To hang on to their flocks, clergy members invited congregants to wear cycling clothes to church and provided space to park their bikes. A few industrious ministers even tried meeting cyclists on their own turf, holding outdoor services on bicycle routes. They had little success.

What is the author’s purpose in including this information about clergy members’ response to cycling?

to highlight that cycling was the most popular American hobby
to emphasize the increasing popularity of cycling
to inform readers about why people turned against cycling
to describe to readers why cycling had a negative influence on people