If I'm not mistaken, this is pretty much how cycling is already marketed. Hence the reason why drivers don't accept cyclists as equals (why should this recreational jogger/cyclist be on the road and screwing up my drive to work when they could just use the trail that goes to nowhere useful). If I go into a bike store or WallyWorld (the difference is quality, not marketing), my two options are a "tough" mountain bike that can take the hard trails or a "fast" road bike that can zip down the smooth ones. It's already promoted as an athletic activity, and I think it's pretty apparent that it receives about as much "success" with that marketing as a gym does. Plenty of bikes get sold and used for a few weeks as exercise, and then disappear into the garage. Most of the American public has a lot of aspiration to be a strong, healthy "athlete", but lack any of the motivation to do so. Until bicycles stop being marketed as exercise toys, I really don't think you'll ever see any acceptance. When Americans see Lance zipping up a hill, they get themselves a bicycle and ride it a few times to get some exercise... then their motivation slackens and they ditch it in the garage to collect dust. They do this same thing to their gym membership, and it's the primary reason why so many bicycles are sold in America and so few ridden.

It may help sales, but the last thing that will get cycling acceptance is to continue this failed strategy of encouraging New Year's resolutions to exercise more.