These are my tips from many years of commuting by bike in Toronto:
- Live uphill from work so you can coast in without getting sweaty and then have a nice workout on the way home to clear out the work stress.
- Have your bike properly set up: fenders so mud doesn't splash on you; a rat trap with a box on the back; lots of reflectors; a light; and best of all, a flag that sticks out into traffic from your back hub to keep cars from brushing by too close.
- If you're biking on city streets, and especially if you live in Toronto, for the love of god don't use pedal clips. You will hurt yourself and possibly others.
- In a lot of situations you have to slow down to be safe. You're not at the velodrome.
- Enjoy yourself! Bombing around on a bike is glorious. Biking in the early morning is the best.