I wasn't sure where to post this, but it didn't seem to fit under any of the other categories in the forum.  Feel free to move it.

Awhile ago, Michael W. had asked me to share my experiences with bike commuting.  Now that I've been commuting with my bike for a few weeks now (not solidly, as SoCal's near-constant heavy rain has made me retreat back to my car for a few days here and there), I wanted to share a few things.  

THE RIDE:

Luckily, my route to work, though not necessarily the most direct, is probably the safest.  The first half has a dedicated bike lane, and the latter has an actual bike path with a separate joggers' lane.  For the one mile where neither of these exist, I take side streets with little traffic.  I ride on the sidewalk only for about 100 feet.  I don't like riding on sidewalks because it's the last place people or cars expect a bike to be (unless you're in Asia, perhaps).  The first night ride I ever did resulted in me almost being sideswiped by a distracted woman pulling out of a driveway as I was approaching on the sidewalk.  The only reason I ride on the sidewalk at all is because it'd be even more dangerous to ride in the street on that part of the trip.

HAZARDS:

If you ever ride in a bike lane, know that the real danger from cars comes from in front and to the side.  If you are well-lit-up, most drivers will see you as they approach you from behind, but most won't see you if they're getting out of their car, or pulling out of a driveway.  To avoid being stonewalled by car doors, I tend to hug the left side of the bike lane (this also gives you room to maneuver out of a side-swipe).  Some cars come very close to me as they pass on the left, but most give me room, as the car lane is fairly wide (certainly wider than the bike lane).  I don't wear headphones, so I can always hear cars approaching (except for those stealthy hybrids).  Some folks even have mirrors on their bikes.    

Next to cars, the next most-dangerous thing I encounter are text-messaging rollerbladers and pedestrians.  Seriously.  These people are off in some other world, and it's a wonder more aren't mowed down in the street because of their phones.    

GEAR:

Night riding isn't too different from day riding, oddly enough.  In L.A., we're required to have a rear light, which I have, in addition to my front light.  I also have numerous sticker reflectors on my bike and my helmet, and even little strips on my messenger bag.  You can never be too visible, I say.  I always wear a visibility vest or jacket (of the bright yellow variety), even during the day.  You could always just pick up a cheap yellow vest at the hardware store, but they're so big on me, I got one made for cycling that fits me better.  The cycling ones also provide wind and rain resistance, and usually have pockets of some sort.  

Eye protection is a good idea, too, for lots of reasons.  During the day, I wear sunglasses, and I got a pair of sunglasses-shaped safety glasses to wear at night.  I'm not too happy with those, though, as they don't really stop the wind from drying out my eyes, and the visibility isn't all that sharp.  I may have to lay down the cash for a good pair of clear-lensed cycling glasses.  

CLOTHING:

The challenge for me recently is how to stay both warm and cool.  I usually wear a merino t-shirt as a base, or as a layer over a thermal LS shirt.  You can read about how merino doesn't smell, but that isn't entirely true.  Sweat in one (or wash one), and you'll realize quickly what wet sheep must smell like.  The good thing is, once they dry, they don't smell sweaty, and they do dry very fast.  Once, I made the mistake of wearing a softshell jacket over the wool shirt, thinking I'd stay warm on a cool night, and by the time I got home, I was literally steaming inside of that thing.  The smell was indescribable.  I even get hot under my long-sleeve visibility jacket, so I just wear the vest.  I've realized that I simply have to start out my ride a little chilly, and get warmed up on the way — it's just so much easier than being uncomfortably hot on a bike (not to mention getting to work all sweaty).  So I just wear the thermal and the wool shirt, and I'm okay.  

For the first few days, I was just wearing my jeans as I rode, so I had to keep clipping my right pant cuff.  I'd also be a bit sweaty by the time I got to work, so eventually I just started wearing some snug workout pants on my rides, and it's so much better.  I just carry my work clothes in my bag and change when I get there.  Luckily I don't have to get too dressed up for work, so I don't have to worry excessively about wrinkles.   

BAGS:

I carry a medium Timbuk2 bag.  It holds my bike pump, spare inner tube, bike tools, and my clothes.  I carry a water bottle on my bike, but another option is to carry a backpack with a hydration sleeve.  Then you can drink while you pedal without incident (I nearly wiped out when I ran over my water bottle while trying to put it back in the cage the other day).  I do find that my back sweats less with the messenger bag than with a backpack, but it's a personal preference as to what type of bag you want to carry.  Some people use panniers, but you usually need fenders for those, and I honestly don't carry enough to warrant them.  They also throw off the balance of your bike, which takes getting used to.  

In closing, my commute is 5 miles each way, which usually takes me 15-20 minutes in my car.  My bike ride takes on average 30 minutes, and add the fact that I'm getting two workouts a day, and it's hard to argue against riding to work.