Brighton has a lot of good things going for it. It is the sort of city where off-beat events are not just tolerated, but wholeheartedly embraced. It has a young, hip, alternative population who are politically active, fabulously colourful and utterly shameless. The organisers have a good relationship with the police so the ride is always smoothly managed, it is always well attended by a diverse collection of riders, and it is a beautiful city to ride through. Plus what other UK ride has a skinny dip on a nude beach at the end? Worldwide, I would imagine the only ride with a similar vibe is probably Portland.
There may be other rides with more people, more women, more nudity, more famous landmarks, better opportunities for photographs, etc, but for me Brighton is right in the Goldilocks zone for most elements that matter.
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