>>biking in the rainy, cold, northern Europe is anything but glorious.

Let us not exaggerate. Biking in northern Europe is OK -- if the roads are ploughed, you have the right clothes and winter tyres (2 * 60 Euro for my bike, shudder. Damn thieves.)

The "right clothes" is admittedly a bit much this week, when it is below minus 10 Celsius. Sigh, maybe I should look for a job down south, in warm and sunny Copenhagen.

>>I bet the majority of them would really want a car instead

I bike because I need the exercise. I won't get a car until I live so I get enough exercise anyway.