+1

I don't actively try to convert people. Personally I dislike being preached to, so I'm not going to do it to somebody else.

If people ask why I do it, I'll tell them but I'm careful not to sugarcoat things. Sometimes the way people describe cycling in these forums makes it sound like a rolling orgasm that simultaneously reduces green house gases, makes us healthier, and cures bad breath.

To me a good way to start getting people to think about cycling as a legitimate option is to not refer to the folks that drive as "cagers". People drive for a reason. Maybe it's just because everyone else does it, but even so there are advantages to driving over biking in many cases. If you can't acknowledge that you're not going to convince many people that they should consider something different.

In other words, recognize that there are barriers to cycling. Whether it's sweating, time, effort, weather, safety concerns or whatever. You'll have to be able to alleviate those concerns.