute by bike to get to work and back.

I'm 45 and have for the most always commuted to work. I started working at 15. Up until 2010 I've also always owned a car, but in 2010 I went through 4 cars and spent over $4,000 in car repairs so now I only own a bike. I know - don't ask!

p.s. I don't miss the car.

I commute for several reasons

Cost, I got tired of forking over insane amounts of money for a car

Joy, I enjoy riding my bike, I always have... and I find I am a happier person by commuting by bike instead of being locked in San Jose gridlock

Health, I had quit smoking a month prior to commuting full time... I have lost several inches around the waist since

Experience, I have found that by bike... everything looks different... and all in a positive way

For the same reason the chicken crosses the road.

I haven't started bike commuting yet, but I plan to soon, because:

1. Love riding the bike
2. Help me lose weight and get in shape (already down 15 lbs this year from running!)
3. Save money on gas.

I drive an Acura Integra GS-R that I've had since 2001. It's been my only car since then, and I love driving it. But it does require premium fuel, and prices are insane compared to the ~$1.50 or less of 93 octane when I bought it in 2001.

I HOPE I'll be able to say that commuting by bike is fun, but I just don't know yet, since the only roads available will be 2-lane roads with no shoulder and most people driving pretty fast. Also there are LOTS of hills. It'll be about 26-27 miles round trip depending on the route. Also due to my wife's morning and evening schedules, I know I'll only be able to commute on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and even those days I may have to cut my office hours a bit short (arrive a little after 8 on Wed/Fri, may have to leave at 4:30 on Monday). So we'll see how it goes.

At this point I'm not too thrilled with a couple of the roads I have to ride on to get there and back.

Sci_femme, I'm intrigued. What do you do? What is your professional training?

I like to ride my bike.
I like the exercise/endorphins.
It helps my bad knees - I've had much fewer knee issues since I've been riding regularly.
I like not using my car and not having to drive in traffic.
I like the scenery.
I like talking to/meeting other commuters/cyclists.
I like tracking my rides and seeing my ride data.
I like spending my money on my bikes/gear instead of the car, parking, petrol, etc.
I like the feeling of freedom you get.
I like taking a different way home every day.

ChemE by training, did some research in my misspent youth, work in environmental testing lab now.

I have commuted for a lot of different reasons over the years. I started in the 80's on a Schwinn Varsity because I needed to do something different That led to my first real bike, a Cannondale Criterium in 90 I think (It cost $1000, $600 more than the car I was driving).I can still remember the feeling of speed I felt the first time I rode. Wow. I can also remember the look on my friend Steve's face when I clip-clopped into his police station in Brooklyn dressed in lycra tights, a tight colorful bike shirt, bike shoes, and a bike helmet, and bloody from having just been hit by a an old lady in a Buick. All that gear was still pretty exotic back then and we hadn't seen each other in a while so the look on his face was probably the same look anyone would give to a friend they remembered as normal showing up looking crazy, a sort of questioning condescension. Like he's thinking "Jeez, Ken used to be normal, I wonder what happened?" I realized then and there that I wouldn't ever be able to explain to him why I commute, but anyone who rides already knows. I've been able to identify some of my own reasons in every post on this thread. Mostly I ride my bike because it's the place I feel the most normal. Go figure?

Pretty much the same as everyone else.

-I love to ride my bike.
-I own a car, but feel pretty ridiculous when I use it to get around town, which is only about 5 square miles.
-I'm cheap.
-I get to do something I love while being a) cheap b) green and c)getting some exercise

This.

My commute takes me past the Pentagon Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall. People travel from all over the world to see what I see on my commute. Why waste it on the metro? Also, my wife and I can bike the same route into work; if we metro, we take different metro lines. :-( Oh, and it's 10 minutes faster than the metro.

(P.S. Hello, everyone. I've had an account for a while but I'm finally posting.)

Also, a car in Washington during rush hour is about as practical and speedy as a kayak in the Sahara. On second thought, I take that back -- the Sahara kayak is a much better idea, because you can at least find a spot to park it.

Mostly the same here, same age bracket.

Riding a bike is fun.

I have a computer/desk job and it gets me some exercise each day. I also walk or run for 1/2 hr a day on my break at work.

It's silly to pay for gas for my car just to get to work and downtown.

Yesterday I spent $40 in gas to get to Moab and back for the day (took road bikes and rode in Arches NP). I'd rather spend gas money on something like that than just getting to work.

I live in a city with so associated with cycling that it was a Jeopardy! question.

+1

Because I see heaps of healthy people having fun and I wanted to be like them.

My commute is part positive mental health care, part weight loss tool, part no license and car, part a dislike for public transit, but mostly because bike riding is such great fun.

I started commuting because I love to ride. I began back in the mid eighties. I didn't know anyone that commuted by bike at the time and had no clue what I was doing. Took a dry run on a Saturday on my Schwinn Varsity to check out my route and that was that. I originally only rode during the summer when the weather was supposed to be nice. I was also asked quite frequently if I needed a ride home and was typically met with a puzzled look when I refused. Eventually they figured it out and a couple of others started riding in as well. Years later I changed jobs and moved to another town and had to train my new coworkers that I ride in because I love to ride, no my license is not revoked and I'll be ok and won't melt in the rain. 8 years ago I started training for a triathlon and discovered spinning, joined a gym and stopped commuting. I spent more time spinning inside than riding outside. One beautiful summer morning as I'm driving to the gym I thought this is crazy, I should be outside. I am now gym free and have not done a swim/bike/run event in a long time. For the last three years I bike commute as often as I can and will ride in winter as long as the roads are clear. I have two coworkers who have decided to bike commute sometimes as well. I can't think of a better way to start or end a work day.

Battle of the bulge, HBP, love to eat, love to ride and figured if my 65 year-old boss could do it, then surely a man of 40 could.

Force of habit.

That's the long version of my reason; I Like to Bike.

It's practical, and fun.

I commute because;

1. exercise / fitness
2. Tired of paying the MTA (They will raise fair next year again)

I'm a mountain biker. I commute on my bike 2-3 times/week so can keep up with my buddies when we ride in the woods.

One side benefit is I find it very relaxing after a stressful day at work. And I have lots of those lately.

I'm not anti-car. In fact I own four. One regular kid hauler and three older collectible cars. Those are fun too. :)

I began riding to save money ($4.50 / day parking at metro). Once the money was not as big an issue, I kept riding for exercise (although I gained some weight over this winter, I'm still over 20 lbs lighter than I was 3 years ago). What keeps me motivated, though, is fun (I am in so much better spirits on the days I ride the bike).

I average 2-3 days a week, about 30-40 miles (depending on route) daily round trip and I ride at least 1 day a week year round, but I freely admit that I avoid riding in rain when I can help it.

In order of priority:

1. So I can drink more beer and eat more gedunk.
2. To avoid paying for parking where I work
3. It feels good; before, during, and after
4. It energizes me coming to work and calms me going home.
5. I avoid things that happen to others, like traffic and high gas prices.

-G