temps are warm (less to wear and carry) and traffic is light (less to fear)!

true but I like spring with about 50 in the mornings and 70s in the evenings. PLus less humidity. Unlike now when it 80% humidity in the mornings and oppresively hot in the evenings.

I consider the best time of year to commute to be that portion of the year that I am employed.

I like late fall/winter/early spring. MUP is mostly empty. I have really mild winters though.

That's a great time, to be sure.

Winter is the best because the fair weather riders are in their cars or public transportation, leaving the MUPs blissfully traffic free. Peds are in hiding, too.

As I ride home from work while the local RAWS station is reporting 109* F. Pass.

Each of the 52 weeks has its own charms. I like the variety.

All year for me, for 16 years. Am now retired!
Do live in Tucson; have ridden in temp up to 117 with 2% humidity.

Yes but were you in a 3-piece suit? Because a full suit, a bike, and a buck fifteen is about the most wrecked I've felt. Didn't help that in the interim I had to jump and run around in that suit.

great replies all

I'm pretty content with all year. I'm not as fond of getting to work a bit sweaty and having to change without a proper shower (none available at my place). I do the sink rinse, but just not quite the same. The ride home in the heat doesn't bother me so much as I can stand under a fan, shower, and/or take kids to the pool.

Juggling extra clothing can be a bit of a challenge in the winter, but it usually works out okay.

+1 !

You must live in a cooler, less humid climate than me. Summer months are the worst for commuting in the Southeast, IMHO. Our summers are very hot and humid, and you get drenched in sweat even during the morning leg of the commute. The ride home can be awful when temperatures hit the mid-90s and higher. My favorite commute season is fall, closely followed by winter. Spring can be a crap shoot, beautiful one day and cold and windy the next.

This.

Although on a dark Feb morning with -20F air temps and a howling 40 mph wind I have to search to find the charm. I'm sure it's in there somewhere.

I agree, this is the best time in my world. It's almost too easy, which is welcome because it's not always easy around here.

all seasons in chicago have their pluses and minuses, but i can loosely rank them as follows:

1. fall - my favorite time of year for riding, it's typically cooler and dryer. the lakefront path also gets less an less crowded as the season goes on.

2. spring - often nice riding temps, but rain and lingering winter nonsense can make it awfully messy. lakefront path starts to get more use, but usually still tolerable.

3. winter - the lakefront path is blessedly vacant, but strong winter winds along the lakefront can be utterly beastly at times. winter mess is also a minus.

4. summer - my least favorite time of year to ride. it's usually too warm and humid for my tastes, and the lakefront path becomes a completely unrideable clusterf@*! in the afternoons.


however, in several weeks i'm moving to a new condo that will shorten my one-way commute distance from 14.5 miles down to 4.5 miles, and will also eliminate the lakefront path entirely from my route, so my bias against summer riding may change a bit.

Just about now is best. It seems like I said the same thing this spring though ... I can only be confident in saying that late January this year and early February were NOT the best times for commuting.

I live in Atlanta but enjoy the summer MUCH more than winter. Winter is the worst. In the summer I dress the same every day - as little as possible. I don't love heat but if it's terribly hot I slow down some and that makes it much more tolerable. I really like all the shade we have. Getting sweaty and enjoying the breeze I made going down the road in the shade is pure bliss.

My favorite time to bike is in the Spring or Fall, then comes Summer, then Winter is the least favorite.

+1. TODAY is the best time to commute!

Well all times of year have their good and bad I guess, and its different in different places.

I decide a couple weeks ago the best time is that first week or so the local schools are out (mid-late June) as the traffic suddenly gets light and the tourists haven't quite come out in droves yet. Come this week, San Francisco will be packed with tourists walking and riding rental bikes along a major part of my route, and the golden gate bridge will also be packed with rental bikes at night and the occasional early tour group in the morning.

No bugs!

I enjoy riding all year too, but I have to admit that summer is my favorite. Light clothes, no threat of ice, and long days. 2 months without needing a bike light is great. Plus, it never gets that hot here. 90F is as bad as it gets and that's not bad at all.

The best time of year to commute is right after work.

The worst time of year to commute is right before work.

There is no best time...Every season is interesting in its own way....Spring and Fall are the easiest...Winters can be very challenging at times...Summers can also be challenging because of high humidity.

I just prefer the fall. I'm always too busy in the spring, the summer is too hot, and I don't ride through the snow but will ride on dry winter days. Somehow the fall is when I commute the most.

I like summer the best too. Heat doesn't really bother me at all. Don't have to pack extra clothes. Lights aren't a big concern. I've even taken to leaving my backpack at home and using a small saddlebag. This winter was the harshest around here in my area so I'm really appreciating summertime. One thing I've noticed though is drivers are harsher in their attitudes in summer as opposed to winter when you tend to get more respect. Oh well.