iBIKEbop is Ireland’s rolling bike disco: a monthly blast of lights, music, and pedals that turns city streets into a one-hour street party and a cheeky call for safer cycling. Once a small idea in Dublin, it has grown into a regular fixture that invites everyone – not just hardcore cyclists – to reclaim the roads with sound systems, sparkly outfits, and pure good vibes.
What is iBIKEbop?
- A monthly “cycling disco” that doubles as a gentle protest for better cycling infrastructure and safer streets.
- Think Critical Mass with a serious sound system: slow pace, big group, playlists pumping, and bikes lit up like a festival.
- Focused on joy and visibility rather than speed or sport – perfect for nervous riders, families, and anyone who prefers bopping to shouting.
When and where?
- Runs monthly, following the last-Friday-of-the-month Critical Mass tradition, with rides typically kicking off in the early evening for about an hour.
- Dublin is the beating heart of iBIKEbop, spinning around the city centre in a big, music-filled loop that feels more like a parade than a protest.
- The format has spread nationwide, with local cycling groups in cities and towns across Ireland hosting their own iBIKEbop-style nights when they can rally the riders and the speakers.
Who turns up?
- Everyone from kids in cargo bikes to older riders on e-bikes, plus first-timers who would never normally brave city traffic on their own.
- Campaigners for safer cycling who prefer to make their point with tunes, costumes, and community rather than placards and megaphones.
- Curious onlookers who come once “just to see what it’s like” and end up planning their next outfit and light setup for the following month.
Why it matters
- For one night a month, ordinary people experience what it feels like when streets are calm, welcoming, and dominated by bikes instead of cars.
- The sheer visibility – a mass of riders, music echoing off the buildings, kids laughing in the middle of the road – sends a clear message that there is demand for safe, protected bike routes.
- It builds a sense of local cycling community, turning strangers at traffic lights into friends swapping playlist ideas and route suggestions.
Practical bits
- Dublin organisers: I BIKE Dublin on Facebook
- Cost: Free – just show up with a bike, lights, and ideally something a bit flashy or colourful to add to the spectacle.
- Pace: Slow and social, with marshals and experienced riders making sure nobody gets left behind.
- Vibe: Less race, more rave-on-wheels – the kind of protest where you leave hoarse from singing rather than shouting.
