In memory of Call Rider

Alphatribe’s hardened fetish heart was broken to hear of the death of one of the nicest guys in our scene – Cal Rider. Also known as Charles Abel-Lea, Cal left us for leather heaven on Wednesday 6 November 2019. He was best known for founding #Gear365, a social media initiative which encourages guys to proudly post pictures and stories of them in gear in everyday settings. The entire Alphatribe team would like to pass on their heartfelt condolences to Scott, Cal’s husband of six years, and his family and friends.

Cal was a well-known face at major fetish circuit events, and he was always smiling. He was always dressed immaculately in full leather, proudly representing the image of the ultimate leatherman on the street. His firm belief was that leather, or indeed any fetish gear, should be worn anywhere and everywhere, 24/7 and 365 days of the year. Cal didn’t believe that wearing gear should only happen in gay bars and clubs or just at the weekend during a fetish event. He lived what he preached. Just before he passed away, Cal was seen wearing full leather in the hot desert sun at 2019 Palm Springs Leather Pride.

We understand that #Gear365 will continue in his memory. The initiative has a fantastic team of guys and moderators who will continue to encourage guys to post their pictures and stories. The group has thousands of members and even more fans, including every member of the Alphatribe team.

The best images were always of Cal, often out in the desert on his beloved motorbike. The group’s motto is ‘No Fear in Gear’ and its mission was ‘To help people be their true geared selves every day in everyday life.’

When news of his death broke, messages flooded in from all over the world and from every corner of the fetish scene. The love the community had for Cal is expressed on his personal and #Gear365 Facebook pages for all to see. We have lost one of the good guys. A guy whose main goal in life was to make gay fetish more acceptable and accepted by the wide world. He will be missed.

Cal’s wrote his personal Manifesto in January 2018 to explain #Gear365. His words are as good an epitaph as we can think of.