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Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride attracts thousands of participants each year.

Credit: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland.org

Portland’s World Naked Bike Rides

Each summer, Portlanders cruise commando through city streets, protesting the world's dependency on oil, as part of two annual World Naked Bike Rides.

4 min read

John Patrick Pullen

Wearing a helmet is a great way to stay safe while bicycling — no one would argue with that. But what about the rest of a rider’s attire? For the undressed masses who streak through Portland each summer during not one but two World Naked Bike Rides, accouterments are largely unnecessary. And besides, it’s much more fun to bike buck naked.

Portland’s Original World Naked Bike Ride

As a part of a worldwide demonstration of cyclist vulnerability and protest against car culture, Portland’s original World Naked Bike Ride was born in 2004. This annual volunteer-run event is among the world’s largest, drawing thousands of riders each summer. The route is a secret; ride organizers reveal only the starting point in advance of the ride.

At the gathering point where the ride begins, the clothes come off and the body paint goes on. Then when the sun sets, thousands of naked bike riders hit the roads, cruising commando through streets closed off to cars by (fully clothed) Portland police officers. Not-nude medical personnel and bike mechanics are also on hand in case of emergencies.

Over the years, the ride has become a festive tradition, with after-parties giving bare bikers places to see and be seen. But don’t expect to find a scene full of looky-loos. Sure, there are threadbare tandems, unclad unicyclists and even recumbent bikers in the buff — but the event also has a no-nonsense approach and forbids alcohol use and inappropriate behavior, so everyone can feel safe and comfortable streaking through Portland with the wind at their, um, backs.

Portland’s Newest Naked Bike Ride

In 2024, a separate World Naked Bike Ride Portland event was launched with the intention to refocus riders on the protest element of the World Naked Bike Ride. That September, a comparatively small but mighty group rode to their protest target, Zenith Energy, held a silent “die-in” and celebrated with a post-ride party. In the years since, environmental justice and the risks of oil dependency have remained at the center of the group’s purpose for its annual ride through Portland’s streets.

Ride Culture

An unofficial motto of “as bare as you dare” is embraced by both events, so all manner of clothing and costume are allowed. Riders don underwear, swimsuits and more — or less. Frankly, socks and shoes are smart, helmets and pads never hurt anyone, masks are popular for shy riders, and fanny packs aren’t all that embarrassing (for once). Just don’t roll in with your bike attached to a car — cycle to the park or load your wheels onto a city bus — because burning fossil fuel en route to either of these events would be positively indecent.

Serving as a powerful reminder that the World Naked Bike Ride is more than an excuse to bare all, both events embody the spirit of peaceful protest and celebrate the beauty of cycling and the human body.

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