Bicyclists line up for world record

DAVIS, Calif., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A bike-friendly California college town says 1,200 cyclists have helped it attempt a world record for the longest single line of bicycles.

Riders from 7 to 97 pedaled a 2-mile loop Sunday through bike-crazed Davis, Calif., home to the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, in an effort to get in the "Guinness World Records" and raise funds for the Davis School Foundation, The Sacramento Bee reported.

Yolo County Presiding Judge David Rosenberg, a member of the local Odd Fellows Lodge organizing the event, stood atop a platform with a bullhorn and a cowbell.

"Follow the bike in front of you," Rosenberg told departing cyclists via a public-address system. "Keep in a single line. Keep it close."

About an hour later, as cyclists crossed the finish line, Rosenberg congratulated them.

"You will be in the Guinness book of world records," he said. "You did it."

Bikes were counted electronically as they finished the route. A final tally, with statements from official witnesses, a video and news clippings, will be submitted to the Guinness organization but Rosenberg said the record was practically in the bag because Guinness created the category at his request before the event.

Organizers had wanted to host the world's biggest bike parade in total numbers but felt they couldn't beat an Italian record of more than 48,000 riders, Rosenberg said.

Instead they opted for a new category -- the longest single line of bikes.