My cycling has been primarily for transportation for the past little while, and, recently on an exercise ride with a friend, I noticed some shifts in how I think about cycling now. When cycling for transportation, I prioritize safety, pleasantness, and getting to my destination with as little sweat as possible. Cycling for exercise prioritizes sustained exertion. So here’s how I noticed how my behavior has changed:

• A preference for paths over roads: I’d much rather avoid car conflicts by being on a path than on a road, but for exercise, the paths are just too slow.
• A preference for heavy traffic over light traffic: in heavy traffic, I can move at the same speed as everyone else which feels safer to me. For exercise, it slows you down too much.
• A preference for flats over hills: climbing hills is a big source of sweat, so when trying to get to my destination with as little sweat as possible, it often makes sense to go a longer but flatter route.

Just some personal observations. No judgement on how anyone else likes to ride their bike!