PORTLAND, Ore. -- If you thought there were more bicyclists on city streets last month, you're right.

A record number of Portlanders pedaled to work during September's Bike Commute Challenge.

KTVB file photo

Bikers and motorists sharing the road.

In ten years, the annual event, organized by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, has grown more than ten-fold. BTA's Stephanie Noll explains "a lot of people are considering bicycling as transportation now."

 Video: BTA4Bikes

The Bike Commute Challenge is a friendly competition to see which team can tally the most miles to work. Final numbers will be available October third, but early statistics are impressing organizers.

In 1998, the Bike Commute Challenge drew 83 companies and fewer than 1,000 cyclists.

This September, 1,100 companies and more than 12,000 cyclists joined in. Noll says many factors are contributing to the dramatic increase.

"I think part of that is gas prices, part of that is the interest in the health benefits, and part of it, too, is the safety in numbers."

Emily Swensen, at the Portland Development Commission, joined co-workers in cycling to work all month.

She bought a bike for $50 on Craig's list, then committed to riding each day.

"It just doesn't feel like an exercise plan, it's fun to be out there when the sun's coming up and the city's waking up." She says it's been such a positive experience, she plans to keep riding. She's saved the equivalent of two tanks of gas, lost 20 pounds and she feels a lot healthier.

"The nice thing about this is it's just been pretty seamless with the rest of my life."

Noll is pleased to see the growing popularity of pedaling to work.

Here are a few grand totals from September 2008:

Total miles pedaled: 1.2 million.

Total calories burned: 59 million.

Total pounds of carbon dioxide saved: 1 million pounds.