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This weekend in Melbourne, expect to see hundreds of cyclists with a striking difference. Instead of the usual Lycra-clad peloton, these riders will be getting their kit off in a day of nude protest to draw attention to rider safety and visibility, diversity of body image and a celebration of low-carbon transport.
She says one of the most exhilarating things about the 10km naked bike ride around Melbourne’s CBD and inner suburbs is the responses it gets from unsuspecting spectators. “I mean there are always going to be a few horrified glances and curses, but the vast majority of people love it and cheer us on especially when they realise we are chanting about rider visibility and safety and the environmental benefits of cycling. We’ve even had people spontaneously strip off and join us.”
Naked bike rides first took off in the early 2000s in Spain and Canada, before gaining speed and morphing into the official World Naked Bike Ride after Vancouver-based social activist Conrad Schmidt helped organise the first iteration, intended as a clothing-optional event to celebrate body positivity and to advocate for less oil-dependent transport and more cycle friendly streets in 2004.
The naked bike ride has taken place in more than 70 cities and towns globally since its inception, with this year’s locations including Byron Bay in Australia on 9 March this year, London, UK on 14 June, and Portland, Oregon, in the US on 26 July.
