Originally Posted by Klondike
I checked back on the bikeportland website and the official numbers are in - 8,150 bikers rode in the 2013 Portland nighttime WNBR, and this is the largest WNBR EVER!!. Apparently, it is now considered that the numbers from previous years in Portland have been inflated, while this number was carefully obtained using a video camera specifically designed to count riders. Regarding the inflated numbers, it was said as many as 13,000 rode in 2010. Other estimates in 2010-2012 have been in the 8,000 to 10,000 range. But now they are saying that in 2011 4,200 rode while in 2012, 4,500 rode. I still am curious about the 2010 number but this year they are saying that "Portland's WNBR sets record".
I think that in 2010, numbers were higher than 4,500, but the most accurate estimate I can no longer link to, so I don't know what figure they finally settled on for that year. But apparently, it was lower than 8,150. Incidently, they wanted to invite the Guiness Book of World Records people this year, but found out it would cost 8,000 dollars (about one dollar per biker!) to have them show up. No matter - they installed a camera and did the count themselves. So heres the breakdown by year
2007 - 500 estimated
2008 - 2000 estimated
2009 - 5000 estimated but likely inflated now
2010 - as high as 13,000 but now inflated. I don't know the most official count because a link containing this info is no longer up. But they are implying this number is less than 8,150.
2011 - 4,200 official
2012 - 4,500 official
2013 - 8,150! official
So thats a whopping increase this year and it is official. I'm assuming that neither the 2009 or 2010 numbers are solid. The 2009 count was a police estimate. I was there and probably numbers were in the 2000 to 5000 range.
Having attended in 2010, 2012 and 2013, my sense was that all of these rides were similar in size. That doesn't square with the official counts though, as last year's in particular was smaller. But I could not have told you that in 2013, twice as many rode as in 2012 - it just didn't seem like it. Anyway, both numbers are solid, and so I can't argue!
Klondike
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