Saddling up while stripping off: Couple on their passion for naked bike rides
Gene and Diane Robinson who will take part in the Irish leg of the World Naked Bike Ride taking place in Cork city later this month.
An elderly couple are gearing up to strip off and meet with Cork’s Lord Mayor while stark naked for what has become one of the most anticipated events on the naturism calendar.
Gene and Diane Robinson, who are 81 and 76 respectively, will travel from their home in Cumbria to participate in the Irish leg of the World Naked Bike Ride later this month.
The couple have been chosen to officially meet the Lord Mayor at the finish line outside City Hall. This will be Gene and Diane’s 49th World Naked Bike Ride following their retirements.
They have taken part in many legs of the event including a number In the UK and a previous two in Cork.
Former chemistry teacher Gene said that he and his wife, Diane, who previously worked as a nurse, began their unorthodox pastime to get rid of unwanted tan lines. They hope to celebrate their milestone 50th naked bike ride by next year “if indeed we make it that far,” Gene joked.
The Cork event is taking place on Friday, August 23 from 10.30am to 2.30pm as part of the Body Positive Festival which also includes naked axe throwing and a clothing optional music quiz among its highlights.
Gene said it was an honour for him and his wife to be chosen as representatives to meet and speak with Lord Mayor Cllr Dan Boyle (Green Party) after the event.
“I’m a little nervous about meeting the Lord Mayor,” Gene told the .
“We have stood in for group photographs with the Lord Mayor before both in 2018 and 2022 but, I’ve never actually spoken to him. I met the Mayor of Brighton a long time ago for something work related. It must have been 1972. However, it’s not quite the same when you are meeting him while cycling naked on a bike. That’s going to be something completely different.
"I can’t believe we have been asked to meet him. Diane said she has never met a Lord Mayor in her life. I’m not sure what we’re going to say to him when we meet him but we’ll think of something.”
World Naked Bike Rides began in 2002 to highlight the dangers on the road after the death of six cyclists in Spain’s Zaragoza. They have since been replicated all over the world.
The first Irish naked bike ride kicked off in 2009 and has since also become a platform for talented body painters whose work can be spotted on some of the cyclists.
Gene described the first naked bike ride they took part in as 'surreal'.
“We were away in Portugal one year when we saw people on the beach without their clothes. We thought it was great because we didn’t want to end up looking stripey. We are not naturists in the sense that a lot of people are. We just do it when we have the opportunity.
"So, in 2012, when we saw an ad on the internet highlighting the London naked bike ride, I suggested we take part. I couldn’t believe that people could ride around London naked but that was exactly what they were doing. It was Diane who famously said “I am not doing that!”, but I knew that meant she really wanted to do it. When she worked up the courage to take her clothes off in front of everyone there was this sharp intake of breath from her.
"I can remember cycling down Park Lane behind her asking myself 'is this real?'
"We thought we’d do another one after that and just kept going. We liked doing it because these things take a bit of nerve. Ever since then the world has opened up to us.”
He laughed that not all bike rides have gone according to plan.
“There was one occasion where Diane got caught on her own at some traffic lights on the streets of Edinburgh. The rest of the group had got through when all of a sudden the lights change and Diane realise she was the only one left. She was just standing there thinking we had all abandoned her. The hills are very steep and the traffic lights are at the top so you have to walk to get to them. Five minutes is a long time to be standing on one of the main streets of Edinburgh with all your clothes off. Luckily, after a while of cycling around with no clothes you forget you’re even naked.”
Gene said the reaction from the public has been mostly positive.
“Nobody is asking you to appear on the streets with your clothes off. You are doing this whether they like it or not. The only negative reaction I’ve seen was when another cyclist was deliberately thrown off their bike by two youths on a motorbike. That was very unpleasant but it is also very rare.
"Most of the time the reaction is extremely positive. It’s probably the closest thing to being a celebrity you ever get to experience. You are being applauded and approached by members of the public requesting photographs.”
Both Gene and Diane have two children from previous relationships and share one son, Martin.
“He doesn’t really want to know about the naked bike rides,” Gene laughed. “I think he might be a bit embarrassed so he doesn’t say too much about it. His wife on the other hand thinks it’s great.”
Donations from this year’s event will go towards a campaign to reopen Camden Palace Hotel — a community arts centre which supported the WNBR in its early days. To enquire about signing up for this year’s WNBR event email nakedbikeridecork@gmail.com.
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