Is it illegal to ride a bike in Qiyang?

Not illegal. According to official website's inquiry, the people's government of Qiyang City, Hunan Province, also known as carpooling and hitchhiking, is a typical sharing economy, which is conducive to alleviating urban traffic congestion and environmental pressure. So it is not illegal for Qiyang to hitchhike. It is explicitly encouraged in the taxi reform plan. However, encouraging carpooling needs to meet the requirements of sharing travel costs or free mutual assistance. Part of the shared travel costs are limited to direct expenses such as fuel and tolls, and cannot be for profit.