A good bicycle represents a sizeable investment of your money. Protect that investment with a homemade cover.
Good materials to use when constructing a bicycle cover include Tyvek, polyurethane coated nylon, vinyl coated polyester, and clear vinyl. Tyvek is available as fabric that can be purchased by the yard for about $5 per yard. Polyurethane coated nylon in 200-denier weight costs approximately $8 per yard. It is very light, weighing less than 4 ounces per yard. Vinyl coated polyester is more expensive, costing around $14 per yard. All of these materials come in 59 to 60-inch widths.
Clear vinyl is probably the least desirable choice, as it doesn’t fold easily into a small package for traveling. It would do fine, however, for a cover to use at home. It can be purchased inexpensively at the fabric counter of most discount stores.
A less expensive material option would be two secondhand shower curtain liners made of lightweight plastic. Rip stop nylon can be used, but it may not be completely waterproof. Whatever fabric you choose, make sure it is tough, flexible, lightweight, and waterproof.
A large bike cover will require about 3-½ yards of fabric. If the fabric is wide enough to accommodate the length of the cover, you could get by on 2-1/2 yards. All of these fabrics may be sewn on a sewing machine. The vinyl fabrics may also be glued together with vinyl cement.
You will need to measure your bicycle to be sure your bike cover will fit. Measure the widest point across the handlebars. This will probably fall between 22 and 29 inches, depending on the model of bicycle you have. Measure the length of the bike from the outermost point on each tire, or from front tire to rear fender. This measurement will probably be 60 inches or more.
Two other measurements you should get are the height at the handlebars, and the distance from the outermost point of the front tire to the center of the handlebars. The height of the bike will be around 44 inches, and the length from the front tire to the handlebars should be around 26 inches.
The bike cover is made in three sections. There are two modified half-circle shapes, which make up the sides of the cover, and there is a kite-shaped gusset between them. Add seam allowances to all pieces, and make the length of the sides of the cover 2 inches longer than required. This will allow for a hem or a drawstring, if desired.
The half-circle pieces need to be as long as the bicycle, with a few inches added for roominess. This shape needs to be modified so that the highest point (44 inches or so) will fall where the handlebars are, which is a little less that one-third of the way from the front. After this high point, the back of the circle can slightly taper down, something like a ladybird beetle or the body of a Volkswagen. Mark the high point with a small notch cut in the seam allowance. Mark the front end of the piece, too.
Cut a second piece to mirror this sidepiece. Mark the front and high point again.
Cut the kite-shaped gusset next. The width of the gusset at the widest point is the width of the handlebars with seam allowance added, or about 30 inches for a mountain bike. The length of the gusset will be the length of the bike measured over the top, from the front of the front tire to the back of the back tire or fender. This was 68 inches on the bike I measured. The wide point should be placed about 26 inches from the front point of the kite-shape.
Pin the gusset between the sidepieces, right sides together, matching the wide points of the gusset to the marked high points of the sides. Sew the gusset to one side. Then sew the entire second sidepiece in place, again matching the marked high point with the wide point of the gusset.
In the center of one sidepiece, make a slash about 6 to 8 inches long and bind it with seam binding. This will serve as an opening to access your chain and lock.
Fold the raw edges under along the bottom and sew a hem, or leave a portion open, and insert a drawstring. The cord for the drawstring will need to be 10 feet long or more. Attach a pocket near the bottom of the cover to serve as a place to stuff the extra cord when it’s drawn tightly around the bike wheels.
As an alternative to a drawstring, you may wish to place Velcro fasteners or snaps along the bottom of the cover between the wheels.
Fold up the finished bike cover to determine the size to make the stuff sack for the cover. Hopefully, a 9-inch square drawstring bag will be big enough. Make this from scraps of your cover material, or use other fabric scraps you may have. Cut two rectangles of fabric in the desired size plus ½ inch seam allowances and 2 extra inches at the top. With right sides together, sew the sides and bottom of the sack. At the top, first fold ¾ inches and then 1-1/4 inches to the inside. Stitch along the fold, leaving an inch open through which you may insert a drawstring. If desired, attach Velcro straps or ties to the stuff sack so that it may be attached to the seat post.
