We’re finishing up and getting to leave the fantastic Limin Southbank and all of a sudden a commotion at the far end of the restaurant draws our attention. Hundreds of bikes are going past on Upper Ground, this might not have been a thing apart from the fact that all the riders were stark naked.
No gonna lie, we moved outside to get a better look at the good natured riders as they passed by, some fully naked, others in fancy dress or pants. We asked those around what was the ride, and got half an answer, but later I looked it up and found out that today is World Naked Bike Ride day and that there would be thousands of people taking part in London, and hundreds of thousands likely taking part across the Globe.
This ride is to celebrate cycling and the human body. It’s all about having pride and not succumbing to or tolerating body shaming.
Naked riders in Southbank
To celebrate cycling and the human body. The ride demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against oil dependency.
The dress code is “bare as you dare”, which is a fun way to say, go naked if you like, but be as comfortable as you can, so you don’t have to ride naked. Most of the riders we saw did though, so some very daring people in this part of the world.
The particpants were good natured and seemed to be enjoying themselves. It certainly caused a stir and a spectacle, and now I know more about it, the ride raises awareness, so job done.