University students ride in groups along Zhengkai Avenue, while onlookers cheer them on.
On a quiet evening, would you grab a shared bike, gather a few friends, and cycle 50 kilometers on a cross-city night ride?
Recently, a group of university students in China did just that. They started in Zhengzhou, Henan, and rode east along Zhengkai Avenue, covering over 50 kilometers in about five hours to reach downtown Kaifeng.
According to reports from Kaifeng's urban management authorities, around 17,000 students have participated in this late-night cycling event, which has been dubbed "Youth."
However, what began as an exciting adventure has also led to a series of problems.
Residents in both Zhengzhou and Kaifeng have reported issues such as bikes being improperly parked and a shortage of available bikes, making daily commuting difficult.
Additionally, with large numbers of students riding together, the influx of cyclists has caused traffic disruptions, particularly as some groups block lanes or ride side by side.
In response to the growing popularity, both Zhengzhou and Kaifeng's traffic police announced temporary measures. From 4pm on November 9 to noon on November 10, the non-motorized lanes along Zhengkai Avenue in Zhengzhou will be closed to bike riders.
Meanwhile, the three major bike-sharing platforms–Hellobike, DiDi Bike, and Mobike–have issued a warning that bikes will be locked if ridden outside of designated zones.
The "Youth" night bike rides were inspired by a group of university students from Zhengzhou who, back in June, decided to cycle to Kaifeng just to try the city's famous soup dumplings.
The spontaneous ride quickly gained popularity, especially after their story spread on social media. In fact, it became such a sensation that a hashtag, "Youth has no price, Night Ride to Kaifeng has it," went viral.
The rides typically start in the early hours of the morning, with students cycling for several hours to reach Kaifeng, about 50 kilometers away. The cost for each rider is around 16.5 yuan (US$2).
The trend is not just about the ride – it's also a chance for students to relieve stress.
Li Yue, a senior at a university in Zhengzhou, shared with ThePaper.cn that she felt overwhelmed with job hunting and the pressure of her peers preparing for exams.
"This might be the last time I can 'go crazy,'" she said. "I want to leave something behind for my youth."
Others joined simply for the fun of it.
"I thought it would be fun, no deeper reason," said Zou Yuan, a student at Hebi Vocational and Technical College told China National Radio.
Initially, the night rides were met with support.
Several attractions in Kaifeng offered free entry to students and extended their hours to accommodate the riders.
The city also set up bike-sharing hubs at the destination and coordinated with the police to ensure safety.
The night-riding students occupy the motor lanes, causing traffic congestion.
But as the event grew in scale, so did the problems.
Many riders found themselves abandoning the journey midway due to fatigue, with safety concerns arising.
Wei Ying, a local resident, shared with Cover News that her two nieces gave up their ride halfway, and without family support, they could have faced serious difficulties navigating the city's traffic.
The surge of bikes from Zhengzhou into Kaifeng also caused disruptions for local residents.
In Kaifeng, improper bike parking became a common sight near homes, while in Zhengzhou, the shortage of bikes at metro stations left many commuters stranded.
The situation escalated on the night of November 8, when traffic congestion caused by the student cyclists led to temporary roadblocks and the closure of certain routes by the Zhengzhou police.
By November 9, officials in Kaifeng had called on students to avoid riding in large groups, reminding them that "youth needs passion but also safety."
Local authorities urged students to take responsibility for their actions and respect the public's safety.
The trend has since come to an unofficial pause, with the announcement of new restrictions on non-motorized lanes and stricter controls on cross-district biking.
