The World Naked Bike Ride is rolling back into St. Louis on Saturday, July 25, bringing a loose, colorful crowd of cyclists, painted, costumed or bare, through the city's streets. Riders will gather in The Grove for a pre-ride meetup at HandleBar at 4 p.m., with the official slow roll leaving at 6 p.m. Organizers say the evening will feature a costume contest and a large afterparty with live entertainment, turning Manchester Avenue into a party as much as a protest.
Ride details and rules
Organizers have posted a route map and safety guidance, including reminders to bring a helmet and lights, avoid riding while impaired and not photograph participants without consent, according to WNBR St. Louis. The official listing confirms a 4 p.m. gather at HandleBar, a 4:20 p.m. costume contest, a 6 p.m. start and live music into the evening. Local TV has also aired a pre-ride notice; FOX2 previewed the weekend plans.
A local summertime fixture
The Grove has hosted the ride for years, and local coverage notes that St. Louis editions have drawn more than 2,000 cyclists and turned the route into a summer spectacle, according to St. Louis Magazine. The City of St. Louis event calendar also lists The Grove as the event location and highlights the festival-style afterparty and public-event footprint, per the City of St. Louis.
How to join or watch
Organizers describe the ride as slow and social, and they emphasize that participants are responsible for their own safety. Riders “ride at your own risk,” and photographers are asked to register at the stage and seek consent before shooting, according to WNBR St. Louis. HandleBar has traditionally hosted the pre-ride meetup, and riders who plan to join are encouraged to bring water, wear comfortable shoes and cover bike seats if they choose to ride scantily clad, according to event organizers and local reporting.
Why people ride
The World Naked Bike Ride began as a protest against oil dependency and has evolved into a global, body-positive cycling movement, according to Wikipedia. International coverage has traced how the protest morphed into an annual summer ritual in cities worldwide, including reporting by The Guardian. Local organizers frame the St. Louis edition as both advocacy for safer streets and a celebration of body freedom, which helps explain why it keeps returning to the city's summer calendar.
