In the UK, we have some cities where its quite normal for people to ride a bike; no-one would comment if you turned up to the pub or went to the theatre on a bike. In other places, the only people who ride are sandle-wearing eco-nuts, Lance-a-like racers and weirdo bike commuters; normal people wouldn't be caught dead on a bicycle.
There is no correlation with weather or terrain or wealth, its a cultural thing.