New Orleans holds its World Bike Naked Ride this Saturday, and at least 10 other cities will host iterations of the event his summer. In this 2021 photo, police officers lead the New Orleans World Bike Naked Ride. (Shutterstock/William A. Morgan),
ACROSS AMERICA — Cyclists in about a dozen U.S. cities will shed their inhibitions along with their clothing in upcoming bike rides that have chaffed elected officials in at least one of the host cities.
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Dates vary for the clothing-optional World Naked Bike Ride and stretch into September, but at least 70 cities in 20 countries have or will be hosting what are billed as “the craziest, wildest, most insane events of the year.”
Upcoming U.S. nude bike rides include New Orleans (Saturday); Madison, Wisconsin (June 15); Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Austin, Texas (June 22); Chicago (June 29); Boston (July 20); St. Louis (July 27); Buffalo, New York (Aug 3); Philadelphia (Aug. 24); and Houston (Sept. 14). More rides may be added, and other 2024 rides have already been held.
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While these skin-on-the-saddle events do appeal to and include people who are part of public nudity groups, it doesn’t actively promote social nudity, according to organizers.
The first events in the early 2000s drew a tangential connection to the “indecent exposure of people and the planet to cars and the pollution they create,” but have since evolved to tout the health benefits of cycling and promote positive body images.
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‘Kind Of A Joke, But It’s Not A Joke’
Some politicians in Wisconsin think the ride promotes something else.
Two bills cleared the Senate early this year to criminalize participation in naked bike rides in Wisconsin after the 2023 Madison Naked Bike Ride, held annually in the capital city since 2010, drew national attention. One of the sans-clothing participants was a girl under the age of 18, and photos circulated on social media showed a back view of her wearing only shoes and a helmet.
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Acting on complaints, the Dane County district attorney determined that the girl’s participation did not violate any state laws. Madison police determined that state law on the possession of child pornography also did not apply because the photo was not sexual in nature. It also said that current state law relating to exposing a child to harmful material or narrations did not apply.
“It’s kind of a joke, but it’s not a joke,” the bills’ lead sponsor, Republican Senate President Chris Kapenga, testified at hearings early this year. “This is a pretty serious, especially in today’s society.”
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After the two bills cleared the Senate, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers told reporters that while “it’s probably not a really good idea” for children to participate, he was cautious about “litigating and legislating things that frankly don’t need it.”
Peter Keating, the organizer of Madison’s iteration of the ride, called the measures “draconian” in a January interview with The Cap Times. “We’ve always contended that the Naked Bike Ride has never been in violation of any sort of indecency law,” Keating said.
Keating said at the time, the ride would go on “no matter what.”
Is Riding A Bike Naked Uncomfortable?
Organizers of the various rides tell participants to go “as bare as you dare,” reminding them that local ordinances regarding nudity may still apply. However, the organizers say that there’s “safety in numbers” and even if the local law prohibits nudity, “police typically won’t take action to cite/arrest riders participating in a large group ride.”
And, because we know you’re wondering, we looked up the answer on the FAQ page to this burning, and perhaps chaffing, question:
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Doesn’t riding a bike naked or nearly naked hurt?
The organizers say biking naked is more comfortable than many people expect, for both men and women, because the seams of their clothing aren’t constantly rubbing against their skin.
“So in some ways, naked riding is comfier!” they claim.
The ride is not a sans clothing version of the Tour de France, where endurance matters.
“Ride routes will often be chosen with less experienced cyclists in mind, so will avoid hills and be more leisurely in pace, increasing comfort,” according to organizers.
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