Portland, Oregon, a city known for its vibrant cycling culture and unique events, will be without one of its most iconic rides this year. The World Naked Bike Ride Portland (WNBR), a celebrated and sometimes controversial event, is taking a hiatus in 2024. Organizers announced that this isn’t the end, but rather a strategic pause to ensure the ride’s future strength and sustainability.
Retrenching for a Stronger Future
After two decades of energetic and impactful rides, the organizers of the World Naked Bike Ride Portland have decided to take a “well-deserved year off.” This isn’t due to a lack of enthusiasm, but a proactive move to “retrench” and reinforce the foundational elements that make this event so special. The aim is to work on the behind-the-scenes structure, ensuring the ride not only continues but thrives in the years to come.
First launched in 2004, the Portland iteration of the global World Naked Bike Ride quickly escalated to become a major event. It became synonymous with Portland’s quirky and free-spirited atmosphere, drawing participants and attention from around the globe. By 2013, it had ballooned to an estimated 8,000 participants, even reaching a peak of around 10,000 in 2014. The ride’s popularity grew so much that by 2022, organizers openly expressed hopes for a slightly smaller, more manageable crowd, highlighting the operational challenges of such a large-scale, volunteer-driven event.
The Volunteer Backbone of PDXWNBR
The Portland World Naked Bike Ride, operating as a non-profit organization (PDXWNBR), relies entirely on a dedicated army of volunteers. Organizing an event of this magnitude, involving thousands of cyclists – many of whom might be infrequent riders – navigating city streets, demands significant coordination and resources. From pre-ride gatherings to post-ride celebrations, ensuring safety, accessibility, and a positive experience for everyone is a monumental task.
Large crowd gathers at Peninsula Park for the World Naked Bike Ride Portland pre-ride event in 2022, showcasing the popular cycling protest.
This undertaking is managed entirely by grassroots efforts, without any paid staff, and with a rotating leadership team each year. In their recent statement, organizers admitted to facing challenges in securing adequate leadership and volunteer support for 2024. Planning typically commences in September, but delays in leadership recruitment pushed preparations behind schedule.
The official statement elaborated on the complexities involved:
“Making the protest safe and accessible is a huge undertaking, months in the making. For many Portlanders, the PDXWNBR may be their only ride of the year, so we hold the event to a high standard, with comprehensive volunteer organization, neighborhood outreach, and coordination with agencies like TriMet and Portland Parks & Recreation. Our history has also shown us how a little more planning can make the protest even more welcoming, with local artists, musicians, medics, bike mechanics, and other community partners all on hand…
Portland deserves the World Naked Bike Ride to be done right, so we are retrenching and focusing on growing our diverse, all-volunteer team this year.”
A Year to Rebuild and Reflect
Meghan Sinnott, a long-time volunteer and former lead organizer, emphasized that this year off is a necessary step for the ride’s long-term health. She conveyed a sense of responsibility to the event and its participants, stating that proceeding without adequate preparation would be a “disservice to everyone.”
“There’s such a deep, deep reverence and love and joy around this event,” Sinnott shared, highlighting the profound emotional connection many feel towards the World Naked Bike Ride Portland. She underscored its significance, noting, “This ride is bigger than Bike Summer. It’s bigger than Portland bike culture. It’s iconic. There’s a lot of emotional investment in this.”
The current focus is now firmly on volunteer recruitment to build a robust leadership committee for the 2025 ride. Organizers are actively seeking individuals with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, extending their reach beyond the typical cycling community. Interested in shaping the future of WNBR? You can apply to join the Leadership Committee via this form with a deadline of September 6th at 11:59 pm.
Naked Rides Continue in Portland
For those eager to embrace clothing-optional cycling this summer, the spirit of naked biking isn’t entirely absent from Portland in 2024. Numerous other events are listed on the Bike Summer Pedalpalooza calendar hosted on the Shift website, offering alternative opportunities to ride free.
While the official World Naked Bike Ride Portland takes a pause, the energy and enthusiasm that fuel it are being redirected into strengthening its foundation. Cyclists and supporters can look forward to the ride’s anticipated return in 2025, hopefully bigger and better than ever. This year off is not an end, but a strategic intermission to ensure the enduring legacy of this unique Portland event.
