Cyclists in Minneapolis celebrate freedom from pants on Independence Day

They rode for freedom — freedom from pants.

Hundreds of bicyclists, most of them dressed in their underwear, took to the streets and trails of Minneapolis Friday on an annual ride that offered a unique way to celebrate the Fourth of July.

It was the Freedom From Pants Ride, which began in June 2007 when someone on a Twin Cities cycling internet forum organized an underwear ride to escape the summer heat.

Garrick Yoong, who participated in that first ride, said they decided to stage a sequel on Independence Day — giving the event its name.

“We’d just be yelling, ‘Hey, you know, take your pants off, freedom from pants, it’s the Fourth!’” Yoong said. “So yeah, it was just a spontaneous heckle that came out of the ride.”

This year’s 9-mile ride began under the Hennepin Avenue Bridge on Nicollet Island and included stops at Loring Park and Cedar Lake South Beach before finishing at the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge in south Minneapolis.

Luna Zeidner, who first participated in the ride in 2018, took her mom this year to show her around the bike trails in Minneapolis.

While the name suggests no pants are needed to ride, it’s OK if you wear a pair. Yoong said that the event stresses body positivity and that fully clothed riders are welcome.

Frank Neubecker wore a wrestling singlet emblazoned with the American flag, along with a matching headband and red flame fishnets. Over the last decade, he said, the ride has become a unique way for him to celebrate the holiday.

“You get to see a bunch of really cool people and interesting outfits. And who doesn’t love to be around people in their underwear?” Neubecker said.

The event is not affiliated with any group or organization. A few volunteers post event details on social media every year, but the ride’s popularity has spread mostly through word of mouth.

For both Neubecker and Zeidner, this year’s ride also served as a form of protest. Zeidner said it’s a fun way to push back against a society that she says is becoming more repressive.