Sydney
Body Art Bike Ride, by Elicia Murray - 9th February
2007
(Credit:
The Sydney Morning Herald)

Credit:
Fairfax - Peter Steele
Bike? Check. Helmet? Check. Shoes? Check. Undies?
Check. Smile? Check.
And
that's all you need to take part in the Sydney Body
Art Ride.
Event
manager Jake Lloyd Jones came up with the idea a few
years ago while working as a researcher for The 7.30
Report on ABC television.
"We
were sitting in the office one day and we dreamed
it up and it grew into this big thing," Lloyd
Jones says.
"We're
promoting healthy sustainable living and the main
focus of that message is to ride your bike to work
instead of driving a car."
His
organisation lobbies government and councils to improve
facilities for cyclists. The money raised goes to
the Children's Cancer Research Institute.
That's
the serious side.
The
fun part involves cyclists stripping down to their
smalls or swimmers if they want to and using their
bodies as canvases. Participants paint their own designs
or pick a colour and become a member of a human-rainbow
team. Riders leave the University of NSW at noon,
heading towards Maroubra beach.
Anyone
wanting to take photos must be polite and ask first.
Riders are advised to save their pick-up lines for
the after-party: "Just because someone smiled
at you doesn't mean he or she wants to talk to you."
The
group must travel slowly because helmets, shoes and
briefs don't provide much protection in the event
of accidents. Participants are advised not to take
too many clothes off.
"We
haven't had anyone completely naked turn up, but no
doubt the police who escort the ride might take them
aside for a chat," Lloyd Jones says.
Lloyd
Jones no longer works for The 7.30 Report but many
former colleagues remain keen supporters. Can we expect
to see host Kerry O'Brien wearing his smalls and a
smile on Sunday?
"He's
on our celebrity supporter list ... but I'm not sure
I actually want to see Kerry naked on his bike."
Sydney
Body Art Ride
Sunday, 9.30am cyclists gather to be painted on the
Physics lawn, past the Barker Street Gate at University
of NSW Kensington campus, riders leave for Maroubra
at noon, 8333 4474, minimum donation $2.
www.sydneybodyartride.org
Profiles
The
Sydney Body Art Bike Ride
Children's
Cancer Research Institute
Social
and Community Entrepreneurs
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