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WNBR by The Male Image
WNBR by The Male Image
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Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Ride Along
'WNBR is the most exhilarating cycling experience since taking off your training wheels.'
Daniel, WNBR Seattle
If you're a fan of the nude male form, and of sites that spotlight it, you've in all likelihood seen and enjoyed images from WNBR. (World Naked Bike Ride). Although there were naked bike rides for decades before, the first official World Naked Bike ride was organized back in 2003. Conceived by Conrad Schmidt, although 'the naked' was important, it was just a part of much larger message.
Schmidt had been organizing naked bike rides for the group, Artists for Peace/Artists Against War with the initial message being a protest against oil dependency. What better way to protest, and draw attention, than an oil free, and clothes free public bike ride. The events also quickly incorporated the power of individuality, especially when it came to the human body.
Although the messages have slightly changed, the events, and the bikers themselves, have embraced the themes of a cleaner, safter, and more body-positive world. After the first few naked rides, the event took off internationally, with hundreds of cities and towns around the globe planning rides and connecting festival events. The largest naked ride is reported to have been in Portland Oregon with over 10,000 participants.
I've been covering, and uncovering the event for years on the site, but I've always struggled a bit with identifying the images. Not really the bikers name, there is definitely a piece of erotic anonymity that appeals to many participating in naked, public events. It's also difficult to credit the photographer, as so many images from the rides are snapped by spectators, whose images get right-clicked, saved and reshared after they post them on-line.
Given these factors, it's sometimes difficult to identify the specific event, the city and year it took place. This year, when I decided to do a WNBR theme, I decided to go directly to two FH contributors. Each posted images on their social media from their recent attendance at 2025 events from March and April of this year. Check out those pieces below.
Axie: WNBR, Melbourne, March 2nd 2025
'While the ride was slow and easy, the lack of padding meant that by the end of the ride I had a sore arse.'
This past March, I noticed that model Axie had posted images from this year's WNBR in Melbourne on his Instagram. Given it was Instagram, and knowing their annoyingly prudish policies, I knew Axie must have much hotter images, images from the event that I'd love to see more of. I've been following and enjoying Axie on social media since first being introduced to his modeling by Ian from macpics. (HERE:)
I do however, fully understand Axie's feelings. My joy tends to come from process than outcome. For Axie, the excitement and joy stem from the real-time experience of stripping down in front of large crowds of strangers. There's a rush during the process that really can't be duplicated. Over time however, Axie has also come to enjoy the afterglow, and the reaction from viewers of his work. With this in mind, I asked Axie to share a bit about his experience at this year's WNBR.
'Having done a similar ride in Vienna in 2023, I was keen to give my local ride a try. The ride in Melbourne has a focus on bike awareness and environmental messages, as well as promoting nudism and body positivity.
Arriving at the muster point, I was greeted a small group of naked people with bikes and a larger group of spectators fascinated by the spectacle. Despite the audience, I was quick to strip down and pose for photos. All the other riders were friendly and cheerful and the vibes were great. The group of riders continued to grow, as did the eager group of spectators.
Eventually it was time to start riding through Melbourne, and the well organised leaders ensured that roads were safely blocked as our naked bodies slowly rode through the city. The response was very positive, with people across the city eagerly honking their horns and waving at the naked parade through town.
While the ride was slow and easy, the lack of padding meant that by the end of the ride I had a sore arse. The volunteers did an amazing job pulling this together and I would absolutely recommend that people take part in the future. How often do you get to do something as bold as being completely naked and riding around your home city. The hardest part of the day was getting dressed at the end.'
After his long ride, and that lack of seat padding, Axie needed to lie down and take it easy at the end of the day. Although his backside was sore, I'm guessing many of his admirers, would have eagerly volunteered to give him a butt massage, or rub in some cream for a little muscle relief.
The Male Image: WNBR, San Francisco, April 19th 2025
'This year was sparsely attended, but still a lot of fun!'
If you're regular reader of FH, you've most likely seen and enjoyed the work of photographer Joe Mazza. (The Male Image) I think it was back in 2012 that I was first introduced to Joe's work. I was working on a piece on model Brody Harris for tMf Magazine and asked him about his favorite collaborations with photographers. Joe was near the top of his list, which had me searching for more of his work.
This led me to various sites, including Joe's portfolio on Model Mayhem. We quickly connected resulting my first piece spotlighting Joe's work with model Randall O'Reilly. (HERE:) I've since featured more of Joe's shoots, primarily focused on his studio work, as well as locations in the Northern California area near his home city of San Francisco.
As with Axie, (in the post above) it was on Joe's The Male Image Photo Instagram site that I recently spotted his shots from the recent WNBR in San Francisco. If you've been to San Francisco, and if you were able to focus beyond the hot naked bodies, you may have noticed the huge Cupid's arrow sculpture in the background. Cupid's Span, the 70-foot sculpture is known to many who've visited the city's Rincon Park located along the Embarcadero & Folsom Street.
This isn't Joe's first time attending the annual event, or his first time photographing it. Although always a very free spirted event, this year, the ride happened to coincide with the national walk for epilepsy. This led to a bit of a comical clash with men stripping, preparing and getting ready to ride, while children and families were walking by.
Unfortunately, there was sparce attendance, maybe in part due to the walk, and that it was also Easter weekend. Like at most WNBR's though, there was a fairly large group of spectators, many with their phones and cameras at the ready.
The Easter weekend date for the ride also meant a furry visitor. In this case, the visit was from a tattooed, and very naked Easter Bunny who also hopped on by to enjoy the ride and the fun.
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