Cyclist takes fight for nudity to High Court

A nude cyclist has taken his desire to ride unencumbered to the High Court.

Nick Lowe, 40, appeared in the High Court at Wellington yesterday after refusing to pay a $200 fine for offensive behaviour, The Dominion Post reported.

He had been reported to police by a motorist who spotted him during a nude ride on Akatarawa Rd, north of Upper Hutt last year.

"I couldn't believe it, it just wasn't right," Lowe said outside court.

His laywer, Michael Bott, told the court riding naked on a rural road was not offensive and people had relaxed their attitudes to nudity, citing events such as Boobs on Bikes and National Nude Day.

Crown prosecutor Michael Snape said those events were well heralded so the public could steer clear if they did not want to see nudity.

Lowe told the newspaper he wasn't an exhibitionist, "I'm just uncomfortable in clothes".

He completed last year's Coast to Coast race with his lower half exposed and said he often trained naked.

The court reserved its decision.

- NZPA