I think woodrup joe makes a good point. What may seem like a sudden shift to trendiness to us might be part of the evolution of a long standing and already entrenched bicycle culture in Denmark, as well as elsewhere in Europe.

Congressman on bikes? Check Pridmore and Hurd's The American Bicycle from the library. On page 151 there's a 1962 photo of Dr. Paul Dudley White leading a bicycle ride joined by Secretary of Treasury Douglas Dillon, Congressman Silvio Conte (Mass), and Secretary of State Stuart Udall.

Nonetheless, whereas cycling as transportation has long been entrenched in most of Europe, automobiles are even more entrenched in the U.S. If cute versions of older forms of bikes helps us move from the latter to the former, I'm for it, even if I have to hold my nose.