The Diva’s Guide to Biking, Riding a Bike in Skirts and Heels

[cindysue]

The Diva’s Guide to Biking - Riding a Bike in Skirts and Heels

http://www.sfbike.org/?diva

some of you will get a kick out of this article :D and some might be offended :eek: but in light of bike to work week, I thought I'd share it anyway as a light-hearted cute article :) ............

[Trekhawk]

LOL - interesting tips. Not sure I will need them but hey you just never know.:D

[Trek420]

I would never need that, won't catch me even in a skort but...I'll forward this to the Lifecycle board. There's quite a few who'll need the tips for red dress day. We've even had a rider convert his pumps to SPD compatible.

Hey, they are my people I can say this ;)

[MomOnBike]

For some reason (my body in lycra frightens the horses & makes small children cry?) I've been considering riding in a skirt. It would be so sweet to show up somewhere like a concert on a bike looking appropriate, if a tad sweaty.

However, being as gadget-happy as I am, I'm thinking about modifying the bike significantly. (Hmmm, do we see a new bike in the offing?)

Mom(remembering Ali McGraw in Love Story in a skirt on a bike)OnBike

[KnottedYet]

Weren't we talking about the Terry Commuter skort a while back? It worked on my 'bent, and yesterday I tried it out on my Kona. Seems to be just fine on the bike. I've worn it in public more than just riding. Comes down to my knees.

Now, if you want a looong skirt, I think you'll have to go shopping for a mixte frame. And, of course, you'll need to get a whole lot of new gear and accessories for the new bike, right? And some long-skirt outfits, too!

Hey, I can rationalize anything! Just ask!:D

[MomOnBike]

Oh yes, I'm talking concert blacks (clothing) here - as in, go on stage and play Bach in them, or something sparkely for a night as part of a hoity-toity concert audience.

So, in no particular order, I'm seeing a mixte frame, long flowing skirt, um, makeup, fenders, and a really good lock. All at the same time. Not to mention a secure, cushioned way to transport my instrument. (I'm not asking much, really. :) )

This is not necessarily a combo that springs to anyone else's mind. As I said, I've got ideas, but I'm not quite ready to share them. When I do, though, I'm going to ask for much help in pimping that bike - which will be blue.

[DirtDiva]

We've even had a rider convert his pumps to SPD compatible.
Haha! That's awesome! :D

Hey MOB - what do you play? Isn't it something seriously trailer-worthy big, like a double bass? :D You must post a photo when the project is completed. I've only ever turned up to rehearsals on the bike, and it's not like you need to cary much to sing...

[MomOnBike]

I play viola and double bass. DH plays French horn. We go to rehearsals all the time with viola and horn (literally) in tow.

I've figured out how to haul the viola on the 'bent (love the underseat racks) but have yet to figure out how to transport the bass. DH uses a Burley trailer to pull his horn - which is about the size, if not the shape, of a small child.

We chuckle on cold winter nights riding home from rehearsals, drivers are particularly nice and accomidating. After all, we've obviously got a baby in that trailer that needs to get home. I keep waiting for someone to call Child Protective Services on us...:rolleyes:

[VenusdeVelo]

Actually, because you tend to bike here in Netherlands everywhere you go, when we have to see friends at night etc. we bike there, and I will wear heels -- it's actually easier to bike in heels than to walk with them on these cobblestones!

But the skirt and heels, everyone here does it, I find the skiry think harder unless it's a sport kind of dress. I feel like I'm doing my best Sharon Stone imitation as I am not used to having to worry about keeping those legs close together on a recreational bike!!!

[BeeLady]

I wear very short cycling shorts under my knee-length skirts if I'm going somewhere that I'd feel uncomfortable in my lycra. The skirts I'm talking about are casual, fine for the grocery store or where ever. The black shorts are long enough so when the skirt does ride up anyone paying undue attention to this 51-year-old's body can easily spot the shorts and get their minds right;) .

When I use my bike for errand-running this works the best for me plus keeps my bottom comfy with the chamious. I also have the Terry skort and that works well but no chamious in the commuter length that I have.

No heels -- don't wear them under any circumstances!

[mimitabby]

glad you dug this up. Fun article!

[xeney]

I found that article linked elsewhere a couple of months ago and it inspired me to re-attempt commuting in a skirt. I have a very short commute (too short to need to change when I get there), and my commute bike is a mixte specifically so I could wear a skirt on the ride, but I still feel pretty exposed when I do it. Mostly I have an irrational fear that I am going to fall and get really bad road rash ... the reason that is irrational is that it's not like my usual summer workwear of lightweight capri pants is going to offer much more protection than a skirt.

I have a slightly less irrational fear that I will pass my boss in the alley and he will see my underwear. Again.

[Bad JuJu]

and he will see my underwear. Again.
:eek: I'm not even gonna ask.

[xeney]

The first time I rode to work in a skirt, I stupidly chose a denim skirt that buttoned up the front. One of the buttons came undone on the ride, so I was sort of flashing the whole neighborhood, but I was sort of blase about it ... until I pulled into the alley at work, and there was my boss driving in from the other direction.

Hi, boss!

I am thinking, based on that article, that I can probably learn to ride a bike in these shoes (http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/6643484/c/307.html), which I bought last year and never wore because, while they are super comfortable for standing, they are not very comfortable for walking.

[chickwhorips]

those are such cute shoes! must get a pair! i love my dansko shoes that i have now. don't know if i can replace them yet.

[Kitsune06]

*Gasp!* Horribly offended!


'kay, not really. :D If a man can bike around comfortably in a kilt (http://www.utilikilts.com/), then a woman should be able to wear a skirt.

that said, I can kinda justify wearing a sarong biking in the summer. It looks cute, covers up my swimming suit, and it works ok on the bike as long as I'm careful to get the overlap right and not let it get in my chainring....

[RoadRaven]

We've even had a rider convert his pumps to SPD compatible.



OK... I have to ask... is this a mix-up in the way we use English? Or is he a cross-dressing biker?

Over here, "pumps" are women's (usually :p ) shoes

[pooks]

Now, if you want a looong skirt, I think you'll have to go shopping for a mixte frame.

Not at all!

http://www.macabiskirt.com/

I have one of these and actually love it. In fact, I was wearing one the first time I test-rode bikes at REI, and just hooked it shorter and hopped on!

They look cute long, kinda funky short, but I don't let that bother me.

[CycleChic06]

I'm sorry, I'm trying to find the article humorous, but I just can't get past the opening line

"don’t despair, it’s easy to wear skirts and heels while riding a bike."

When I was in college I had to write a paper on the differences between advertising in the 50's vs the 90's (late 90's when I was still in school). This sounds exactly like some of the ads that people today find so revolting. It's the way that men wrote ads directed towards women in the 50's. Like one that sticks in my memory that went something like "Now you can breath in fresh air in your car without having the windows rolled down and your hair messed up."

I have nothing against wearing skirts while you ride and if you want to wear heels, that your own life that you are risking. But to address women in this way is so insulting!!

The author presents good ideas but I find the article overall poorly written. What century are we living in??

Emily

[xeney]

I thought she was intentionally mimicking those ads. And she was specifically talking about bicycle commuting, not recreational riding, and plenty of women don't ride bikes to work because of the way they have to dress for work.

[CycleChic06]

I think the intentionally mimicking part would have worked if it was a satirical article. But the article wasn't satire and she wanted her suggestions to be taken seriously. Sorry, it just doesn't work for me.

[CycleChic06]

For some reason (my body in lycra frightens the horses & makes small children cry?) I've been considering riding in a skirt. It would be so sweet to show up somewhere like a concert on a bike looking appropriate, if a tad sweaty.

However, being as gadget-happy as I am, I'm thinking about modifying the bike significantly. (Hmmm, do we see a new bike in the offing?)

Mom(remembering Ali McGraw in Love Story in a skirt on a bike)OnBike

Mom on bike, I've considered this too, as the summer home for the wind ensemble I play with is only 7 miles from my apartment and is on one of my favorite bike routes. But I could never ride in a skirt (not logisitically possible on my bike) and the thought of showing up sweaty for a concert AND the even more terrifying thought of something happening to my instrument (that is worth waaaaay more than my bike) on the ride up there kept me from doing it all summer.

Even worse, imagining myself on a bike wearing all black and a long black skirt brings up different fears of looking like the wicked witch from the Wizard of Oz. All I'd need was a basket with a dog's head sticking out the front of it.

[xeney]

Well, sometimes I have to dress up for work (or just feel like wearing a skirt) so I appreciated the suggestions. I thought the leg warmers in particular were an excellent suggestion, and I liked the suggestion about wedge heels, too. I don't think the article said that anyone HAD to dress that way to ride a bike, but if you do happen to ride one and you sometimes wear skirts, it's nice to know what worked for someone else.

[lph]

Ok, finally got around to checking out this thread, doesn't really apply to me personally, but this link had some really cool pictures...:



If a man can bike around comfortably in a kilt (http://www.utilikilts.com/)


Oh my! :eek: Didja see that cyclist in a kilt? And why doesn't MY bike repair guy look like that??

*shutting mouth and discreetly wiping drool*

[run it, ride it]

That article was hardly comprehensive. I ride to school in a skirt nearly every day, just because I like skirts. No tights, no shorts, no fancy socks. Here are some REAL tips:

When wearing a long flowy skirt that might get caught in your chain or rear wheel, bunch it up at one side about knee-length and secure with a hair elastic. The weight of the skirt will keep it from blowing up.

When wearing a short skirt, safety-pin it together at the hem between your legs. No fly-up. For a short -tight- skirt (i.e. can't sit down with your legs even a little apart), just don't sit in the saddle at all.

To mount a bicycle with a horizontal top bar in a skirt, either make sure you're flashing a wall, or tilt the bicycle down far enough to get your bent knee over the bar, straighten your leg and tilt the bicycle back up.

They got the heels pretty well-documented.

If Mary Kingsley could travel South Africa in the nineteenth century wearing petticoats, I can ride my bicycle in a skirt and heels.

[MomOnBike]

CycleChic -

I've yet to ride to a concert in complete concert blacks, but I have ridden to rehearsal with DH. My viola rides very securely on the under-seat rack on my recumbent, and DH's horn comes along in the Burley trailer.

Of the two, I think my viola has the better deal, I can reach down and touch it - OK, the case - at any time. Sadly, I'm less likely to bomb down hills when the viola's along.

The horn, while child sized, is not child shaped, but it rides well enough.

As for going to the concert, um, we just wimp out. <shrug> I like the idea of gathering the skirt with a hair tie, though, I'm going to experiment with that. My black skirt is pretty full, I wonder how many ties it would need.... <emoticon with steam coming out ears>

I've yet to figure out how to combine my bass and the bike, that's a bit more of a challange. FWIW, on of my buddies in college was driving along with two string basses in the back of his truck and got rear-ended. Cars aren't all that safe for instruments, either.

[Bex]

After having a couple of uncomfortable occasions where members of the opposite sex were eyeing me in my cycling shorts in a not-so-nice way while in a store on my way home, I picked up several tennis skirts and skorts (the tennis ones can be found at much lower prices than the cycling specific ones, and they look about the same except no chamois - but I wear my shorts underneath if I need the padding) off eBay, and I wear my short cycling shorts underneath, or I just wear a skort to ride in, and I've really enjoyed them. Makes those quick little stops at the store much more comfortable ... and they're cute! Of course it's about time to put them away (unless I get some leg warmers!), finally had to pull out my tights (bare legs were quite chilly Monday evening!).

I appreciate the tips for wearing a regular skirt on the bike though ... I'm sure the occasion will come up where I might want to do that (and I also noticed Ali McGraw looking so cute on her bike in her little skirts the last time I watched Love Story :) )

[Sgritn]

Yeah, so stone me if you have the time.......for digging up an old thread to you--new to this newbie though...I just saw this thread. I have two sport skirts which I love to wear which have shorts beneath them. I love wearing them but they seem to be distracting to male drivers on the other side of the road who seem to be hesitiating their driving to catch a cycling crotch :oview...really funny but annoying at the same time. Skirts are nice for biking and I'll continue as long as the shorts are attached.

[lph]

hee-hee, this reminded me - I was buying groceries on my way home yesterday and this one elderly customer buying spinach got so kerfluffled at my wearing bike gear that I swear he made a detour behind me just to stare. Go on granddad, get an eyeful.

The one cashier at my local grocery store looked quite surprised when I came in wearing normal stuff, and said "hey, don't you usually wear a helmet?" :D

I don't mind the bike look, but those skorts do look pretty cute.

[Trek420]

OK... I have to ask... is this a mix-up in the way we use English? Or is he a cross-dressing biker?

Over here, "pumps" are women's (usually :p ) shoes

Took a while for me to see this, sorry for the delay. Yes, he was cross dressing. On AIDS lifecycle the "short" day of the ride, 47 miles but it's very hilly is called "Dress in Red Day". And this being California it quickly became "Red Dress day".

This rider took the idea to new heights. Yes, they are SPD compatible.

http://www.dgolds.com/photos/ALC6/images/005008HighHeelsWithCleats.jpg

[KnottedYet]

That is cool!!!!!!

[Trek420]

Yes, and you'll be pleased to know I heard that he had the bike fit for both standard cycling gear and the pumps. So he knew just how to adjust the bike for that day and how to set it back to "normal". :cool:

So if men can do this, ladies? We can ride in anything. :cool: ;)