Naked Bike Ride back to raise safety profile

A BIKE ride which sees cyclists strip off and pedal around city roads is returning to the Welsh capital.

The Cardiff Naked Bike Ride attracted about 150 cyclists last year, and organisers are keen to pull in the crowds again in 2018.

It’s part of a global event and naked bike rides will be taking place all over the world with more cyclists joining in each year.

And the date has now been revealed for the Cardiff event – Saturday, June 16 .

For those taking part, it’s not just an excuse to pedal around the city in the nude – there’s actually a good cause behind the event.

Cyclists take to the roads without their clothes in a bid to help raise awareness about road safety, specifically for those using bikes.

The idea behind the ride is to make sure drivers keep an eye out for those on bikes. If motorists can see cyclists when they’re not wearing clothes, they should be able to see them any other time.

The event started in 2004, and the Cardiff rides have been going since 2007.

London and Brighton currently attract the most UK riders with more than 1,000 cyclists taking part in each, while the US city of Portland, Oregon, attracts about 8,000 riders.

One of the organisers of the Cardiff Naked Bike Ride said: “The main purpose of the ride is to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists on Britain’s roads and campaigning for better awareness and provision.”

Last year the ride set off from Sophia Gardens.

This year cyclists will follow a similar course to Cardiff Bay, on a route which organisers say has been cleared with the authorities.