‘The most eye-opening experience of my life’: Why naked people are cycling through south London – Southwark News

This Saturday, unsuspecting bystanders will gawp as roughly one thousand naked bike riders pedal through Southwark’s streets. This yearly event may seem strange to some, but these wild wheelers insist bearing all can have amazing benefits. 

Among them is Keon, a social psychologist and professor living in south London. Ten years ago, wanting to mark turning 30 by trying something new, he did his first bike ride. “I thought it would be a silly thing but it was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life,” he says. 

The 40-year-old’s interest in nakedness is both personal and professional. The academic has published numerous papers on the benefits of nudity with titles ranging from ‘I feel better naked’ and ‘Naked and unashamed’, all published in peer-reviewed journals. 

“I’d bumped into the naturists and they said this thing has wonderful effects like an increase in body positivity but there was no research to back it up,” Keon says. “They were 100 per cent right!”

He says there are some instances where riders get hassled. Women, he says, can sometimes get unwanted attention. “Portly, middle-aged men”, on the other hand, are usually okay. But for the most part, he says the public’s reaction is positive. “People cheer and take photographs but not in a weird way. It’s just a big celebration!” Police, pre-warned of the event each year, never intervene. 

Sophie V is the organiser behind the route starting in Deptford. A life model who has lived in an “arty commune”, she was already comfortable with nudity but wanted to open up the event to more people.

She said: “When you see the ride go past it is a male-dominated protest and I was very keen to try to contribute to an atmosphere that celebrated the inclusion of non-men so women, gender-fluid people, non-binary people.”

There are some practical concerns. Some riders may want to bring sunblock and not having pockets can cause problems when it comes to keys and phones. “Put your money in your socks and, if you’re very clever you can put your phone in between your head a head and a hat,” Keon advises. 

Keon says there is a “growing body of evidence” that naturism has a variety of health benefits. One online study, led by Keon, found that those who spent time naked or partially naked around others, also liked their own bodies more, thought better of themselves, and were more satisfied with their lives overall.

People might say that people who get their kit off are more likely to be confident already. But Keon says lots of research that even nakedness among first timers has similar positive benefits.