PhD student sets Guinness World Record for 'Most U.S. States Biked to in 24 Hours'

As if pursuing a PhD isn’t time-consuming enough, Sam Westby took things to the next level by achieving a cycling Guinness World Record in addition to his academic studies.

Westby is a Boston-based fourth-year PhD student at Northeastern University, where he studies the future of small-group interaction and job evolution through varying labour market forces.

Unlike most PhD students, though, Westby is also obsessed with riding his bike. And not just riding his bike, but riding it for really, really long distances - and then vlogging or making TikTok videos about his adventures.

Westby recently became the ratified Guinness World Record holder for the “Most U.S. States Biked to in 24 Hours” after his ride on Saturday, August 10, 2024.

With a moving time on Strava of 18 hours, 42 minutes and 59 seconds, Westby traversed eight states along the eastern coast of the United States via bike. The previous record was six states.

Starting just over the New York-Pennsylvania border near Matamoras, Pennsylvania, Westby made his way towards Newburgh, New York, then through the upper third of Connecticut, followed by the western-most corner of Rhode Island, Boston-area Massachusetts and Portsmouth, New Hampshire before completing his journey just northwest of Kittery, Maine.

The journey was 304.25 miles with 17,323 feet of elevation gain. Westby’s average Watt output was 156W and he burned just over 2,200 calories on the journey, according to Strava.

Westby was supported by his friends and his parents, who met him every 50 miles to restock Westby with food and water. As the sun set, his friends and family followed Westby in a car to provide extra light and safety on his Guinness World Record attempt.

On Instagram, Westby shared that Trek loaned him a Gen 8 Madone SLR 9, which Westby described as making the 300-mile ride “ten times easier…[the bike may] have spoiled riding any other bike.”

As impressive as the eight states in 24 hours is, this was not Westby’s first Guinness World Record attempt.

In February 2024, Westby attempted the Guinness World Record for the “Largest GPS Drawing on a Bike by an Individual” by “drawing” a shoe via bike, beginning in Oklahoma City.

Despite not achieving the Guiness World Record for that epithet, Westby still raised more than $11,000 for the non-profit organization Shoes That Fit, which outfits children with appropriately fitting shoes and socks.

As for what’s next, Westby said via social media that school has been “kicking [his] butt” and he’s behind on making his usual videos and blogs, but that fans can expect more soon.