World Naked Bike Ride returns to Folkestone this weekend
Published: 15:09, 28 July 2023
Cyclists are preparing to strip down as they take part in the annual Naked Bike Ride.
Enthusiasts in Folkestone will be joining the worldwide event as they start their journey on The Leas, at the end of Earls Avenue, tomorrow.
Riders will be meeting at 1pm for a 2pm ride and are being told to “ride as bare as you dare”.
Organisers say the ride is to help eliminate fossil fuel dependency, curb car culture, promote green energy, make cycling safer for all and "celebrate our bikes and our bodies in a carnival atmosphere".
World Naked Bike Ride is an international movement, with events taking place in over 40 locations in the UK and around the world.
It will be the ninth such ride through Folkestone.
The website states: “The overuse of the planet's vanishing oil reserves causes pollution, global warming and leads to war, inequality and injustice.
“Riding naked emphasises the vulnerability of cyclists on the road, at the same time as celebrating humanity in the face of mechanisation.
“Drivers don't notice us with clothes on but they do when we are nude. Don't just watch the fun ride come and join in.”
The ride ends at the Lower Leas beach, where previously many cyclists have decided to cool off with a skinny dip in the sea.
Riders under 16 must be fully clothed.
It is not necessary to register to take part, with riders invited to just turn up on the day.
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Oliver Leonard