"Practical Skirt" Challenge #2 -- Skirt for bicycling

[AMM]

For those of you who feel like taking time off from our regularly-scheduled flame wars, here's another "practical skirt" question/challenge: what sort of skirt is "practical" for riding a bicycle? (And how about kilts -- traditional or non-traditional?)

Now, I know that there are bicycles designed for people [women] in skirts, but since that would be too easy (the answer would be: almost any skirt), let's only consider the kind of bicycle that many of us Manly Men(TM) have (rusting?) in our garages: no fenders, exposed chain, diamond frame, derailleur gearshift, etc.

The idea is to find -- or design -- a skirt that we can ride a typical men's bicycle in that won't reveal for all the world to see what we have on under our skirts. At least, not in normal operation. And that won't get torn off by the wheel or get caught in the chain or the brakes. (I'm sure others will think of other possible problems.)

Bonus points for those who actually try doing it ....

-- AMM

[Stu]

I have just had a short break away which involved some cycling, so I took a pleated netball skirt for that purpose and found it to be ideal and very practical:

http://www.netballzoneuk.com/cnb/shop/n ... egoryID=45

I have to be honest and say that it's fine for cycling, but I would feel it was a bit too short for general wear.

Stu

[binx]

My short UK Originals or Spartans work great for biking. They stay down in front nicely. The Spartan has the marsupial pockets in the front that weigh it down.

binx

[Kilted_John]

A fully pleated mini, like the netball skirt that Stu mentioned. Short enough to avoid getting dirty, but full enough to hide the privates while riding.

-J

[MtnBiker]

I think the only thing practical or cycling (more than a few miles) is proper cycling shorts -- padded in all right places. Even if the ride was short enough (or your back-end tough enough) for riding without proper attire, I would think the risk of indecenct exposure wearing a skirt would just be too great. I know it's a double standard (again) but a women exposing herself just a bit is no big deal, a guy doing it is.

[Departed Member]

I have one skirt designated as my 'cycling skirt'. It is the only one that breaks my personal rule of, "If it's below the kneecap, it must be ankle length". Denim (what else?), by a firm called "DNM", 27" long, hem circumference 51", with a 7" rear slit (again, that contravenes my normal 'rules'!). 'Male' zip fly & huge, man-size pockets front & rear. Seems to attract no attention whatsoever, doesn't 'ride up' or expose the thighs, either. I've tried other skirts/Kilts, but this one works for me. :thumbsup2:

I did try the Sportkilt once, but being rather 'light', the aprons had a habit of flying back if caught by an errant breeze!

[r.m.anderson]

MtnBiker has it right. If you are into serious biking then the padded
biking pants are the way to go.
Why you would wear a skirt/kilt is up to you.
Although some caution is required if you are going to wear a skirt
with a hem length of 18-20 inches or more. Reason - remember the
garter that pants wearer would wear on the right leg to keep the
pant leg out of the gears - well a long skirt might get caught in the
rear wheel brake set just under the bike seat if you drape/place the
skirt over the seat hanging out the back - same effect
KEEP THE CLOTHING OUT OF THE WORKING PARTS!
Something else for consideration is avoid light/white colored skirts
they will show road debris tossed up by the unfendered rear wheel.
Skunk effect on you hind side.
My personal preference is to wear a skort.
I have two with the padded compression shorts underneath.
There are a few here who detest the skort as being useless extra
material (skirt over shorts) but I like and prefer the type with the
compression short under the skirt apron. For the most part all of
these are hemmed at tennis short length and are perfect for riding
bikes as nothing gets in the way.
As for kilts - I just do not see any way to wear a kilt properly while
biking without messing the pleats or getting parts of the kilt caught in
the working mechanism. Perhaps a sportkilt type kilt would be the
only answer that would work. Presuming that you do not go commando
and wear padded bike pants - remove and fold the kilt - place in a saddle
type bag - ride the bike to your destination - unpack the kilt and wear
it. Situation solved - no messy misalined pleats or fringe edges caught
in bicycle gears and no road debris splashed upon the hind side.
Riding a womens frame bike is not going to improve on this - unless
someone has found a way to ride a bike side saddle.
Short skirts are fine - the pleated netball are really neat but care must
be taken not sit on the pleats for a long time. Really stretches them
out of shape. In any event with short skirts wearing something underneath
goes without question. You can opt for just about anything from thongs;
jockstraps; briefs; etc. but for your comfort go back to the start of this
thread and think about the padded bike pants (they also come in padded
briefs). "Try it. You will like it!"

[ChristopherJ]

I asked my mother about this question. She is now 94 years old - and was a great cyclist for much of her life, being a member of various cycling clubs from the late 1920's onwards.

She says that women who cycled (seriously) back then wore britches - i.e. sort of knee length trousers. While chatting about the subject, she also said that women who went hiking in those days wore trousers or britches as well.

This was the first general use of bifurcated lower garments by women - i.e. post WW1 - for energetic sporting activities, where skirts would get in the way. They opted for britches/trousers as the most sensible garments to wear. In respect of serious (i.e. energetic) cycling, I think men should probably do the same. Casual (very gentle) cycling could be done in almost any skirt though.

[crfriend]

I asked my mother about this question. She is now 94 years old

Ninety-four! That's grand. My grandmother passed away a few years ago aged about the same, and there were *so* many things I never got to discuss with her... Does your mum know about your skirt-wearing, and if so, what are her opinions? (I believe my grandmother's opinion would not have been printable, but then again I may not be giving her enough credit.)

Casual (very gentle) cycling could be done in almost any skirt though.

I suspect that may cover the majority of us lot (or at least a substantial minority).

[Charlie]

Casual (very gentle) cycling could be done in almost any skirt though.

I suspect that may cover the majority of us lot (or at least a substantial minority).

Certainly covers me I have cycled once in a kilt, and found it to be a very pleasant experience - lots of freedom. I'm planning to do it again sometime. The bike has a crossbar, so getting on and arranging the kilt will take some practise first :covereyes:

Next bike will be a step-through i.e. ladies bike. At least by then I'll be able to claim old age, and not being agile enough to swing my leg over the saddle :old:

Charlie

[Bob]

In my view, no bike is practical for day-to-day use without fenders. Whatever you are wearing, you'll get a nasty streak of grime the first time the ground is wet.

Fenders these days are lightweight, plastic, and good for just about any kind of bike.

[AMM]

In my view, no bike is practical for day-to-day use without fenders....

While I won't disagree with you, I'll say why my bike has no fenders:

1. It didn't come with any. Few of the bikes in bike shops these days have fenders, as they seem to be mainly for fair-weather fitness-gadget enthusiasts.

2. My experience is that fenders fall off or get jammed in the wheel. They're just too flimsy. (Mind you, in the days when I rode regularly, just about every part broke sooner or later, including the frame. Then it was my nerves' turn to break, and I switched to walking to actually get places.) My policy is: if the bike still works without it, I don't bother to replace it.

3. Fenders are only marginally effective in keeping spray off of you if it's raining or there are puddles. The only thing that worked in the rain were "oilskins."

-- AMM

[ChristopherJ]

Does your mum know about your skirt-wearing, and if so, what are her opinions?

No she doesn't know. I haven't told her. Several reasons.

Firstly, her age. She is very frail these days and I don't want her to be worried. I'm not sure she would understand why I enjoy wearing a skirt sometimes. I don't live with her BTW.

Secondly - her prejudices. Her next door neighbour (who was my age near enough - died last year from cancer) suddenly announced to everyone that from then on we were to call him Caroline. He went for the whole sex change thing - the operation etc. and took to wearing womens' clothes. Lots of local people, including my mother, didn't understand this and made fun of his actions. Often, what people don't understand, they attack. That's what happened to this man. Anyhow - I am sure that if I told my mother that I wear skirts sometimes, she will assume that I am a transgendered person like her old neighbour - and her prejudice against him will reflect onto me.

So I'm not going to tell her. I don't need the aggravation.

[Boatman398]

I have one of those recumbant bikes. Love the ride as it has a full seat with a back rest and comfortable level handlebars. A true comfort to ride. 24 speeds and you really need them all when faced with a hill. The pedals are out in front of you so you can't stand up to pedal. You sit some what reclined. It is low to the ground so getting on and off with a skirt is no problem. Unfortunately no skirt works well to ride . It has a mile long chain not far below the seat so long pleated won't work. As you pedal your legs are from straight out in front to your knees above the seat level. For the comfort of the ride I just put up with the non comfort of shorts

[Bob]

1. It didn't come with any. Few of the bikes in bike shops these days have fenders, as they seem to be mainly for fair-weather fitness-gadget enthusiasts.

Yea... whenever I buy I bike I have to add at least $200-400 of add-ons before it's good for around town. Pain in the butt.

2. My experience is that fenders fall off or get jammed in the wheel.

Doesn't happen to me. Maybe it's a different fender design.

3. Fenders are only marginally effective in keeping spray off of you if it's raining or there are puddles. The only thing that worked in the rain were "oilskins."

Again, that is not my experience. My fenders are extremely effective, and I ride in all weather with them.