A New Jersey police department is asking the public to help identify a man who has ridden an e-bike naked through local nature trails for years.
Quick Take
- Readington Township Police say they have gotten scattered reports for several years about a nude e-bike rider on township trails.
- The man was seen again recently and caught on camera, prompting police to ask the public for tips.
- Police have not filed charges, and legal experts note public nudity alone often does not meet the bar for indecent exposure.
- The case shows how local police sometimes must balance odd, low-level complaints against more urgent public safety work.
Years of Sightings on Local Trails
Readington Township Police in Hunterdon County say the same man has been spotted riding an electric bike naked on local trails for several years. The department said in a statement, “Over the past several years, we have received sporadic reports of the same gentleman enjoying our township trails aboard an electric bicycle while wearing… considerably less safety equipment than we would recommend.”
Officers say the rider was seen again on a recent Friday and was caught on camera during that sighting. Police did not release the footage or say how they plan to use it. They are now asking anyone with information about the rider’s identity to come forward. New Jersey outlets picked up the story soon after the department posted it.
Police Ask Public for Help Identifying Him
Readington police have not said the man broke any specific law. Instead, they framed the search as a lighthearted public notice, calling him a “free spirit” while reminding riders that safety gear, including helmets, is strongly encouraged on township trails. The rider has not been named a suspect in any crime, and no charges have been announced.
The township’s trail system spans multiple sites, including Cushetunk Woods and the Whitehouse Greenway, open to walkers, horseback riders, and cyclists from dawn to dusk. Mountain biking is allowed even though the trails were not built specifically for bikes. The size and mix of user groups make it easy for someone to slip away unseen, which may explain why the same rider has avoided capture for years.
Where Public Nudity Law Usually Draws the Line
Public nudity cases like this one often turn on intent, not just exposure. Guidance used by police in other jurisdictions notes that a sexual offense generally requires proof someone deliberately exposed themselves to another person meaning to cause distress. Simple nudity, without that intent or without evidence of harassment, frequently falls short of meeting a criminal threshold.
Courts in other states have reached similar conclusions in nude-cycling cases. A Portland judge once dismissed indecent exposure charges against a nude cyclist, ruling that public nudity can be treated as a form of protected expression under certain circumstances. That history suggests the Readington case may end with identification rather than prosecution, depending on what investigators find.
đŸ”¥ HOT TAKE: Naked ‘free-spirited’ e-bike rider sought by NJ cops after riding trails in the buff for years
This cyclist is nuts! A naked e-bike rider has been peddling in the nude on a New Jersey trail for years, police said. Readington Township authorities said they’ve been on…
— Cyber Hunter (@Gene_SD) September 9, 2026
A Small Story With a Familiar Undertone
The story has spread quickly online because of its odd, almost comic details: a mystery rider, years of sightings, and a police department leaning into humor rather than alarm. But it also touches a theme many Americans already feel about their local governments. Departments juggle limited resources, and residents often wonder whether time spent chasing minor oddities comes at the cost of addressing bigger community problems.
Readington’s police have not suggested this case is a priority over serious crime. Their public post reads more like a community bulletin than an urgent alert. Still, the attention it has drawn shows how quickly small-town stories can spread nationally, especially when they mix humor with unanswered questions about who the rider is and why he keeps returning to the same trails.
Sources:
nypost.com, patch.com, trailforks.com
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