Two friends are causing a stir completing a six-day tandem bike ride completely naked. Neil Cox, 36, and his friend, J Antic, 25, set off on Saturday on a naked 260-mile journey from Gloucester to Land’s End, Cornwall.
The pair are both naturists - meaning they like to spend time in the nude - and wanted to see some natural beauty across the south west of England. Neil and J have cycled naked through Gloucester to Bristol, taken a trip to the Mendips and stopped off in Glastonbury.
The pair have spent some nights camping and others in hotels or B&Bs, and even took some nude trips out shopping or to drink in bars while on their journey. Now in Cornwall, they’re on the last leg of their cycle - and say the response to them so far has been “overwhelmingly positive”.
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"People on social media always have opinions - but we haven’t had many negative reactions. People in Glastonbury were overwhelmingly positive, it was a bit overwhelming. In Bristol people had a casual indifference, but that’s what we want to be the case really.
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“Wherever we go, people do look over - I think some are just bemused about seeing two people on a tandem. So they find it even funnier to see two naked people on a tandem.”
I enjoy being naked. Not a taboo “sexual” joy, but like my body can freely move. I’m more aware of what I’m doing and what my body is feeling. My posture is better, I don’t overeat (it’s psychological, seeing and feeling myself controls zombie gluttony), my skin feels healthier being exposed, I’m more confident in being shirtless or “exposed” compared to normal societal dress, etc etc etc.
Most important part, we need to combat the “naked=sexual”. It’s taboo in the west and we have a real health problem with body hiding and not openly talking about stuff.
All that said, they’re wearing shoes and helmets… It makes no sense and this is just a performative event. I wear clothes when I’m cooking or doing anything that might harm my skin on contact. They’re doing a 6 day TANDEM marathon!! That’s a lot of faith in the universe and all of it’s constantly moving parts.