Riding a bike is one of those simple pleasures. And naked bike riding has also become a simple pleasure! During World Naked Bike Ride Day, where are you riding…probably NOT Las Vegas!
The Mike & Carla Morning Show feel very strong about the sport of riding naked…okay, maybe not that strong, but it’s info you should have! Lawnstarter.com recently conducted a study (oh yes they did!) to find the cities in American that are the best, and most ideal, for riding your bike in the buff. Just keep in mind that June 11th is “World Naked Bike Ride Day”, so pick a city!
They compared 200 cities based on several metrics: events, interest in nude cycling, cities that are most and least bike friendly, cities with the most, and least sunshine, and legal barriers, like public nudity laws.
Get naked and ride a bike!
In the end, Philadelphia came out on top. Portland, Oregon was the runner-up, followed by Seattle in the number three spot. Las Vegas didn’t fare to well – number 78. But in all fairness, who wants to hop on a bike seat, naked, in 115 degree heat?
Philadelphia actually started doing the naked bike ride in 2009. It drew about 400 participants who rode along a four-mile course. The ride was held annually in September, but in 2019 it was moved up to August to take advantage of warmer weather. It was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but returned in 2021.
The free Philly ride typically brings out several thousand naked riders and works to promote cycling advocacy, body positivity, and economic sustainability. Clothing for the ride is optional, with organizers in the past describing it as a “bare as you dare” event. Some say it “helps” to wear some sort of “bottom.”
The ride also has an extensive code of conduct, which includes strict policies against sexual and physical harassment. Behavior such as unwanted comments about a person’s body or sexuality, or photography without consent, aren’t tolerated.
According to the Code of Conduct of the Philly Naked Bike Ride, “One of the goals of the Philly Naked Bike Ride is to desexualize nudity and to encourage everyone to embrace nudity as a normal, enjoyable way of life…”
The Lawnstarter poll also found that Orlando, Florida has the highest percentage of nudists, in general. If you’re curious, the city of Surprise, Arizona ranked dead-last, as the worst city for naked biking. Apparently, a nude cyclist is not a surprise that they’d be into in Surprise.
Here is where some of your home cities landed in the Top 15 for naked bike riding!
New York City
Well of course…you’re in the Big Apple and why not! Ya got Central Park and a few other spots you might want to cycle through in the buff!
Austin, Texas
Not sure if everything is bigger in Texas, but in Austin, not a bad place to cycle around naked…avoid the summer months though!
Los Angeles, California
Not surprised…you have the sun, the beach, the nice breeze! What better place to just take off on the two wheels naked?
Chicago, Illinois
This might be a tough one…oh sure, you have the lakefront, but that’s about it. If you’re going to ride the bike naked, make good choices!
San Francisco, California
Ahhh, the Bay Area. A lot of up and down…whether you are naked or not, make sure you have the stamina to make it!
Madison, Wisconsin
The Dairy State! Open roads, very rural and a great place to ditch the clothes for a naked bike ride…we think!
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Once again, Wisconsin…here though, you might have to put on at least a robe to grab a mid ride beer!
Boston, Massachusetts
Same applies in Boston as mentioned about riding in Chicago. This can be a tough city to ride naked through…so get your mind right before heading out!
Buffalo, New York
Okay, so Buffalo is a great city, but you will want to avoid riding the bike in the buff during the winter. It gets a little chilly!
Houston, Texas
Houston has a lot to offer…so if you think about riding your bike minus your clothes, make sure you have at least a backpack!
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is pretty adventurous, so nothing would surprise us here…but clearly riding you bike naked is okay!
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is a college town…so whatever. On a bike or on two legs, we think it’s okay!
