A clothing-optional bike ride is a

cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

event in which

nudity Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to ...

is permitted or expected. There are many clothing-optional cycling events around the world. Rides may be

political Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...

recreational Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure ...

artistic Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wh ...

, or a unique combination thereof. Some are used to promote

topfreedom Topfreedom is a cultural and political movement seeking changes in laws to allow women to be topless in public places where men are permitted to be barechested, as a form of gender equality. Specifically, the movement seeks the repeal or overtur ...

, a social movement to accord women and girls the right to be topless in public where men and boys have that right.

Body art Body art is art made on, with, or consisting of, the human body. Body art covers a wide spectrum including tattoos, body piercings, scarification, and body painting. Body art may include performance art, body art is likewise utilized for investiga ...

including

body painting Body painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin. Unlike tattoos and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks (in the case of mehndi or "h ...

are common forms of creative expression, as well as costumes,

art bike An art bike is any bicycle modified for creative purposes while still being ridable. It is a type of kinetic sculpture. The degree of artistic creativity and originality or new functionality of art bikes varies greatly, depending on the artis ...

s, portable

sound reinforcement system A sound reinforcement system is the combination of microphones, signal processors, amplifiers, and loudspeakers in enclosures all controlled by a mixing console that makes live or pre-recorded sounds louder and may also distribute those sounds ...

s (such as public address systems/ bullhorns, and

boombox A boombox is a transistorized portable music player featuring one or two cassette tape recorder/players and AM/FM radio, generally with a carrying handle. Beginning in the mid 1980s, a CD player was often included. Sound is delivered through ...

es), musical instruments as well as other types of noisemakers. Many of the political rides have their roots from

Critical Mass In nuclear engineering, a critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The critical mass of a fissionable material depends upon its nuclear properties (specifically, its nuclear fissi ...

and are often described or categorized as a form of

political protest A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

street theatre Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves, college or university c ...

, party-on-wheels,

streaking Streaking is the act of running, often naked, through a public area for publicity, as a prank, a dare, or a form of protest. Streaking is often associated with sporting events, but can occur in more secluded areas. Streakers are often pursued b ...

public nudity Nudity is the state of being in which a human is without clothing. The loss of body hair was one of the physical characteristics that marked the biological evolution of modern humans from their hominin ancestors. Adaptations related to h ...

, and clothing-optional recreation and thus attracts a wide range of participants.

Events

Full and partial (especially

topfree Topfreedom is a cultural and political movement seeking changes in laws to allow women to be topless in public places where men are permitted to be barechested, as a form of gender equality. Specifically, the movement seeks the repeal or overtu ...

) nudity is encouraged, but not mandatory, on all rides. Some people ride in their underwear.

Political and often artistic rides

* Critical Ass, a variant of the

bike ride, where participating bicyclists ride in their underwear or in the nude. In June 2004, 22 world cities participated in

World Naked Bike Ride The World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is an international clothing-optional bike ride in which participants plan, meet and ride together ''en masse'' on human-powered transport (the vast majority on bicycles, but some on skateboards and inline skates) ...

, an international Critical Ass-style event. Regular Critical Ass rides have taken place in New York City, Chicago, Seattle and other locales throughout North America.Eye Weekly Jun 2, 2005 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): "Nudist Profiling," accessed on Feb 23 2006. *Hemp Ride, starting in 2007 *

, an international event (Since 12 June 2004) *Manifestación Ciclonudista Mundial in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

(Since 2001) *Body Pride Ride in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

(Since 2005) *Critical Mass Ciclonudista in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Recreational rides, not overtly political

* Nackt Radtour, nude cycling tours in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

(since 2000) *The Naked Bike Ride at the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is amon ...

, a bi-annual event held at midnight after the last day of classes each semester

Mostly artistic, non-political rides

Solstice Cyclists The Solstice Cyclists (also known as The Painted akedCyclists of the Solstice Parade, or The Painted Cyclists) is an artistic, non-political, clothing-optional bike ride celebrating the Summer Solstice. It is the unofficial start of the ...

in Seattle (Since 1992, with bodypainting since 1998?) *Critical Tits at

Burning Man Burning Man is an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. The name of the event comes from its culminating ceremony: the symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy, referred ...

in the

Black Rock Desert __NOTOC__ The Black Rock Desert is a semi-arid region (in the Great Basin shrub steppe eco-region) of lava beds and playa, or alkali flats, situated in the Black Rock Desert–High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area, a si ...

in Nevada *The music video made for the

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

song "

Bicycle Race "Bicycle Race" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was released on their 1978 album ''Jazz'' and written by Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury. It was released as a double A-side single together with the song "Fat Bottomed Girls", rea ...

Topfree events

Events where

is allowed but full nudity is either not allowed or discouraged: *Sydney Body Art Ride in Sydney, Australia (Since 2005) *Washington, D.C.

Dyke March A dyke march is a lesbian visibility and protest march, much like the original Gay Pride parades and gay rights demonstrations. The main purpose of a dyke march is the encouragement of activism within the lesbian community. Dyke marches c ...

Activists

Known activists include Daniel Lorenz Johnson, Jennifer Moss,

Simon Oosterman Simon Oosterman is a New Zealand political activist, trade unionist, and syndicalist. He is best known for coordinating the Unite Union campaign ' Supersizemypay.com', which targeted the fast food industry and advocated for the abolition of yout ...

, Conrad Schmidt (WNBR founder), and Terri Sue Webb.

Filmography

*''Solstice: A Celebration of the Art of Bodypainting'' produced by James W. Taylor/Circle Rock, 2004. Includes clips of the 2003

*''Radtour-Classics 2001: Nackt-Radtour in und um Karlsruhe am 14. 6. 2001'' A film by Karl-Heinz Kreutler.

References

{{Cycling Clothing controversies Culture jamming techniques Naked cycling events