How to Make a Skirt Guard for Your Bike
Forget sullying your skirt in the spokes. This pretty and practical problem solver lets you keep your ladylike style.
Up next in Bike Repair & Equipment (32 videos)
Every avid cyclist should know how to fix his bike; learn the basics in this video series.
You Will Need
- Bicycle with fenders
- Tulle or mesh material
- Scissors
- Cable ties or twist ties
- Window screen (optional)
- Utility knife (optional)
- Needle-nose pliers (optional)
Steps
-
Step 1
Cut mesh
Cut the tulle or mesh material into a circle, slightly larger than the arc of your fender. Cut the circle in half -- one for each side of the wheel.
-
Alternatively, use a window screen cut with a utility knife.
-
Step 2
Attach tie
Push a cable or twist tie firmly through the mesh, 1 inch from either edge of the tulle's straight side.
-
Step 3
Align on wheel
Align the straight side of the tulle on the left side of the bike, from the rearmost fender stay -- the piece that connects the fender to the bike's frame -- to the front of the chain stay.
-
Step 4
Attach
Wrap the tie around the fender stay and push it back through the tulle. Then attach the other end of the tulle to the chain stay in the same manner. Make sure the bottom edge runs just above the wheel's hub.
-
Step 5
Repeat twice
Attach ties to the second fender stay and the seat stay. Tighten all four ties to ensure the guard stays taut. Trim the loose tie ends.
-
Use needle-nose pliers to get the cable ties as tight as possible.
-
Step 6
Do other side
Attach other piece of tulle or mesh to the right side of the bike in the same manner, being careful to avoid the chain.
-
Step 7
Finish
Make sure the fabric isn't touching the tires or chain. Then cut the fabric between the ties in a straight line and go for a ride.
-
In 1896, noted feminist Susan B. Anthony commented that, "the bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world."
