Steve Whitlatch 

Let me guess, next your going to tell us this is really hard on everyone and nobody really enjoys riding around naked through the streets with police escort? Yes a worthy cause, but come on?

jyl

I wore bike shorts and, obviously, shoes. I'd planned on just a Speedo thing and maybe less, but after a killer 12 hour bike ride on Friday (worthy of its own story), my rear was really sore. It was hot, even at 8 pm, and I was still dehydrated from Friday, so I brought a lot of water and some beer, and drank much of it.

There was a mix of bikes, some nice ones, but definitely heavy on the BSOs and the cobwebby bikes unearthed from basements, not exactly shining examples of bike maintenance. Similarly a mix of experienced riders and total newbies. The organizers had a bag of used tubes for the handful of volunteer riding mechanics, but I brought my own - basically gathered up every used tube in the garage, patched and tested them, then rolled them up and labeled with size/valve type. Before the ride even started, I'd fixed five bikes, mostly flat tires but also a couple loose wheel nuts. One guy on a BMX was really lucky that I'd brought a 20" tube. When the ride got going, I started out sweeping the rear, looking for stranded people at the roadside. Lots of people had pulled over, to talk with friends, chat with spectators, get a drink at the bars that were handing out same. So it was hard to figure out who was in distress and who was just chilling. I decided that, the ride is only a few miles, so if someone's bike was rideable at the start, it was likely to make it through the ride. During the ride I gave tubes to a few more people who had flatted (they said they had the tools and pump to change it themselves), and helped two more who had dropped chains (those girls had no clue how to deal with even that issue). All in all I helped maybe a dozen riders.

There were also a few volunteer medics (basically, folks with bandages) and course marshals (sent ahead to stand at turns with light wands). Also bike mechanics and security guards at the starting point, ride organizers, people selling stickers and saddle covers, and plenty of motorcycle officers escorting the ride. I'm not sure how large the ride was this year, but it took nearly an hour from when the first people started until when the last people were able to stop walking and start riding.

The ride ended in the Eastside Industrial area and the after party was on the Eastbank Esplanade. But I was ready to head home, so I skipped the finishing festivities.

So I guess you want to know what sort of people rode the WNBR. It was a pretty diverse crowd. Young, old; fat, slim; all body painted and whooping it up, partly clothed and just going with the flow; political messages, purely there for a party. It was cool being part of several thousand people all having a good time. The ride discourages drinking alcohol, although obviously that isn't enforced (I rode with my beer), there wasn't much drunkness - excluding the spectators lining the street, a lot of them seemed pretty lit.

Oh, you want to know if there were hot naked women? Actually, yes, there were. Not just a few, actually.

What, you want photos and video? Sorry, I didn't take photos and while my bike cam was running, it was rear-facing so no practical possibility of editing the video to comply with w/ BF's rules.

I will probably do it next year, again as a riding mechanic, hopefully without a really sore rear.

Steve Whitlatch 

That is really nice of you to do. Sounds like everyone had a good time.

jgadamski

Thanks for volunteering. I did not make this years ride, however, have done the same role in past years. ANY group ride, be it a Pedalpalooza ride or BridgePedal or WNBR will bring out the unskilled or unprepared. One year I towed a woman on a childs bike from NE Sandy to the start near the Esplanade as her wheels bearings were so loose the chain kept falling off. Drunk and impaired riders are my least fave. I hope the organizers will one day be more diligent in getting the word out to have a bike checked out pre 'big inconic community ride'.

browntoe

Was a really fun ride this year. Rode my fixed gear, but flopped over to the single speed since the fixed cog has developed a very annoying squeak. Wore nothing but a Fitbit, helmet and a pair of Birkenstocks. Nice weather, fun crowd, more riders than last year. Looked like about 13K to me...

RobbieTunes

Would it be such an event if people weren't naked?

You know, spend an hour getting ready to ride a bike and driving to the event.
Spend an hour or so standing around and looking at each other, talking.

Ride 20 minutes. Not a workout, not a commuter trip.
A parade so one can be naked in public.
Spend another couple of hours standing around and looking at each other, talking.

Any trees saved? Doubt it.

Any awareness of cyclists who are not naked raised? Doubt it.

No cyclists being hit by cars any more, even clothed ones? Doubt it.

The event is more about being naked than anything to do with bikes. Bikes are just the accessories.
You know, instead of "I don't have a thing to wear," it's "hey, anyone have a bike I can borrow? I want to go naked in public."
Because, "I'm cool," or "at least I want to think I am, because I can go naked in public."

The same effect would come from it being the World Naked Stand Around, i.e. Look at Us.
The press comes, takes pictures of naked people, and leaves.

No one remembers "the protest" or "the cause" who didn't already. Few of the participants know.
Nothing is advanced. Police time, effort, and fuel are wasted, protecting the naked people on bikes.
This is probably the only site that mentions the bikes, which kind of makes us even stranger.

Wow, cool, man. Dig it. Yeah, I saw that chick/dude, she/he was righteous.

iab

So what you're saying is riding nekkid is almost as pointless as riding with cloths?

Go figure.

rootboy 

I'm afraid I agree with Robbie. Whatever blows your skirt up, or off, go ahead.
But to couch it under some higher cause is a bit pretentious, in my view.
"look at me" , pretty much sums it up.

gomango

This thread is definitely proof that I am getting old.

I just don't get this, but I suppose if others do it's no harm to me.

oddjob2

Remind me not to buy a used Brooks nor any other used saddle from Portland.

michael k

Its quite Exhilarating!... and Liberating when you stop caring what others think of your appearance.

Plus, having to look people in the eye Improves your posture.

St33lWh33ls

I’m with you on that one, I’m starting a protest to “SAVE THE SADDLES”! All future naked rides should have their bikes retrofitted with vintage Reynolds seat posts only, kind of like clipless pedals but for your can. Maybe some of you naked riders can take up the cause and report back.



There are a couple of good reasons to get naked, riding a bike isn’t one of them.

In the immortal words of Hunter S. Thompson…When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.

RobbieTunes

And the horseflies, well, they're a lot more hazardous....

DakotaInTheSky

No, that's the point.

What's your point? Sound like any other bike event I've ever been to

It was 17 miles (leg 1 5 miles, leg 2 12 miles) over several hours

How could you possibly know? There are people here and who I know who cycled when they were younger. They came back after a single thought or inspiration. I stopped riding when I got my license. I got back into it when my girlfriend at the time rode, and I thought it would be fun to start again.
Sometimes, all someone needs to start riding is a single thought. Seeing people have fun on bicycles might be just the thing.

How do you know? All it takes is a single thought to be aware. The next cyclist that a driver sees might be you after seeing this event.

That's unrealistic.

Police time is used but not wasted. I know several Deputies and Officers who would rather do an event that sit in a speed trap to break up the day. They always volunteer for them when they come up. It's a different set of challenges and can be fun.

Again, you do not know if anything is advanced and you're missing the point. What a narrow view. You weren't there so you have a lack of perspective. You're forgetting about the individual. The one who rides, and the one who sees the event.

The reaction of the people on the streets (LA - I can't comment on other places) were 95% positive. It brought smiles to peoples faces. If YOU have to opportunity to bring a smile to someones face, would you do it? If even one person researches what the point was of the event, it was worth it. Fun participating, fun watching. Isn't that what cycling is about, fun?

In addition to bike safety and promoting cycling, the other point was body acceptance. Riding with elderly riders and others who do not fit the socially accepted definition of a great body was a great experience.

I talked to a very attractive woman (who society would not consider having a great body) who was so happy to be there. Hopefully most of you know how hard things can be for a woman when it comes to body image and nudity. Just look at the comments in this thread. Open any magazine. See any tv show or movie. For someone to hear negative things all the time to hearing positive things at an event like this is awesome. For the spectators, someone with body image issues might see an imperfect rider go by and see how happy they are.

If YOU had a chance to help make someone feel better about themselves, would you do it?

If you don't like it, that's fine. A lot of people don't. I just recommend thinking about it thoroughly before making judgements

DakotaInTheSky

Nah, there are enough cyclists with sticks up their asses.

OldsCOOL

Might as well let the whole world see

Steve Whitlatch 

Well it is good that everyone has fun. The last few reports are more in line with what the event is really about. I just could not stomach the " holy ride for a cause" line of crap anymore. The first one may have been for a cause. It has become a "get naked and ride your bike party" . Nothing wrong with that, just call it what it is.

Wulf

You might consider 2 helmets.

St33lWh33ls

So your speaking for the Police, are you in law enforcement, did you interview any officers that day?

The point is riding a bike with your junk out for all the world to see. You seem to have the ability to gauge every participants and spectators motive for being there and applying your perspective to them.

Wow 95%, thats overwhelmingly in favor of your perspective...isn't it. How many people did you interview?

By riding with my junk out....NO!

Word has it cycling can be fun fully clothed.

Oh good greif, now its a social experiment of peace, love and understanding, not a bunch of Jackasses riding with their junk out.

Wow your a psychologist as well, so riding naked in front of total strangers is a good prescription for someone with body issues?

Enjoy your day of riding with your junk out, but don't try to make it into some grand gesture for all of humanity. Years ago you could buy T-Shirts that had "your hobby or diversion here...NAKED!", people would laugh and smile at those as well because the thought of it was so ridiculous. Then came the whole streaking phase, none of those participants were in it for the greater good, they saw it for what it was, jackassery at its finest. So Lady Godiva, jump down off that high horse and realize that you can delude yourself to higher purpose by riding with your junk out, just don't expect everyone to buy into your delusion.