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Seattle Critical Ass

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Critical Ass is a variant of the Critical Mass bike ride, where participating bicyclists ride in their underwear (also known as underwearing) or in the nude. Riders do not necessarily all ride together. Since Critical Mass does not have a dress code, and the concept of Critical Ass has been popularized in Critical Mass circles, it is considered a clothing-optional bike ride.

Regular Critical Ass rides have taken place in New York City, Chicago and other locales throughout North America.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

It is believed there has been at least one instance of naked cycling in Seattle Critical Mass rides in the past. (Add IndyMedia image)

J. Steve, the founder of Body Pride Ride, and on the coordination team for WNBR Seattle began riding during Critical Mass without clothes in 2006.

2007 was a big year for clothing-optional bike rides in Seattle. There were six events, Solstice Cyclists, Body Pride Ride, WNBR Seattle, WNBR Seattle Night Ride, Hemp Ride and Seattle Critical Ass. In addition, a painted topfree woman participated in New Belgium's Tour de Fat [2].

On Friday, August 31, 2007 the number of naked cyclists grew to four naked riders, all male, not always riding together. Among those participants was J. Steve, Paul, Daniel Johnson and one other. All of those people knew each from other local clothing-optional cycling events.

There were two naked cyclists, J. Steve and Daniel Johnson, during the infamous 25 July 2008 ride.[3] and one on the 29 Aug 2008 ride (Daniel).

On Friday, 26 June 2009, a ride was organized and staged at the last minute, five riders rode naked and helped to promote upcoming 11 July 2009 WNBR Seattle ride. A new record!

[edit] Police involvement

No known arrests have been made for nudity during Seattle Critical Mass/Ass events.

During an event on April 28, 2006 an officer stopped and told J. Steve (the only one who rode during that ride naked) to put on his clothes. This was after J. Steve broke off from the main group after attempting to locate his shorts, which fell off his bike. Daniel Johnson was accompanying him clothed.

[edit] Press coverage

I have nothing against bikes, bikers, bike clubs or bike trails. But it's not the bikes or everyday cyclists that concern me: It's the in-your-face radical activists and their two-wheel orgies -- characteristically rude and, on occasion, in the nude -- such as coalition rally-rides blocking traffic on downtown streets. Am I alone appalled by such belligerent, anti-social stunts?
  • Seattle Post-Intelligencer, First-person account of Critical Mass by P-I intern Evi Sztajno. (Two small references in report) Posted by P-I/New Media at July 30, 2008 12:05 a.m. Excerpt:
Also, take a look at my first-person account of the Critical Mass ride Friday:
A young professional from Bellevue who drives his car to work. A couple visiting from Tucson, Ariz., and their 2-year-old son. A middle-age woman riding with her Wiener dog in a basket, and a naked guy.
They're not exactly people you'd think would go on a bike ride that turned violent. But they were pedaling through downtown Seattle as part of critical mass Friday night when the monthly cyclist-awareness event turned into a knock-down-drag-out affair.
...And let me tell you, by the time you get to the top of that steep hill, going commando doesn't seem like such a strange idea anymore.
One man rode around wearing a pair of shorts but no shirt. And as soon as riders headed off en masse he stripped off the shorts and rode naked, despite the cool weather.
Yeah, Critical Mass is back, there's a naked rider, baby!" one woman yelled.

[edit] See also

[edit] External Links

[edit] Seattle photos and video

[edit] 29 Aug 2008

The ride just keeps going and going, followed by the police paddywagons... just for good measure, right? :) Funny comments: "Ha ha... Now I can't YouTube it!" and "The naked guy? totally... I totally got him"

[edit] 25 July 2008

[edit] 31 Aug 2007

[edit] San Francisco Photos

[edit] Notes

  1. ↑ Eye Weekly Jun 2, 2005 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada): "Nudist Profiling," accessed on Feb 23 2006. [1]
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