Spring Lady Biker Tips

It's springtime for real.

Let's have some Spring Lady Biker Tips! I’m slathering myself with a mix of SPF, self-tanner and body lotion before I get dressed in the mornings. I smell a little crazy, a little sweaty and a little self-tannery and a little SPF’y.  I smell like a Lady Biker. The self tanner is going to help me fight the pasty whiteness I rock so hard. See photo above.

To stay behind my sweat threshold, I’m forcing myself to bike at a slower pace. Since I get ready faster- less clothing and no need for winter accessories, I’m getting out of the house faster because I don’t have to gather up gloves, scarves, ear-cover, etc, so biking slower doesn’t impact my arrival time for work.

The baby wipes are back since I’m biking around with so much exposed skin. My lotion potion seems to help grit stick to me so I might need to wipe down my calves or if I get a little grease on me, I can baby wipe myself.

I down own perfume, but I love this fancy Febreeze-type Freshening Spray from The Laundress.
Got that tip from the adorable Erin Perkins. I also notice when I bike, my scarves smell like a tailpipe- totally disgusting, and I think it helps to spritz them with this stuff. It’s a little pricey for a bottle of fancy freshening spray, but I think it’s a miracle worker and like I said, I don’t own perfume and this bottle has lasted a very long time.

Skippy shoes/Skipipies. Flats, slip-ons, slaps, whatever you wish to call them, they are skippies. Slip ‘em on and skip around, get it? I think I’m done with socks until fall. I hate socks.  Someone asked me a hair question and one little tip is RIP your helmet off your head as soon as you arrive before you do anything else and fluff it a little with your fingers. Aerate! So it can start cooling while you lock-up or get in a freight elevator. Sometimes, I spray that fabric freshening spray in my hair if I’m paranoid that it smells like dirty girl hair.

Even though daytime is lasting longer, I always, always, always carry my lights with me. You never know when fun will strike and keep you out past dark so always be prepared.

My Bike Month Event: Ladies Picnic

When people ask me how I got started biking in New York City, I explain that I worked with a badass little Japanese lady who rides a bike pretty much every day. I thought to myself "If she can do it, so can I" and the rest is history.

I want ladies who are interested in biking in NYC to come and see me, and think that same thing themselves:  If she can do it, so can I.

With that, I invite those interested to my bike month event:  

So bring a brown bag of snacks or lunch and join me for some Lady Biker Sisterhood on May 20th at 2pm. 

After being invited to the TA Bike Month planning meeting, I felt inspired to host my own little event.  My event is engineered to be educational and I encourage ladies who do not yet bike, but want to get started biking in NYC to come. My event is a sit-down hang-out, not a ride. I wanted to have something not a ride, so ladies who are interested in becoming lady bikers can come and learn and socialize and not have to stress about not having a bike or whatever.

I never want to pressure anyone into riding a bike. But I love teaching my tips & tricks! 

PS- I'll come up with a more specific location or a marker to denote how to find me, like pink balloons or signs or something. In case of rain, convene at Trailer Park Lounge. I'll send out some tweets #BrownBagBikeBrunch beforehand, so save the search if you're into that.

I want to stress that Bicycles are not required for this gathering. 

I'd love to get RSVP's:  Please email picnic@jphardee.com

I want to be able to gauge the size of grass we'll need to take over. 

Sweet New Lady Biker Tips

Summer LadyBiker Tip: Wrist Bands! Today's pink one is from AA.

You'll need to blot your sweaty brow after the wind takes your dress and treats it like a windsock.

I haven't had time today to dwell, but I had a major zipper malfunction in this dress and had to cut it off when I got home. Bye, bye, pretty-print Ezekiel dress. Bye, bye. 


No time to dwell, because we went to see Manhattanhenge this evening. 



When I got home, I was very happy that I have reclaimed my special parking spot in the bike room and very proud of myself for making a festive parking spot marker for Kate Middleton! 



See- Everyone should know what's up when she's not there- and keep their bike out of her way! 

2 Prissy LadyBiker Tips

I thought of 2 more tips for beginning LadyBikers on Saturday when I was out & about trying to stay lookin' fly.


Carry a bandana! Or handkerchief! To dry your hands. On rainy days. Or all the time. My bike got RAINED on Saturday and this little bandana brought me many quality of life points when rain was squishing out of my handle grips.


Also- EVERY DAY when I lock my bike up outside of work or wherever, I find the nearest window to catch my reflection and make sure the general shape of my hair does not look like I walked out of Frankenstein's Lair.

Work your hair back to shape in that reflection so you don't walk in and embarrass yourself or heaven forbid you dissuade others from wearing a helmet.

The events of this evening are (hopefully:)) going to appear later as a Guest Blog in The Bike Date Series on Simply Bike. My first guest post!