I think people have always adapted to their environment. That's one reason why we're so successful as a species. Bikes work better in some places than in others. A different style of bike might lend itself to different conditions as well.

It's really hard for me to imagine even if the political will were there for Minneapolis to be like Amsterdam. Minneapolis is flat. That's not the problem. The problem is the climate and the way the city, or more importantly, the metropolitan area is laid out. It's not built for cycling and the changes required are monumental. Changes within the city itself are easier to picture.