Quick & Easy Bicycle Skirt Guards

Skirt guards are hard to find in America and can be very expensive. Cable ties and scraps of tulle or other mesh material will keep your skirt safe without going to the Netherlands or haggling with a collectibles dealer. You can read about the inspiration for this project at www.evilmadscientist.com

Step 1 Gather materials

You'll need a bike with fenders, a handful of cable ties, and a couple of pieces of tulle or mesh slightly larger than your fender. A cruiser or touring bike will work best, but you could adapt this to a bike with a cargo rack or a seat post mounted fender with a couple of holes drilled in it. Tulle is cheap at any fabric/craft store (mine was on sale after halloween) or can be scavenged from old formal dresses. It is reasonably strong and doesn't hold dirt very well. You can spray it clean pretty easily, too.

Comments

[firetrucks]

This is so clever!! I have a lady bike and I love dresses and long dramatic coats, so I'll definitely be using your method. I want to hem the tulle, though, and maybe even use eyelet tape, so I have to wait til my sewing machine is fixed :( but I promise I'll be back with pictures in a few months. I love that this is so lightweight, and I'm floored that yours have held up for five years!

[meradera]

Great idea! I'm testing window screen material, and so far it is holding up okay. Does anyone have an idea how to construct a chain guard?

[kaiplusjosh]

if you have the old chain guard you can take some sheet metal and cut out your shape then drill holes thro the chain guard and your sheet metal then bolt it together and that way you can paint it how ever you want

[Kay Schmidt]

Where were you 45 years ago when i had an imported embroidered skirt munched by rear wheel, arrived at high school class late, tear-stained, all discombobulated and sweaty? (Not born yet, I know.) Am looking forward to getting bike and riding again, very glad to see your intructable!! Am visiting sites pricing helmets, speedometers, lights, gloves, jerseys, and the all-important etc. Any suggestions or comments anyone has to help in this are certainly welcome. And I am so glad this site exists!! Thanks.

[1lenore]

The site I'm currently ogling for beautiful cycle accessories is The Bicycle Muse. I really dig the oilcloth panniers. The helmets are cute, too, and they have reflective spats!

[Kay Schmidt]

"Reflective spats ... hhmmnn" Thanks for the more to think about and look at.

[brittaful]

wonderful! i used floral wire instead of cable ties, but am really happy with the results! brilliant idea, thanks! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2193772&id=16114732&l=4110a8ec4f

[kreuzberg]

that looks really neat. i just found a website that sells skirtguards in america (www.theurbanbicycle.com) but if that doesn't work out, i'm definitely trying this.

[1lenore]

Your bike looks great! Perfect that you used what you had on hand, too.

[wolfybrie]

My skirt only ever gets stuck in the back brake, so I don't think this one will work for me unless the fabric went over the metal guard. But once I get my new bike I'll try it out similarly.

[Knox O]

Wow! That's so cool - and so practical. My realisation that 'I'm a lady' has coincided with my starting to cycle to work, so now I can achieve both - hopefully in style! And I agree with Caya - gorgeous bike! ;o)

[1lenore]

Thanks! If you do make your own skirt guards, I'd love to see how they turn out. Interestingly, there is now (finally!) a bike being sold in America with skirt guards: the Electra Amsterdam. However, I still haven't seen any skirt guards sold separately for outfitting your favorite bike.

[inkstainedheart]

There's one on Amazon.com for guys. It could use a good paint job, but it otherwise looks pretty decent.

[1lenore]

Thanks! I've never seen the Electra Amsterdam skirt guards sold separately from the bikes before. They might not fit all bikes, but it is good to see them out there.

[PrimeGuy]

Thanks 1lenore.....I have found 'skirtguards' for sale but for some reason I cant add the photo here at this time.....I can send you a photo of it [e-mail].....regards, Jack

[geowulf]

You could totally use coroplast sign board (there are always a million of them during an election year). Great idea!

[PrimeGuy]

Great Idea....Have you done this on a bike yet? How would I go about installing this signboard?

[1lenore]

I have not used coroplast, but I have used cardboard. You do it pretty much the same way - make holes for cable ties where you want to attach it to the struts.

[chris_too_cool_for_school]

Aw, that is a beautiful bike, improved with a brilliant idea. Cheers!

[vrkelley]

I'm not sure how long that would last without ripping out. Esp on fast descents. Guess it's just for going around 8-10mph.

[1lenore]

This bike weighs over 40 pounds, so I don't get going very fast very often, but I never had any problems with fast descents when I made them. I have had these skirt guards on my bike for about five years now (with off-and-on heavy use) and they have not ripped at all, but have stretched a little. If you're very concerned about long term strength, I would suggest using canvas instead of tulle, putting eyelets or buttonholes in the canvas and then using cable ties to attach to the frame. However, you would need to hem the canvas to prevent fraying.

[bedbugg2]

you have a tricked out ride

[Karpov]

I don´t speak English. Sorry.

[bedbugg2]

you just spoke it lol

[swede d hied]

would your contraption be of use to a young scotts laddy cause ma kilt plays havoc with ma spokes ah know it looks gie bonny but can ah change yer colours tae suit ma clans tartan or kin ye draw up one so i kin see if it passes muster ......keep on groovin as they say.swede

[HeresyOfTruth]

Perfect! I am in the process of buying a utility/commuter bike, but could not find anywhere that sold skirt guards. Now I will just use your method, from your very excellent tutorial.

[1lenore]

Thanks! That is what it's all about.

[captain_cardboard]

Hey, do those christmas tree lights work?

[oskay]

They do; I've seen it. You can see the green battery box next to the hub. They even light up in sequence, which looks pretty neat when it's rolling.

[WPee]

Hello Ladies, Guys also like skirts (but we don't wear them - grin) I do recall a young fellow who used a piece of alumimum and POP-Rivets and BOND-DOUGH and a really excellent metal flake paint job. My guess is it's about time for that design style to make a RETURN. It may also INCLUDE such things a LEDs and GPS and up-to-date goodies.....LET THE PARADE BEGIN....

[sandma1half]

Nice Idea! I love to wear skirts with my bicycle b/c it makes the ride feel more pleasant and less like a regular commute. I have even flirted with the idea of wearing semi-formal gowns on a bike, and now that I know how to make a skirt guard, I may just try it! Thanks!

[1lenore]

Yes, skirts are ideal for riding a bike - you stay nice and cool. Well, a long polyester satin skirt won't be chilly, but generally speaking skirts are way more comfortable.

[skautistic]

Is this just for looks, or does it serve a purpose other than looking fabulous?

[1lenore]

This really does keep your skirt from getting wrapped around your seat stays, caught in your chain, or otherwise preventing you from getting there safely. I have several long dresses that I can wear riding this bike now. One of them has holes in it from wearing it while riding prior to installation.

[skautistic]

Hence the name skirt guard, sorry for the stupid question everyone.

[yitong leo]

fairy tale dream

[austin]

zip ties/cable ties are dead useful

[Caya]

That is SO awesome. Thank you!!! I'm going to be adding that one for sure. Beautiful bike, too!!

[BruceR]

Nice. My mother used to have an ancient ladies bicycle with eyelet holes down each side of the rear mudguard to attach a skirt guard.