1. Wine Box Basket
Over on Chic Cyclists, there is a nice how-to on transforming a wine box into a basket. Milk crates and other sturdy containers are also great to turn into bike baskets.
2. Bike Pannier
If you do a lot of biking, you may need a bike pannier. This is a side bag or container that holds your belongings. Crazy Guy On A Bike teaches us how to make sturdy, weather-proof panniers out of kitty litter tubs. These are great for grocery shopping or a trip to the thrift store.
3. Blinking Patch
Biking at night is nothing to be frightened of. You just need to make sure that you are visible to drivers around you. This blinking patch how-to video from Craftzine is a great way to alert drivers to your presence on the road.
4. Cushioned Seat Cover
If you’ve gotten your bike second, or even third-hand the seat may not be the comfiest. Over on Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, there is a thorough tutorial on making your own cushioned bike seat cover. This tutorial utilizes vinyl as the fabric but you just need to source material that is relatively water and weather proof. A used rain coat or an old sturdy shower curtain would be great recycled fabrics to use.
5. Skirt Guard
With spring weather comes the desire to wear pretty dresses and skirts. They aren’t always the most bike friendly attire and can get dirty or caught in your back tires. Try making some skirt guards, found on Instructables, and you can wear your skirts and dresses with confidence. Do you use your bike for transportation, leisure, or both? Do you have any accessories or attachments that are invaluable? What are your thoughts on biking in general? I would love to hear some of your thoughts and ideas, feel free to leave some comments. [Bike image by Kyle Saric via Flickr Creative Commons, Wine box image via Chic Cyclists, Bike panniers image via Crazy Guy On A Bike, Blinking patch image via Craftzine, Seat cover image via Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, Skirt guard image via Instructables]
