Thousands of cyclists took part in a communal bike ride completely naked in London yesterday afternoon for an annual event raising awareness for safer cycling.
The 18th World Naked Bike Ride has been going every year, bar 2020, since 2004, and is an annual event to campaign for bike safety and car culture in big cities like London.
There are a total of 200 cities taking part in the ride, including Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Vienna, Sao Paolo, Vancouver, Copenhagen, Paris, Thessaloniki, Tel Aviv and Tokyo.
They describe their campaign with a number of themes and objectives, including protest against the global dependency on oil, to curb ‘car culture’, obtain better rights for cyclists and demonstrate their vulnerability on city streets.
Wearing body paint and trainers – and little else – scores of activists bravely took to their saddles to take part in the London leg of the ride. Many covered their naked bodies in glitter, painted slogans and fancy dress for the annual event.
Last year, the World Naked Bike Ride in London had an estimated 1,421 riders despite the Covid-19 risk reduction measures. The earliest cyclists in the annual event began their ride at Victoria Park and Croydon meeting points at 11am on Saturday. Others started in Clapham Junction, Deptford, Kew Bridge, Regent’s Park, Tower Hill and Wellington Arch yesterday afternoon.
But it was not just London that saw the nude cyclists as thousands across the world took part in the annual event. In Mexico City, participants wore Day of the Dead masks for the celebrations.
Thousands of cyclists have taken part in the World Naked Bike Ride completely naked in London this morning for an annual event raising awareness for safer cycling
The 18th World Naked Bike Ride has been going every year, bar 2020, since 2004, and is an annual event to campaign for bike safety and car culture in big cities like London. The group is pictured going across Westminster Bridge
There are a total of 200 cities taking part in the ride, including Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Vienna, Sao Paolo, Vancouver, Copenhagen, Paris, Thessaloniki, Tel Aviv and Tokyo (Pictured in London on Saturday)
Participants of the World Naked Bike Ride are pictured gathering in the Forum Magnum Square in Waterloo yesterday, with many donning slogans or messages for drivers, like right, who has ‘Can you see me now?’ written on his back
They describe their campaign with a number of themes and objectives, including protest against the global dependency on oil, to curb ‘car culture’, obtain better rights for cyclists and demonstrate their vulnerability on city streets
With some wearing body paint and trainers and little else – or just trainers and a hat, like those pictured – scores of activists bravely took to their saddles to take part in the London leg of the ride
Many covered their naked bodies in glitter, painted slogans and fancy dress for the annual event. Last year, the World Naked Bike Ride in London had an estimated 1,421 riders despite the Covid-19 risk reduction measures
The earliest cyclists in the annual event began their ride at Victoria Park and Croydon meeting points at 11am on Saturday. A woman is pictured posing for a picture, nearly nude, over Waterloo Bridge before her bike ride yesterday
Others started in Clapham Junction, Deptford, Kew Bridge, Regent’s Park, Tower Hill and Wellington Arch on Saturday afternoon. Riders pictured crossing Waterloo Bridge, with some on Boris Bikes
London’s bike ride yesterday crossed over the capital’s world-famous Westminster Bridge (pictured), with lots of riders taking pictures of the moment themselves
Some even wore regalia-like wear, like this pair pictured centre, who passed over Waterloo Bridge yesterday with navy blue sashes, a tiara and medals on show. Others held Union Jacks while cycling
Lots of cyclists borrowed London’s communal Santander bikes which are available for people to use across London for a fee, like the three people pictured, as they rode across Westminster Bridge
Although not wearing very much, these two women made sure they were bright by wearing lay flowers and a bright pink wig as they went across Westminster Bridge
But it was not just London that saw the nude cyclists as thousands across the world took part in the annual event. Hundreds of cyclists took to the main streets of Mexico City, Mexico, pictured
In Mexico City, participants wore Day of the Dead masks for the celebrations (pictured centre). Some people took part using their roller blades instead of bikes, pictured left
The bike ride is not only an expression of freedom but also serves as a protest for safer and more inclusive cycling. Riders are pictured at Mexico’s 15th World Naked Bike Ride in Mexico City
Plenty of bystanders lined the streets to watch the group cycle past – many with their smartphones and cameras at the ready. Pictured is a man taking part in Mexico City’s Bike Ride, using a communal city bike
Many people enjoyed taking part in the nude communal bike ride in Mexico City, as pictured, and shared their snaps of the annual event on social media