I have both a car and a scooter because of the kids. I hate using either. Yes, I have to get changed, carry extra clothes, often extra underwear if its a really hot day. Yes, it takes a little longer. Yes, I get a bunch of people thinking I'm nuts. Don't care. I get in 100km+ of riding just going to work and I love it. Keeps me in shape so I can really push hard in the weekends and I get to eat pretty much what I like and never gain weight.

When I was at a job site where I could commute by bike, I could do the 16-19 miles (depended on the route I decided to take) during rush hour in about the same amount of time it took for me to drive. That was nice.

And FWIW, get a set of panniers for your clothes. There are dedicated garment panniers available, too. Your dress clothes won't wrinkle as much (if at all), you won't be anywhere near as sweaty, and IMO your bike will handle better as it won't be as top-heavy.

Never noticed the bike handling being different with a light backpack. Put on a heavy pack and its like doping pressups on the drops, but the actual bike doesn't mind too much.

Like wise. My route goes over 101 (bike bridge), and I've often felt tempted to stop at the top and take a photo of 8 lanes of crawling cars, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Same here. I don't ever drive to work, in NYC most people don't drive into Manhattan, I take the subway instead. But even without having to drive, I still have a good time every time I ride in. Lots of company on bikes in hipster Brooklyn. 10 miles each way, and I always look forward to the ride home. When I'm on the train crossing the bridge I always stake out a spot so I can see the cyclists crossing on the bike path adjacent to the tracks, the same one I use to ride.

Mostly on board with what you say, but for me the time difference is less.
For my drive, it's a choice between 100 blocks of red lights, or taking a loop way around the city and back in.
In the morning, I can drive it in 30-35 minutes. Evening rush hour can easily go 45 to 50 minutes.
The bike ride is 62 minutes - so not that big of a clock difference.
And about 50 of that is a greenway that goes pretty much straight from my house to work.
And the quality of life difference is not even comparable.

Fantastic! I had been reluctant to commute, 30+ mi RT for me. Which means lots of prep the night before, a shower at work, etc. After a few rides I was hooked and couldn't believe I hadn't just done this sooner. I have always been into the outdoors, and have done a lot of wildlife photography. Like you I mostly take trails and just that is a pleasure to catch all of the wildlife on the way - even when a deer leaps dangerously close to me across the path. This combination of wildlife and the joy of cycling has unfortunately put an end to my wildlife photography, but I am good with that.

Anyhow, what's my point? I hear ya man!

Metz, I feel much the same.

Am not quite commuting daily, yet, but it's close. Much simpler, more rewarding, healthier, if a bit riskier, certainly more time consuming.

I usually only ride one way and take the bus the other alternately; my bus ride yesterday strengthened my resolve to become more than a one way fair weather commuter-people coughing, somebody threw up in the back of the bus-give me my bike and road hazards any day!

I think you're measuring things wrong, which makes bike commuting look worse than it is.

It takes 3x the time on the clock, but you get a 48-minute workout for a 32-minute "time cost." You're actually saving time when you ride your bike, because driving plus exercising takes more time than just cycling.

It takes 3x the effort, but the result is a healthier you, so it's not an effort you want to avoid. It's something to embrace, which you're beginning to see. It's not a burden, it's a blessing.

3x the risk is probably not true, depending on your roads. In many cases, you're safer on a bike than in a car. That's hard to believe because of common perceptions, but those perceptions are very distorted. The more often we do something, the less we perceive the risk. Being in a car is terribly risky, and we have come to accept that as normal. But just because something is normal doesn't mean it's a good idea. Our minds think of what happens in the worst case when we're on a bike and we get crushed by a car, but that doesn't happen often. The risk is mitigated substantially by skillful cycling, and I assume you are far more skilled than the average cyclist.

"My god, it will be beautiful" - judge doom, "who framed rodger rabit"

How's that for an epiphany?

- Andy

Sorta what happened to me but had my job. I just keep getting junk cars and one day decided no more. I live in NJ and it may not be bike friendly, but more and more people are realizing the benefits of bicycle commuting. Seeing the results four years later; never going back.

I'll extend you're argument.

Supposedly, after all risks are included... I'll presume as good as the math and data collections will allow. Bicycling is free time, meaning the health improvements far offset not only the all the risks involved, but also the time itself.

noglider and null66 are both right. my bad.

This is what turned me into a winter commuter as well. I used to quit around Halloween and then go through the pain of trying to get back in shape in the spring, but a couple years ago when I totalled my car right around quitting time, I just said "well, at least I still have a bike" and discovered winter riding to be amazing.

I've also developed a phobia of being stuck in traffic jams, which are more common on bad weather days. Blowing past frustrated drivers is one of the great pleasures in life.

I started bike commuting to work last September. I would drive half way and then ride to work. One day I rode the entire distance and it took me 15 minutes more to do the entire distance. The extra time it took to for half the commute was having to unload the bike, put on bike shoes and panniers. I would ride 4 -5 times a week.

Now I ride the full distance 3 times a week (MWF). On Thursday and one day on the weekend I do a group ride. The group rides have improved my riding ability and the social aspect is nice making it worth while. I hoping that next year I'll commute more, but there are times where I need to drive because of other requirements. I can't commute year round because of the weather. I'm not going to ride in the traffic lane with icy roads.

All this to say, that commuting makes my drives more bearable. I know I'm driving either because it is a recovery day or some other requirement that prevents me from riding.

This post was an awesome read. I am currently selling my car right now because I rarely use. I have two bikes I use for commuting. The truth is I am happier when I commute to work. Especially at the end of the day because that is my "peace" once I cycle back home.

I totally agree. I was doing nothing more than sharing my moment of zen, then all the stories of inspiration came in. they have pressed me to make the effort to be on the bike even more. my knee warmers arrived yesterday and tomorrow my sleeves will be here. some full finger gloves and a pair of shoe covers and I'm good through November. colder weather leg warmers are in the plan now. look out dry January days, I'm coming to get you.

Thank you to all the posters for their stories.

Good article relevant to this post. You have to read through the first couple of paragraphs before you realize it's about bicycling.

It's been posted on this forum before, but worth repeating.

https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...ype=blogs&_r=0#

Great post.

A week ago, I bought my wife a bike. She is very gung-ho about riding, and that makes me happy. So in addition to my usual once a week 40-mile round trip commute and weekend group ride (we really pushed it last weekend), I rode twice with the wife. With the extra miles and extra effort, I decided I would lay off the bike commute this week and give my legs a rest.

Now that school is back in session, the car-commute time has more than doubled. Each day this week, I would have made it to work in less time by biking. Each morning, I find myself looking over at the path that parallels the Interstate, hoping to see a bike commuter riding in (wishing it was me?). This week, I have found myself longing to ride my bike in to work instead of driving.

My only regret about my bike commute is that I'm not able to do it more often. 40 miles a day is definitely a workout. And my work schedule sometimes does not allow it. I'm trying to wait for cooler weather before I up my frequency to twice a week, but I don't know if I can wait that long.

Commuting started for me back in 2008. Its been an off again on again expereince for a number of reasons, accident, job loss, moving, etc. I have been consistantly riding for the last year and a 3 months now. I have been recording my trips from my on board bike computer. I am in the best shape in decades. I haven't been this weight in probably 15 years or more. Every ride is a challenge because I make it that way. Unfortunatley the last year and change has been a one way commute. No showers available at the work place otherwise I would have twice as many miles and be in better shape! I count my blessings.

Is it fun? Duh! Do I sweat like a pig? Duh! Do I have a smile on my face when I get home? Duh! Am I bored with riding the same bike? Getting there. I am thinking of changing the ride up. I switch to a suspension fork last Friday and Tuesday's ride felt a little slower but much smoother. The extreme would be to put the backpack on and ride one of the 21 pounders! May do that soon.

BTW: I suspect most of you do a ton more miles than I do but I am happy to have over 900 miles this year with last month milage at over 200. Avg MPH have moved from 12.5 to 16+ per ride on my 50 lbs ride.

Yup! You've had your epiphany.

We've been waiting for you and for those who are going to follow. There's almost literally never conditions where I'm on my bike thinking, "This is miserable. I wish I'd driven". Maybe it's happened during freezing rain or when the snow piled up to 8 inches or so before I got home. I think I have vague memories of such times in the neighborhood of twenty years ago. But it doesn't happen often.

Most of the time it feels really, really good.

I'm fond of saying, "Life is better on a bicycle". The only thing that's depressing is that so few people will even ponder whether that's true or not. (It is.)

Oh, well. All of us here know it. And our numbers will surely increase.

why don't you do a "park and ride" commute? I drive part way in, find a safe parking spot and bike the rest of the way in to work...

I'm still a fair weather commuter after 7 years or so of bike commuting, and sometimes forget if I rode to work or not during the day. Last week I had one of those days when I realized I got to ride home instead of having to drive.

Good point. The thought has crossed my mind. I'll have to soak on it a little more... options, routes, etc. thanks...