Some of us are tougher than others
. Some avoid too cold or adverse weather, some commute even in the worst weather which impress their coworkers. Is it reasonable to suppose most of the latter are also tough in other aspects of life and have a tenacious nature, unyielding personality, and thought so by the coworkers? Do some coworkers not only respect you for being a tough bike commuter but also regard you as someone who is not meek?
I think the fact that people never ask this kind of question about walking says something about the tendency of some cyclists to continue to view cycling as something "others" do (e.g. not natural or mainstream).