Where to find a chain guard suitable for biking with a skirt?
November 14, 2014 2:47 PM Subscribe
I like to wear long skirts, and I like to ride my bike. Unfortunately, these two activities are appear to be incompatible -- is there a suitable chain guard I can install on my bike?
I have a skirt guard installed, but I haven't been able to find an aftermarket chain guard that is designed to prevent skirt material from getting caught in the chain (I've found ones that cover the teeth, but I don't think that would be sufficient, and I've found full covers, but they aren't designed to be worn while riding). Does anyone know if these things exist, or where I can get one? I live in the Bay Area.
I have a skirt guard installed, but I haven't been able to find an aftermarket chain guard that is designed to prevent skirt material from getting caught in the chain (I've found ones that cover the teeth, but I don't think that would be sufficient, and I've found full covers, but they aren't designed to be worn while riding). Does anyone know if these things exist, or where I can get one? I live in the Bay Area.
I have this one, I am very happy with it.
Or is your skirt long enough to catch in the chain underneath? In that case I would just tie my skirt up a bit.
posted by Duffington at 3:02 PM on November 14, 2014
Or is your skirt long enough to catch in the chain underneath? In that case I would just tie my skirt up a bit.
posted by Duffington at 3:02 PM on November 14, 2014
Aftermarket chain guards are hard, because most (all?) of them assume you only have one front ring. If you've got a front derailleur, they tend to mess with its functioning. I know that lovelybike has been dealing with this issue on and off for a few years, so it might be worth poking around in there. She did manage to get a full chaincase for an older bike.
While I don't so often wear skirts to ride in, I've had good luck getting the outermost of a two or three ring chainring milled down to act as a mini chainguard. It might not be suitable for skirts, but it has prevented a lot of grease transfer on my clothes.
posted by you could feel the sky at 3:04 PM on November 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
While I don't so often wear skirts to ride in, I've had good luck getting the outermost of a two or three ring chainring milled down to act as a mini chainguard. It might not be suitable for skirts, but it has prevented a lot of grease transfer on my clothes.
posted by you could feel the sky at 3:04 PM on November 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
This could help: use a penny to make pants. (this is a legit thing, apparently. YMMV)
posted by troytroy at 3:35 PM on November 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by troytroy at 3:35 PM on November 14, 2014 [3 favorites]
Maybe get a Katch skirt clip? Or make a cyclist's skirt garter (more useful for short skirts than long, it seems)?
posted by Lexica at 3:50 PM on November 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Lexica at 3:50 PM on November 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Seconding Duffington that Velo Orange has a nice selection of chain guards.
posted by zachxman at 5:14 PM on November 14, 2014
posted by zachxman at 5:14 PM on November 14, 2014
A chainguard such as the ones linked should solve this problem, but since you don't specifically say that you've experienced getting your skirt caught in your chain: I ride in long skirts with no chainguard and have not had this problem. The way my skirt is held up by my top tube keeps my skirt out of the way of the chain and chainrings, and the fender/rack/bags take care of things in the back. Pants are more of a problem, since they just stay on my legs as normal and require a pants strap if they're wide enough to get caught in things.
That said, people, clothes, and bikes all vary, so if it's a problem for you, a chainguard should do the trick. You may not need a full chaincase: think about what skirts you wear and how they're likely to move when you bike -- it'd require a very thin, very full skirt to get between the chainguard and chain/chainrings, and the wind is going to have your clothes tending to move behind you, not straight down.
There's some discussion of skirts and bikes in this thread on the blue. We cover the utility of binder clips as a method for keeping skirts where we want them.
posted by asperity at 6:06 PM on November 14, 2014
That said, people, clothes, and bikes all vary, so if it's a problem for you, a chainguard should do the trick. You may not need a full chaincase: think about what skirts you wear and how they're likely to move when you bike -- it'd require a very thin, very full skirt to get between the chainguard and chain/chainrings, and the wind is going to have your clothes tending to move behind you, not straight down.
There's some discussion of skirts and bikes in this thread on the blue. We cover the utility of binder clips as a method for keeping skirts where we want them.
posted by asperity at 6:06 PM on November 14, 2014
This question can't be answered without knowledge about your specific bike, and your body. Every answer here, so far, is just random guessing.
To successfully address this question, in any useful way, we need to know (exactly) what bike you own. Make, model, size, and year. Then, we need to know about you.
Height, inseam length, etc.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 1:38 AM on November 16, 2014
To successfully address this question, in any useful way, we need to know (exactly) what bike you own. Make, model, size, and year. Then, we need to know about you.
Height, inseam length, etc.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 1:38 AM on November 16, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
Something like the SKS Chainboard ought to work with a derailleur drivetrain. Velo Orange also sells several more elaborate chainguards.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:55 PM on November 14, 2014 [1 favorite]