The night cycling trend that started when four Chinese students cycled 50km in search of dumplings had grown to 100,000 people on Friday, congesting major roads and overwhelming small tourist towns. , which attracted the attention of the authorities.
The crowd of students, most on public bikes, traveled several hours from the Zhengzhou campus through Henan province to the ancient capital of Kaifeng.
“People sang together and cheered for each other as they climbed the slope together,” Liu Lulu, a student at Henan University, told China Daily. “I felt the passion of the young people, and it was more than just a bike trip.”
But Kaifeng quickly became overcrowded, with accommodations, restaurants and public spaces overcrowded, officials said. Videos circulating online show tens of thousands of cyclists filling the six-lane Zhengkai Avenue, a highway between Zhengzhou and the much smaller city of Kaifeng, with police using loudspeakers to yell at students. The footage shows people asking people to leave by bicycle or using the free bus.
To prevent a repeat of Friday's incident, authorities announced temporary road and bike lane restrictions over the weekend, and bike share apps warned that bikes taken from designated areas in Zhengzhou would be remotely locked.
Some universities in Zhengzhou have also taken measures such as banning bicycles on campus and requiring students to apply for passes to leave the campus.
The trend started in June when four college students in Zhengzhou decided to ride bicycles. In search of Kaifeng City's famous extra-large xiaolongbao, we rode a shared bike for several hours until opening. Posts of their trip gained attention on social media, with the hashtag “Youth is precious, and a night trip to unboxing is just that.”
This trend has spread and more and more students have started this journey. This healthy, non-political activity was initially welcomed by the authorities. Kaifeng is one of many Chinese cities aiming to attract domestic tourists, offering incentives such as free admission to tourist attractions. State media outlet People's Daily praised the “surge of young tourists” to Kaifeng, prematurely predicting that the number of tourists reached about 2,000 last weekend.
“Upon arriving in Kaifeng, many students had the opportunity to explore the city's cultural and historical attractions, bringing new excitement and energy to the ancient city,” the newspaper wrote on Thursday. “These youthful adventures embody a vibrant spirit full of curiosity, determination and a passion for discovery, and bring a new dimension to the tourism industry.”
But that night, the number of students riding bikes rose to a reported 17,000, and by Friday it had increased tenfold, with an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 students clogging the roads. That's what it means.
The sheer number of vehicles caused complaints, especially from residents of Kaifeng city, who said the city was overcrowded with people and bicycles and trash were being left behind. Many students online apologized for the disruption but defended the ride. There was intense debate about the students' actions, the university's response, and whether authorities and media encouraged the activity without proper support and infrastructure.
“There was excitement at first, but in the end it all fell apart and failed,” said a commenter on Weibo. “The media should reflect. Initially, you encouraged and praised this behavior.”
The night cycling trend appears to be gaining popularity in some major cities in China, but no congestion has been reported on the scale seen in Henan province.
On Saturday, some students who were able to leave their dorms despite the bike ban set out on foot, apparently determined to try again.
“I followed my boyfriend on a night trip to Kaifeng, but the traffic police no longer allow me to go to Kaifeng by bicycle,” said one student. on social media Saturday. “There are so many bicycles parked on the roadside that students are starting to walk. It's good to be young, this is youth!”
Additional reporting by Chi-hui Lin
