Does a near-perfect weather place exist?
#26
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Yup. Winters can bring a lot of rain (not as of late...) and nasty swells, but it's mostly awesome weather. After growing up in the Midwest I spent some time around Orange County for a handful of years. I remember the first time I came home to cold rain...didn't feel very manly.
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I miss my hometown San Diego sometimes, but the bike infrastructure is mostly in the well-moneyed North County region. I grew up in working-class Paradise Hills and on my latest visit (December 2014) I didn't see much improvement in the bike infrastructure there or in neighboring National City. Didn't get much of a look in the richer neighboring municipalities (Bonita, Eastlake) but wouldn't be shocked at all if they had superior bike infrastructure.
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Here in the UK we don't need "air conditioning" and in our mild winters we have "clothes"
Mostly it is temperate and in the east it is pretty dry, rain rarely falling during usual commute hours.
Mostly it is temperate and in the east it is pretty dry, rain rarely falling during usual commute hours.
#29
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Another vote for Coastal CA. I'm a native Californian since '73 who has lived near LA, Santa Barbara, and now Berkeley. SF Bay Area has many different climates in a small area, so I wouldn't lump it all together. SF city is often covered in fog, especially during summer months. Over the hills to the East (Contra Costa County) gets very hot, often above 100-degrees. Marin County to the north is great, too, though it tends to be a little wetter up there. My area of the bay area (Berkeley) rarely gets below 60 degrees or above 90 degrees. It's been a couple years since I turned on the heater and we don't have/need AC. Typically the morning marine layer keeps the days cool. Today is sunny & upper 70s. Not too dry or humid, though you do get the salty ocean air if you are close to the shore. SoCal can get too hot for some. And it never, ever rains in California any more--at least it seems that way.
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Does a near-perfect weather place exist?
Personally the only weather I don’t like to ride in is rain, and no rain would be a desert. That said, I really like riding in all seasons, even winter. So my near perfect weather would present the best of all seasons, without the extremes, and I already live here. Nice, albeit short Spring with beautiful blossoms and that first few weeks of relief from Winter; glorious summer; cool crispy Autumn with colorful foliage; and even a bracing, and challenging Winter, but not one impossible to ride in.
I previously described the climatic advantages of my nearly perfect commute (and riding environment):
I also grew up in the Detroit area of Michigan with similar weather moderated by the Great Lakes, as is Boston by the Atlantic Ocean. The only rival I can think of (in my experience, limited to the continental US and Southern Ontario), might be Virginia and the Carolinas, with an earlier, and more prolonged Spring, but hotter and more humid Summers, and an “insufficient” Winter, I think.
Yep, I'm a whiner. I don't want to ride on a given day because it's too hot/humid...or it's pouring rain...most mornings are 80+ degrees with humidity in the 80-90%, blech. I want riding to be fun, not miserable. Back in March, when it was 40 degrees in the AM and 60 in the PM, that was nice commuting weather!
Does anybody here live in a cool, low-humidity area where it doesn't frequently rain? And where is that magical place?
Does anybody here live in a cool, low-humidity area where it doesn't frequently rain? And where is that magical place?
..Michigan is surprisingly decent during the non-winter months. Low humidity, except for an average of about 21 days a year...Lake Michigan from Harbor Springs, Michigan]
I previously described the climatic advantages of my nearly perfect commute (and riding environment):
… Humbly, if Bike Forums ever had a Best Commute Award, I would be a frontrunner...
#31
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Silicon Valley for sure. Not too hot or cold, no humidity. It never rains for seven months of the year. There's always a light breeze.
#32
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Not true, there may be a week of temps up into the 90's in late August or early September. But you have to watch out for June Gloom. It's the worst weather possible. There are THIN CLOUDS on the coast line. I lived there for 8 years.
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I like the weather in DC. We get all four seasons, and all types of weather, except perhaps drought. Makes you really appreciate the nice days, and suffering through the bad ones is somehow satisfying. Overcoming the elements and all. I think it would really get a bit boring to have "perfect weather" all the time.
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#34
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If you can tolerate rain, the pac northwest hardly ever gets cold when compared to other cities. It's been a fairly dry summer thus far. Portland should of already had about 19 inches of rain, we're hovering around 13, way below average. I'd say late Feb through the first week of November it's riding weather. Three months out the year you can still ride but it's wet and a little cold but temps hover around high 30's, low 40's.
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A vote for Southern Cali, mainly north San Diego county coastal area. Lived there for 35 years and the weather was pretty much the greatest thing in that area (other than our neighbors the Marines at Camp Pendleton!)
#37
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My home state, North Carolina is nice.
Other than gray precipitous winters and sweltering summers that last five months, it's cycling heaven.
Plus, basketball.
Other than gray precipitous winters and sweltering summers that last five months, it's cycling heaven.
Plus, basketball.
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Does a near-perfect weather place exist?
...and the runner-up is:
...and the runner-up is:
My home state, North Carolina is nice.
Other than gray precipitous winters and sweltering summers that last five months, it's cycling heaven.
Plus, basketball.
Other than gray precipitous winters and sweltering summers that last five months, it's cycling heaven.
Plus, basketball.
...I really like riding in all seasons, even winter. So my near perfect weather would present the best of all seasons, without the extremes, and I already live here. Nice, albeit short Spring with beautiful blossoms and that first few weeks of relief from Winter; glorious summer; cool crispy Autumn with colorful foliage; and even a bracing, and challenging Winter, but not one impossible to ride in.
...The only rival I can think of (in my experience, limited to the continental US and Southern Ontario), might be Virginia and the Carolinas, with an earlier, and more prolonged Spring, but hotter and more humid Summers, and an “insufficient” Winter, I think.
...The only rival I can think of (in my experience, limited to the continental US and Southern Ontario), might be Virginia and the Carolinas, with an earlier, and more prolonged Spring, but hotter and more humid Summers, and an “insufficient” Winter, I think.
#39
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I would not call the weather in NC near-perfect, but we can easily ride year-round and we have four seasons. For me, summer is the toughest season and the weather that I like the least. It is hot and humid with a threat of afternoon thunderstorms nearly every day. Occasionally we get brief respites from the heat and humidity after cool fronts pass through, but such days are few and far between. Spring and fall come the closest to ideal weather, although it can be quite windy or rainy at times. I actually like commuting in the winter the best, not counting days when it is snowing, sleeting or raining. Our winters are mild enough that I can ride on even the coldest days with proper gear.