Riding a bike in heels!

[DALederle]

High heels for men can be found on various sites throughout the web. But my personal favorite, where I have bought two pair of heels, is "All Heels For Men." It has a wide variety of heel styles in sizes big enough for most men to wear. It also links to other colthing for men, but note of caution, most MIS-MIK won't want to go there. Too much CD stuff which we don't need.
But here's the link:
http://allheelsformen.com/Merchant2/mer ... y_Code=SSS

Check it out if you are interested.
High hees ARE NOT for everyone and also not for 24/7 wear in my oppinion. But that is up to each individual.
DALederle

[skirted_in_SF]

One could also check out HHplace.org. A site not unlike this one; but for people of both genders who like heels.

I used to lurk both there and here, but finally joined here. While I can wear skirts out and about, my vintage early '50s knees are not up to heels.

[A+J]

I have been riding a bike in heels many times. In fact I have been riding a bike wearing women clothes, skirts and heels. Its not such a big deal as long as you ride a women´s bike. I use to borrow my girlfrend´s bike.
Riding a bike wearing heels isn´t any differen then wearing flat shoes. I just put the front of the sole on my pumps/boots on the pedals.
Stoping for traffic lights or something I do as women do I jump off the bike while standing.

[Davy]

I have never ridden a bike in heels (which I don't wear anyway), but I have ridden wearing skirts and not had any problems. It is true the skirt will blow in the wind, so if it is a mini you will feel "exposed" much of the time. But it is unlikely that anyone will really see very much, as when you are moving it is hard for anyone to focus in a short period of time. And the wind is great on a hot day.

[JohnH]

High heels for men can be found on various sites throughout the web. But my personal favorite, where I have bought two pair of heels, is "All Heels For Men." It has a wide variety of heel styles in sizes big enough for most men to wear. It also links to other colthing for men, but note of caution, most MIS-MIK won't want to go there. Too much CD stuff which we don't need.
But here's the link:
http://allheelsformen.com/Merchant2/mer ... y_Code=SSS

All I can say is that I'm glad I have feet that are small and narrow enough that I can get high heeled shoes from normal sources - i.e., women's catalogs, websites, and stores. I don't have to go to crossdresser stores to get them.

My personal opinion of riding bicycles with skirts or dresses - to me that it makes no sense. Pants were invented in part so one could easily ride horseback, and so they would be a natural choice for riding a bike. Take it from someone when the weather was hot wore only skirts and dresses except to church or job interviews.

[couyalair]

My personal opinion of riding bicycles with skirts or dresses - to me that it makes no sense. Pants were invented in part so one could easily ride horseback, and so they would be a natural choice for riding a bike.

With memories of being very uncomfortable on horse- and mule-back years ago when trousers were very tight, I have always thought this must be a myth with little evidence. Probably invented by some macho historian incapable of imagining real men wearing anything but leg-tubes. The kind of mindset we saw when Mel Gibson had his Roman soldeirs wearing trousers under their kilts!
As it happens there is a new series on Spanish tv about the Roman conquest of Spain. Both Romans and Hispanics leap on and off their steeds and gallop around quite happily in their mugs and tunics. Plenty of muscular thighs but not a trouser-leg in sight. If today's actors, who undoubtedly go bifurcated in everyday life, can do this, I fail to see why our ancestors could not ride bare-back too.

I cycle daily in kilts and mugs (which do not blow up in the wind, by the way) and have yet to feel the need to change. What I wear underneath is my business, but I will say I do not like the idea of having to wash my expensive kilts after every ride.
Martin

[crfriend]

With memories of being very uncomfortable on horse- and mule-back years ago when trousers were very tight, I have always thought [trousers for horseback riding] must be a myth with little evidence.

I see you date from the "Urban Cowboy" years. You have my condolences.

Most early garments were, for the most part, tunic-like because those are very simple to make; longer styles would likely have been in use in colder climes. Popular history seems to indicate the early coincidence of trouser-wearing and horseback riding with the "Mongol hordes" (and other barbarians) and with the Persians. From personal experience (and, yes, I have actually ridden astride a horse), I cannot really figure out how one could easily ride astride wearing a skirted garment -- especially bareback -- because of various abrasion problems and garment-management issues. True enough, proper trench-coats have a split in the back so one can ride a horse whilst wearing one, but proper ones are getting rather rare these days.

[...] I fail to see why our ancestors could not ride bare-back too.

From personal experience, there's an abrasion problem there. Horses look wonderfully shiny and sleek on camera, but in person their hair is rather like a unidirectional abrasive. I'd rather wear sandpaper skivvies than ride bareback on a horse without "protection". Mules may be different, so I cannot comment on those, but if faced with the proposition of having to ride I'll go for trousers.

Sidesaddle seems a bit fussy to me and unless there's proper balance might bother the horse. If that makes me a barbarian, then so be it! (I have been called worse, mind you!)

[Big and Bashful]

At least on a horse there is little chance of getting one's skirt caught in the mechanical bits! or getting it oily.
I would imagine that a short tunic would naturally fall around you as you land on the horse, ok it probably would be behind rather than between you and the saddle. My theory is that the longer the skirt, the more it would be a problem and need managing, so these here gladiator types in their short uniforms probably wouldn't have to faff about.

[Since1982]

B&B said: At least on a horse there is little chance of getting one's skirt caught in the mechanical bits! or getting it oily.

Even back in Roman times, there were mechanical bits and leather in saddles and both needed oiling, so there would definitely be more oil on/in a saddle than anywhere in an automobile's cab. Plus the oil of ancient times was mostly fish/whale oil, which was sticky and smelly if it got on you.

I got my crotch oily every time I went riding as a child(8) at Sam David's Dude Ranch in Davie Florida, even with the towel the ranch supplied to put on the saddle. The high front and back of a saddle would preclude any privates from being seen even with a VERY short skirt. It would be tucked under when you swung your leg over in the front and still not seen in the rear.

[couyalair]

"Bare-back" was the wrong word. I meant trouserless but on a saddle. I suppose I was thinking "bare-assed" !
I have no idea whether fish oil was used in the distant past, but I could well imagine olive oil being used; it has a rich smell, is good for the skin, and a bit of oiliness would not have bothered the ancients very much.

To get back to the original topic, I would not torture my feet with high-heeled shoes, on a bike or off.
Martin

[Since1982]

I don't think they used olive oil in ancient times as a lubricant, more as an addition to foods etc. I'd think. Whale oil was used for lighting (it took a long time to burn), fish oil was used as a lubricant. Of course I wasn't there so I can't say for sure. I got all this information and a lot of old time info from my collection of World Book encyclopedia and my 500 or more National Geographics I've been collecting since my parents gave me a subscription when I was 5, 63+ years ago. These 2 sources are where probably 99% of my unusual information comes from.

[AMM]

[My first attempt to post this reply appears to have gone to the land of lost bits.]

My personal opinion of riding bicycles with skirts or dresses - to me that it makes no sense. Pants were invented in part so one could easily ride horseback, and so they would be a natural choice for riding a bike.

I'm not sure if you disagree with the many millions of women who have done so over the past 100 years or so, or are just unaware of them.

Back in the heyday of bicycles (100 years ago), women did not wear pants, but rode bicycles all the time. In Europe, at least, the last time I was there, women were still using bicycles to do their errands, including grocery shopping, and most of them were wearing skirts while doing so. I don't think it occurred to any of them that there was anything impractical about riding a bicycle while wearing a skirt.

Of course, their bicycles were designed for skirt-wearers -- with a dropped top bar, a real chain guard, real fenders, and a covering over the rear wheel to keep skirts from getting caught. I would agree that the sort of bicycles that are fashionable in the USA these days aren't all that practical for people wearing skirts. But then, they aren't very practical for people wearing the sort of trousers you'd wear to an office job, either.

[couyalair]

I have never had any problem with skirts getting on the wheels or chain. I like my saddle as high as possible, and the skirts come nowhere near any moving parts.

Yes, in northern Europe, cycles are still in use, and you see thousands of them parked outside railway stations, for example. Far less so in France unfortunately, and even less in the parts of Spain I am familiar with, although the climate makes cycling a joy compared with the chilly north!

Martin

[skirted_in_SF]

Of course, their bicycles were designed for skirt-wearers -- with a dropped top bar, a real chain guard, real fenders, and a covering over the rear wheel to keep skirts from getting caught.

The Wall Street Journal did an article on city/commuter bicycles several months ago. One of the ones shown was as AMM describes and was specifically mentioned as being for skirt friendly. (Of course, no mention on men wearing the skirts ) If my memory serves me, they were talking about ~US$1000.

[A+J]

I´ve been riding my bike all autum wearing skirt and high heels. Its ok as long as its "a ladies bike". The last few months or so I´ve been doing it wearing a mini skirt. It can for sure be a problem wearing a mini skirt when riding a bike. The wind can get hold of your skirt. My skirt has blown up a few times. I try hold it down with so it shoulden´t. It takes a bit of a technique riding a bike wearing a mini skirt. Once you know how its ok.

I´m planning go on riding my bike as long the weather let me. Yes its a bit cold doing it.