Portsmouth

We are currently looking for A new and LOCAL organiser to run this ride from 2018 onwards, 
it's an easy ride to setup and the police are very good with us,
you will also be handed control of the FB and Twitter accounts etc.
as an organiser if you need help/advice other organisers of other rides are always willing to help.
if interested please contact us on our Facebook or Twitter pages.  
 

List of rides > UK > Portsmouth 

7th annual Portsmouth WNBR

The World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is an annual demonstration that draws attention to the absurdity of oil and gas dependency and celebrates the potential of cycling and the human body. The overuse of the planet's vanishing oil reserves causes pollution, global warming and leads to war, inequality and injustice. Many politicians want to subsidise the car industry and build more runways. They call such follies progress but this is progress towards disaster.

WNBR is an international movement, with rides taking place in over forty locations in the UK and around the world. Riding naked emphasises the vulnerability of cyclists on the road, at the same time as celebrating humanity in the face of mechanisation. If it seems a little crazy, think about the total madness of car culture and its inevitable results.

If you're worried about going nude on the day don't panic as it's fully clothing-optional bare as you dare, Full and partial nudity is encouraged, but not mandatory and if the route is too long for you, you can pull out at one of the rest points.

Eliminate all dependency on oil, and make roads safer for cyclists.

Join the Ride!

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Please donate to the WNBR UK Fund

The UK World Naked Bike Ride fund meets the cost of insuring rides
across the UK, and provides local organisers with money for
poster/flyer printing, advertising, ride equipment etc.
Please give generously.

Next ride

Date: Sunday July 9th 2017
Time: meet at 1pm ride at 2pm
Location: Alexander Park, Portsmouth Gymnastics Centre, Alex Way, PO2 9AD

Ride information

Route

New start point and route being planned

• Interactive route on Google Maps

Signing Up

It's not essential to sign up for the ride - you can just turn up on the day - but it does help to get an idea of anticipated numbers. To sign up, visit the Facebook site Facebook or Yahoo group Remember, these are sites for the PROMOTION of the Portsmouth Ride - unwanted postings WILL be removed without explanation or any further discussion!!!

Dress code

For details, please see our Frequently asked questions The World Naked Bike Ride dress code is "Bare As You Dare"... How bare is that ? How dare is that ?...Its all up to you, you decide what you are comfortable with. NO ONE IS EXCLUDED OR DISCRIMINATED AGAINST based on levels of clothing, bodypaint, or anything else, for that matter!

PLEASE be creative and colourful! Bodypainting and bike decorating is highly encouraged! See the above section on creative expression and also visit our body art page.

Body Paint Artists wanted!!!!

WNBR is a fun, inspirational, non-confrontational body-positive event with a positive message of hope. That is why the ride has been such a huge hit and so many are supportive. Just use common sense and mind your manners! Nude is not lewd!

Since most of us did not grow up in a body-positive society, many will look at you with curiosity and amusement. You will probably notice that different sections of town have different cultural reactions to nudity. Some may feel mildly intimidated because they still might have issues with their own bodies and your shameless ways are unsettling to their body-phobic world. Just be friendly and respectful and things should be fine. Remember we are all human and we all have the same parts.

"Gymnophobia (from the Greek word for nude gymnos) is the fear of being (or seeing others) naked. A gymnophobic person usually wants to prevent others from experiencing the freedom of not wearing clothes." Remember, you are "legal" anyway; but if you are concerned, you probably don't need to cover up much to be "legal" as far as the gymnophobes are concerned. With the incredible transforming powers of a little body paint, liquid latex, a strategically placed sock, or a piece of duct tape you can transform the average city streaking naked wild cyclist into "The what-one-might-think-might-be-legal city streaking naked wild cyclist". Be creative: a little imagination can change everything.

Legality

Simple nudity isn't illegal in the UK, but using nudity to intentionally cause harassment, alarm or distress may be illegal. Don't act offensively and you are very unlikely to be arrested. We have notified the police of our intention to ride in protest against oil dependency and in celebration of bicycles. They are fully aware that many/most of our riders will be nude and partially nude as we cycle a route through the streets of Portsmouth. The principal concern is to eliminate creepy, predatory, exploitative, destructive and abusive behavior. ANYONE ACTING IN A LEWD MANNER IS LIABLE TO BE ARRESTED.

Police restrictions

Hampshire Police particularly want us to obey ALL ASPECTS of the Highway Code. That includes ALL ASPECTS of TRAFFIC LIGHTS. So PLEASE STOP ON RED LIGHTS. (It will make the Ride more effective!!). No more than two side by side. Keep LEFT wherever you should do so. STOP at Pedestrian Crossings to let people cross. Generally - all these things will contribute to a gentler overall pace, and a longer experience.

Public transport

Local buses call nearby. There is free public car parking at the car park near the naturist beach at Eastney. Local rail station Fratton, ride generally southeast, about 2 mile. Note that disembarking at Fratton involves climbing footbridge stairs, Portsmouth and Southsea may be preferable, about 3 miles..

History

2014

The organisation of the 2014 Ride passed to two much younger people than the previous incumbent, who put on the first three Portsmouth WNBRs almost single-handed, and the new organisers also enjoy the tremendous advantage of being female!!! So let's make next year's event the best yet!!

2013

The 2013 Ride was also very well attended, but we have recieved criticism from some quarters.... a few motorists were inconvenienced as we left Clarence Pier...... which rather begs the question - "That's what a protest is supposed to achieve, isn't it???" ! In order to overcome one objection from a beach-hut tenant, we moved the start to Eastney Naturist Beach this year.

Otherwise, it was a glorious day (after many days of dismal weather) and the people clapped and cheered as we passed by. The Police on the day were brilliant.... perhaps the message was reinforced by the news that our police liaison officer had fallen off her bicycle a few days before, after hitting a Portsmouth City Council-owned pot-hole, and suffered some quite serious injuries. The 2013 riders all signed a "Get Well Soon" card for her.

2012

In 2012, we had just under 80 riders, and considerably less adverse comments. It was a brilliant day, there were a good number of ladies, and FIVE unicycles!!!

2011

2011 saw the first ride, attracting 28 1/2 riders, and a deal of opposition from Family Church. It was well recieved by the people of Portsmouth!

Media coverage

2014

• Portsmouth News, 25 May 2014, Naked Bike Ride cyclists brave the rain in Portsmouth

2013

• ITV News, 25 May 2013, Naked cyclists saddle up

2012

• Portsmouth News, 28 May 2012, Naked cyclists get back in the saddle for biggest ride yet
• Demotix, 26 May 2012, Portsmouth World Naked Bike Ride 2012 takes to the streets
• About My Area, 26 May 2012, Cyclists Strip for World Naked Bike Ride

2011

Because of the controversy generated by a local group of christians, the inaugural 2011 event generated rather more than its fair share of publicity!

• /Live TV Portsmouth
• Portuguese BBC (!) We went world-wide!
• Live News TV Portsmouth
• Youtube 2 parts - 1) mostly the protestors before the day; and 2) The Ride!!!
• BBC News, 10 Jun 2011, Naked cyclists pedal through Portsmouth
• BBC South Today, 6 Jun 2011, 6.30pm: news story about opposition to the ride, featuring clips from Brighton (9:23 – 11:31 in video)
• OMG News, 6 Jun 2011: "OMG! World Naked Bike Ride To Arrive In Portsmouth" (featuring YouTube clip)
• Meridian TV, 6 June
• BBC South TV, 6 June
• Radio Solent, 6 June
• Portsmouth News, 18 May: excellent write-up with a very supportive editorial comment. Thank you!

Thanks to Sarah C of Portsmouth Family Church - we have been on Radio Solent this morning, and possibly on TV (BBC South) later today (6 June), all of which helps get our message across. Thanks again, Sarah! Keep it up!!

Photos

2014

• Msc Photographer

2013

• Matthew Cleveland

Videos

2013

• AboutMyArea Portsmouth
• Cy Wol A rider's view

Links

http://www.pompeybug.co.uk/community/community-cycle-centre/

Websites

• www.portsmouthwnbr.org.uk

• WNBR UK (This page has FAQ info and links to the other UK rides)

See also United Kingdom page

Discussion groups

• WNBR Portsmouth Yahoo! group for riders and people interested in helping to organise the ride.
• WNBR UK Yahoo! group for Announcements and discussion of all UK rides.