Bikes are awesome, but the practical concerns around them are kind of limiting. Like, it's not ideal to show up to something important drenched in sweat. If you need to bring anything with you that's heavy or doesn't easily fit in a single backpack, you're going to struggle if you don't have a bike trailer or a good place to keep it. It's also tough if you have health problems or live in an apartment without access to an elevator. And long distances are going to take a long time.
It does sort of make sense that they're looked at as primarily recreational, because the situations that make them great for travel are somewhat limited. We definitely could be using them more in the US, but the idea that they're going to be the best solution for everyone is unrealistic and a bit ablist.