By RIA Novosti
London : Cyclists in Britain and around the world are gearing up to celebrate the fourth World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR), in protest against global oil dependency.
According to the WNBR Web site, bike races Saturday are planned in Brighton, Bristol, Bath, Edinburgh, and London and are open not just to cyclists, but also nude roller skaters and skateboarders.
London is expected to be the main event with around 1,000-2,000 participants lining up at the statue of Achilles in Hyde Park for a 10 km ride, which will pass some of London's most famous tourist sites, including Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
The organizers said that clothing is optional and there was no risk of arrest as police forces across Britain were aware that people would be naked, and would be providing traffic control for the event.
The annual bike ride has grown in popularity since 2004 when only 58 cyclists were bold enough to venture out. Last year there were around 800 riders. It takes place in over 20 countries and more than 70 cities.