Originally Posted by CarinusMalmari

@rekmeyata Let me start to point out, with the risk of sounding condescending, that the future involves a lot more than the future of America, since more than 95% of people, including Yours Truly live elsewhere. As it is, cycling is already big in a lot of places, and it doesn't look like the age of the bicycle will end anytime soon. If anything, the opposite is true. But even in America, cars will sooner or later become unsustainable, simply because fossil fuels will start to run out, and since there isn't a real alternative, driving will simply become too expensive for most.

Weather is less than an issue than you seem to think, since successful implementation of of utility cycling exists in a wide range of climates. From tropical climate in developing countries in east Asia to the cool climate of Scandinavia. I don't want to pretend our local weather is harsh or something, but even around here it's common for people age 8-80 to cycle trough normal weather ranging from roughly -10 to 30 Celsius with extremes of roughly -20 to 40 Celsius, without even resorting to specialized equipment. And what can't be overcome by simply (wo)manning up, can be dealt with by means of technology. Of course cycling probably won't ever be very big during Canadian or Siberian winters, but in the end most of humanity lives in temperate or warmer climates anyways.