University students from Zhengzhou cycle to Kaifeng, about 30 miles away, at night on November 7, 2024 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province of China. VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people gathered to ride bikes between Zhengzhou and Kaifeng in central China after a social media post suggested a cheap night-time bike ride to get dumplings went viral. The crowds caused gridlock and prompted bike-sharing companies to lock down their services, CBS News partner network BBC News reported.

The idea for the event was sparked by four college students who took the same roughly 30-mile trip over the summer to get soup dumplings. It appears to have grown out of a trend that's seen young people struggling with China's difficult job market seek out inexpensive travel options.

"You only have one youth. You have to try a spontaneous trip with your friends," one of the four students told local media, according to the BBC.

"Everyone was beaming with energy and interacting with people around them. It was like back to my college days," another participant told the BBC.

But the popularity of the event drew such numbers that it even made it hard for some people to take part, with some reporting they had to get off their bikes and walk through the crowd.

One student said on social media that they'd joined the bike ride but couldn't find a hotel room or taxi in Kaifeng due to the influx.

"I really regret going. As I sat in a restaurant eating my meal, I heard the owner criticizing college students for having nothing to do... I'm really sorry for affecting the people in Kaifeng," the student said, according to the BBC.

The BBC reported that as traffic got progressively worse, three bike-sharing companies issued a joint statement urging students to take buses or trains for long-distance travel. Eventually, the companies started charging extra if bikes were taken to a different city.

Traffic police closed off some cycling lanes in both cities over the weekend.

But despite the backlash, some participants said young people in China would continue to participate in similar events.

"People are so stressed these days, so these events are a good thing. Because happiness is infectious," one participant told the BBC.

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