About the cycling in Phoenix: well I'm a former Zonie and there were those nice wide bike lanes even when i lived there, up until 1990. But, one of the issues (besides the heat) is that the valley is built on a grid and there is a traffic light every mile. I am sure it doesn't make for great cycling, hence the reason why someone said their friends go "far out" to do their rides. Today, that might be very far out from where I lived in south Tempe, which was considered the sticks when I moved there. Heck, Warner road wasn't even paved when I lived in Chandler in 1980. Back then, you would would rarely see people even walking outside and the car culture is really strong.
Also, I have read that the "season" for cycling in southern AZ is from October to April. That makes sense. I used to walk at 5 AM and even that was brutal. No wonder I became a gym rat.