I've never been one for exercise. I still hate spending time in the gym or doing anything that counts as exercise. Cycling to work makes exercise fun, saves money and since I live just 2.5 miles from work, gives me more predictability on how much time I take to and from work. As added bonuses, cycling in seems to have reduced my allergy problem and I start and end my work day in a good mood!

What I love most (besides riding my bike), is the relative certainty of being on time. If I leave at 8:10 AM, I'll always (with the exception of a flat tire/or absolute catastrophe) arrive at work within a minute or two of 8:45 or 8:55 AM (depending on the route). My arrival time via Public Transportation or Car varies wildly; It could take up to 3 times as long as my shortest bike route, but, would seldom beat it.

I just love riding. I feel fresh and energized when I get to work.

An added bonus is that I don't get affected by traffic jams.

I am going to have to agree with all to positive things said about commuting. Let me say this, however. I retired last month and the only thing that I miss about work is the commute. Not to worry, I now get plenty of riding in these days.

As a guy that believes that any day you can get out of bed is a good day, the morning commute is a giant affirmation that I am having a freaking great day. With an exclamation point. Specially when is cool/cold .......or you come face to face with a deer .... or see a full moon setting... or a car that doesn't stop at a stop sign - well maybe not so much, but it does get your heart beating - but you all know these things

Xalapa, what a nice city # Federico Mena

it beat the hell out of work

It's fun. I do it for enjoyment and for fitness. It beats going to the gym and it is a better workout (25 mile round trip).

I do it for the times I catch the other riders and my son goes "Got them dad! High five!" Loud enough to probably shame others for being passed by a guy doing the daycare run.

that is funny and awesome!

Yeah if I wasn't panting so hard I would have laughed my arse off. It was up my least favorite hill I got them on also.

At least for them it is not a trailer.

I enjoy being outside in the fresh air be it in the early morning or on the way home.
I love not being stuck in traffic waiting for endless stoplight cycles and idiots trying to get in front of me or pull across 6 lanes of traffic.
It's nice not paying $50 every week or so for gas.
Saves wear & tear on the car so lower maintenance costs.
You meet people of like mindedness - who are [usually] pretty cool.
Enjoyable exercise.

What I like is the fact I'm combine two activities into one. I have to go to work plus I also have to get in some daily exercise. Commuting gets me an hour and a half of cardio-resistance training in the morning and in the evening. Plus, I get to work then home. I also enjoy my alone time. I can think about what I have to get done, and reminisce over old happy memories ..

no traffic jams, no hazzle finding a parking space, faster than car or public transport, cycling home the long way clears my mind, more awareness of my sorroundings, positive exercise effect, feeling of independence, ..........
my list could go on and on........
basically it is fun and convenient.

The more I commute by bicycle, the more I find I get angry and frustrated when I'm forced to commute by cage. In the car, I'm getting more and more angry with people always in my way but I can go my own pace by bicycle.

As an added bonus, today was Bike to Work Day (at least in Colorado, not sure about elsewhere.) Got to sip coffee in the AM watching news coverage of all kinds of people doing something most here do all the time... and thought "how can folks NOT do this more?"

It's what got me started, that one ride.

Another cool thing, myplace of employment had breakfast and bike bling for participants, who either work there or stopped on their way to somewhere else. Fantastic morning.

What do you mean by that?

Anyways, I recently replied to this thread on the Living Car-Free Forum, “Show Us Your Current Current Commute/Errand Routes”:

I’m a decades-long, year-round cycle commuter, and I have read this Forum for about six years. I posted the above to demonstrate a near-perfect situation with solutions to many of the repeated threads on this Forum about common problems for cycling commuters. FWIW.

1. Gets me outdoors.
2. Saves me money or so I like to think. I keep buying stuff for my bike!
3. Exploring. I've learned alot about our county. Short cuts and back roads.
4. Exercise. I love when I get home and my excercise is done. Well mostly done.
5. Sunrises and sunsets.
6. Wildlife
7. Tranquility. I've grown to despise loud cars and trucks. I love it when it's just me and the road and all I hear is nature.

The smells is what gets me.. the good the bad and the ugly. Doughnuts, the BBQ joint and then there is the sewer plant. I've found a lot of interesting businesses along the path wouldn't of found otherwise. Pretty much agree with what ever one else posted.

The smells are always so amazing and interesting, well not amazing I go by a fish rendering plant. But in the neighborhoods the smells are always so different. There is a house who is making a curry almost every morning and it smells incredible. Then a couple of bakeries. Nice flora smell. Other random sometimes identifiable odors.

I can only imagine what someone with a good sense of smell experiences.

wow!

The exercise and being ready to ride my road bike on fun rides. Not that some of the commute rides are fun, most are. Each is a challenge and I like that too.

i love the smell of the honeysuckle in the mornings when the air temp is around 67-70 degrees it reminds me of being a kid and playing outside. The air seems fresh and it is easier to breath.

speed.

pain.
rain.
climbing when it's cold outside.
breaking the mandatory sidepath law.
chasing down motorvehicles who threaten cyclists.
weaving in and around slower moving motorvehicle traffic.
irritating safety nannies and bike ambassadors in a safe manner.
chasing down motorvehicles or bikes who threaten or buzz pedestrians.
stopping or blocking motorist traffic to let pedestrians or cyclists cross.
jumping a line, skidding to a stop, and track standing in front of a large suv or truck.
occasionally taking the lane on the ross island (US 26), sellwood, or morrison bridges.
a drive train that allows me to rapidly and smoothly click through the entire range as i accelerate from a stop.
the exhilaration of splitting lanes at speeds that commuting forum posters believe are impossible (except for elite professionals who ride the TdF).


PS: the above may rile but it's entirely genuine.

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