If you thought you’d seen everything in Manchester, think again. At 6 pm on Friday the 13th of June, hundreds of cyclists will roll out from All Saints Park wearing nothing but courage, conviction, and perhaps a splash of body paint, for the World Naked Bike Ride.
At first glance, it may seem like a cheeky evening of summer fun, hundreds of people pedalling through the streets wearing little more than body paint and smiles. But beneath the playful exterior lies a potent combination of activism, vulnerability, and defiant joy.
As hundreds of cyclists take to the streets under the motto “As Bare As You Dare,” many will be wearing nothing but their courage. And while full nudity is welcomed, it’s not required; participants are encouraged to join at whatever level of dress they feel comfortable with.
Manchester’s World Naked Bike Ride
To understand what drives this annual spectacle, we spoke to Lucy, one of the local organisers of the Manchester ride. For her, the event is far more than a novelty.
“For me, it’s a protest disguised as a bike ride,” she said. “I believe the ride originally began as a way to draw attention to the vulnerability of cyclists on the road, but over time, it’s evolved.”
Today, the World Naked Bike Ride shines a light on three critical social issues: cyclist safety, the climate emergency, and body positivity. These themes may seem unrelated at first, but together they form a deeply human message: we are vulnerable, we are visible, and we want change.
“We’re trying to say we’re willing to be vulnerable in this way in order to be heard,” Lucy explained. “You can’t get more vulnerable than being naked. For me, I’m basically saying to onlookers, ‘This is how vulnerable I feel.’”
How to make Manchester’s streets safer for cyclists
Despite ongoing campaigns, cycling remains one of the most dangerous modes of urban transport in the UK. In Greater Manchester alone, roughly 340 pedestrians and cyclists were seriously injured or killed in the past year in collisions involving motor vehicles, according to the Department for Transport.
“We’re borrowing from the message of the Critical Mass rides,” said Lucy. “Once a month, cyclists gather and create a ‘critical mass’ to take over streets. Our ride is similar, but everyone’s naked. We want people to see us and to realise that even for just one hour, once a year, it’s possible to make a difference.”
The visibility is part of the protest’s power. With no metal frames or fluorescent lycra to hide behind, participants force both motorists and policymakers to confront the vulnerability of cyclists on urban roads.
Fighting the climate crisis
As cities buckle under the weight of car culture, the WNBR also serves as a human-powered call to reduce fossil fuel dependency. Road transport accounts for 28% of the UK’s CO₂ emissions, an alarming statistic in the face of the climate emergency.
The message is clear: we need greener, more sustainable transport options, and we need them now.
“It’s about promoting sustainable transport too,” said Lucy. “We’re not just out here to get naked—we’re out here because we care about our environment, and we want others to care too.”
Promoting body positivity
Perhaps the most surprising element of the World Naked Bike Ride is its radical stance on body image. In a world saturated with unrealistic beauty standards and sexualised media, the ride provides a space where people of all ages, genders, and body types can show up as they are.
“The reality is, we’re all different shapes and sizes,” Lucy said. “We’re here as an example that bodies don’t look like what Hollywood or page three want you to believe they look like.”
“There’s also strength in numbers. There are so many of us during the ride that no one individual is singled out because of their shape. At the end of the day, it’s just a body.”
That communal support, cyclists pedalling side by side, baring all, is both liberating and transformative. Lucy notes how the event bridges two unexpected communities: cyclists and naturists.
“I think we’re amalgamating two worlds, the cycling world and the naturist world,” she said. “I personally don’t see myself as a naturist, but I certainly empathise with that walk of life. From doing the ride, I’ve come to see that we actually share a common vision. And that’s a beautiful thing.”
A celebration of defiance and joy
Although the protest is rooted in serious issues, there’s an undeniable lightness to the event, a sense of collective fun and radical self-expression. Colourful body paint, music, laughter, and the cheers of passersby turn the streets of Manchester into a celebration of courage and community.
“It’s a good reminder not to take life too seriously,” Lucy reflected. “We’re asking for big changes, better infrastructure, environmental responsibility, a shift in how we see the human body, but we’re doing it in a way that’s joyful, even silly. That’s what makes it powerful.”
As the riders prepare to set off from All Saints Park, they invite Manchester to reconsider not just how we move through the world, but how we see each other, and ourselves.
This year’s World Naked Bike Ride isn’t just about nudity. It’s about honesty, unity, and the urgent need for cultural change.
“We’re willing to be this vulnerable to make people pay attention,” said Lucy. “And we hope they do.”
World Naked Bike Ride Manchester 2025
The World Naked Bike Ride will begin at All Saints Park, Manchester on Friday, 13th of June, 2025.
Dress Code: As Bare As You Dare, nudity encouraged but not required
Find out more on their website here
