If you’re a proud cyclist or just proud of your body, pump up your tires for New Orleans’ fourth annual World Naked Bike Ride. As NoDef’s Annika Mengisen pointed out last week in her op-ed piece, when it comes to nudity, this isn’t New Orleans’ first rodeo. But what makes this ride subversive isn’t all the flesh; it’s the stance against oil dependence and the plea for automobile drivers to share the road.

The ride itself started eight years ago in Spain, and it has expanded to 20 countries and 70 cities around the world. The ride’s mission is to “peacefully expose the vulnerability of cyclists, humanity and nature in the face of cars, aggression, consumerism and non-renewable energy.” We talked to the Moderator of the New Orleans Naked Bike Ride, Sebren Strother, about what makes this cause personal to him.  

“I used to own a bike shop for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of people bring in bicycles that are run over by cars," he said. "I think this is a mission to let people know that we’re out there. One of our slogans is ‘can you see me now?’ The people here drive really badly, and they have no respect for people on bicycles.”

Weather permitting, Strother is expecting 600-800 people to show up at Markey Park on Piety Street in the Bywater “as bare as they dare.” Before the gentlemen hop on their bikes, they’re required to cover their genitals in whichever manner they choose. Strother said they usually get creative.

“The most common coverage is Crown Royal bags, socks, an array of all kinds of things.”

Strother said the most frequently asked question he receives from inquirers is whether or not participants wind up with rashes on their nether regions. The four year moderator said he’s never heard any complaints from riders. In fact, he wants people to realize that cyclists are, “just as vulnerable with our clothes on as [they] are with our clothes off.”

Don’t expect to see any bare skinned bikers in handcuffs, this ride is all permitted and by the book. The NOPD blocks traffic for the riders with their scooters, and Strother said that there were some officers who were surprised by how smoothly the event played out its first year in 2009.

To anyone who finds it shocking that an all-nude event can operate without a hitch, Strother just says, “Relax, it’s a penis, not a gun.”

Strother also said that men tend to be more reserved about stripping down to their skivvies. Apparently, the fairer sex is also the barer sex. For those of you who are considering riding but concerned about being recognized, Strother recommends that you “mask up.”

Participants must arrive at Markey Park by 5pm tomorrow, June 9.