As a regular commuter and recreational cyclist in the South Bay, I have to say how impressed I am that he occasionally cycles to work going up route 9. That's a serious climb that takes you up a couple thousand feet over 6ish miles.

One of the reasons I love commuting by bike in this part of the country is how flat my route is. I ride in normal gym shorts during the week, but I always break out my bike shorts for a climb like that. I don't think they're necessary in the majority of bike commuting circumstances.