Tips for Riding a Bike on a Mission

Biking while on a mission can seem a bit daunting, especially in a skirt. 

"How do I ride a bike in a skirt?" is a question nearly all girls called on biking missions ask. Luckily our dear friend Jami served a mission in the Netherlands and rode a bike nearly her entire mission. Here are her tips from an expert for all you future biking sisters!

Jami biking in The Netherlands, isn't she cute??

1- Bike shorts or a biking slip are your best friend. These allow you to ride your bike without the fear of showing a bit too much. Normal leggings will also work. We have a big variety of biking shorts and slips at The Sister Shop.  Getting a slip with 'legs' will help to keep your skirt right where you want it while you bike!  We call this lovely slip our 'pantaloons'; they may look old fashioned but they will save lots of stress and discomfort while riding a bike.

2- Stretchy straight/pencil skirts for the win!  Walking in a pencil skirt with no stretch is difficult enough, so riding a bike in one is never a good idea. Luckily a modified pencil skirt with a lot of stretch will work just fine, and stay in place.  Here at The Sister Shop we have the PERFECT biking skirts.  They are a knit stretchy modified pencil and will stay right by your knees as you bike.  They won't get caught in your gears or blow up with a gust of wind.

Pencil will hit most average height girls below the knee-- beautiful Jami is 5'11":)

3- Learn how to use gears. Change gears every time you stop at a light so you don't hurt your knees when you get started. This will save your legs a lot of ache and pain. When going up hill, switch to a lower gear, your legs will thank you!

4- Skirts that are too flowy or long will get caught in your tires. Instead choose skirts that are just below your knee so you can avoid damaging them or getting hurt yourself.

5- The bigger your seat the better your bum will feel. This may sound silly but it's true. Try to get a wider seat so you'll be more comfortable while riding. Trust us, you'll thank us later.  If your bike has a smaller seat, have no fear! You can buy gel pads that attach to your seat for more comfortable riding.

6- Get a bike light. Especially in northern countries it gets dark very early in the winter. A bike light is a great way to help you stay safe when it's starting to get dark outside.  Get one that has a flash setting that attaches to the rear of your bike. It will help drivers and other bikers see you when it's dark.

7- Follow bike traffic rules. This is a huge one. Especially in many places in Europe, there are thousands of people riding bikes all the time. In order to keep yourself and others safe you'll need to learn the bike traffic rules of where you're serving and follow them.

Double-decker bike racks are common in many European countries

8 - Biking is a great time to get to know your companion. Biking can get monotonous just as any activity can. Use your time wisely to get to know your companion or play fun games. It'll help your relationship and help the time pass quickly.  Play get to know you games, quiz each other with scripture mastery and Preach My Gospel lessons.

9- Use a hair tie or Velcro to keep flowy skirts from getting caught in your gears/tires/chain.

You can hand sew a small piece of Velcro on hem the inside of your skirt, just between your legs on the front and back of the skirt.  You can also use a hair tie, gather up your skirt at the bottom and tie the hair tie around the gathered part. You can also get a large safety pin and pin the bottom of your skirt together between your knees, but at the hem. 

10- Get a Messenger Bag with waist or back pack straps.

This will help distribute the weight of your bag and make it so it doesn't hang off one side of your bike!  Balancing on a bike in a skirt is hard enough, having the weight of your bag up around your waist will help a lot. 

 These wonderful bags are called Zion Bags and are sold right here at The Sister Shop.  Zion Bags are literally the best bag for your mission.  Durable, water resistant, rain fly, waist buckle, padded straps, safety light, thief protection and more!

Come in to The Sister Shop today, or shop online.  We have all the skirts, bags and slips you need for biking on your mission.

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