Hi guys. Here’s a recent pic of me and my family enjoying our bikes. Bike riding is so much fun. It’s just as much fun for me and my hubby as it is for our children. This is a recent ride along Chicago’s lakefront, navy pier, and past Buckingham Fountain. The kids get to have fun, and we get some peaceful moments of family time. We wear our helmets to make sure that we have an extra layer of protection in case of accidents or falls. My sons easily and enthusiastically place their helmets on their heads before biking. Anyone who knows me, understands that it takes a lot for me to wear a hat or helmet on my head. My biggest question prior to biking was “How can I get my natural hair under this helmet without looking crazy?” LOL! I basically form two low puffs on my hair and secure each with a scrunchy. I do the same for my daughter’s hair. She’s been wearing high puffs lately, so before riding I just move them downward, and Voila! the problem of how to get a helmet over “big hair” is instantly solved. If you would have asked me 3 + years ago if I would ever wear two puffs in public, I would have laughed about it. For some reason, since going natural I love my hair in every state that it’s in. In fact I rocked my puffs and didn’t think twice or obsess over whether they looked bad or anything. I just accepted my hair for what it is, textured, natural, and full.
Oh, let me get back to biking. It has so many wonderful health benefits. I found a recent article on the Huffington Post about the benefits of biking. According to a Harvard Study cited on the Huffington Post, biking for even 5 minutes can minimize weight gain for middle aged women. Check out the entire article to learn the benefits of what 30 minutes of biking can do. Biking is truly fun. It actually brings back memories of my childhood, yep no worries, just riding through and enjoying the scenes. I’m so enjoying the benefits of biking with curls!
Wanna hear a secret? I can’t ride a bike. Sad.
I am still in TWA land, but I also wear a scarf under my helmet to protect my hair. Having had an collision with a car driver while riding my bike (helmetless) I now wear it whenever I get on my bike. In So Flo you risk your life everytime you are not in a car, so I take my helmet seriously.
I ride and was not happy last week with having to put a helmet on my fresh and cute wash n'go. Lesson learned. I love riding though and often try and hope on the bie instead of in the car to run errands; have a little basket and all to carry my items, lol. I think with my running and biking I need to do more braids/twists/flat twists so I don't haveto smush my hair.
We usually bike every Sunday. My hair remains mostly in protective styles. So, when I'm bike riding, I wrap my hair in a scarf and then wear the helmet. When the hair is loose, I generally pull it into a low ponytail and then wrap with a scarf.
Happy Biking
Totally LOVE the head wrap around the helmet. @CurlyNikki I couldn't ride a bike until about 4 years ago, but now I ride my bike at least an hour a day. It's my main form of transportation. @Barbara shamefully, I've been riding without a helmet because I couldn't figure out what to do with my hair. Thanks for showing that it could be done differently. I'm still not sure what to do with my hair under a helmet every single day. I can't restrict myself to helmet friendly hair alone. Any suggestions?
Yes she did wrap a head wrap around her bike helmet. 🙂
Not to be off subject but check out how fabo Shingai is doing her bike marathon charity thingy. http://youtu.be/v-kNd2YnGnQ
All natural…All Fly….
CurlyNikki et al, thank you so much for sharing that you can't ride a bike! I can't either, and it's been my shameful secret for a long time. Hubby actually bought me one a few years ago, but I was too embarrassed to keep trying to learn. I felt like people were probably looking out of their windows and snickering at me. LOL. Now that my son is getting older, I would like to start biking with him. I'll probably add it back to my list of things to learn.
Unfortunately I don't enjoy running, jogging, or even walking. However, I LOVE riding my bike! I big chopped last year, and my hair isn't long enough for a low pony, so I also have serious helmet head after my rides. I have a satin scarf folded inside my helmet to protect my hair underneath. The vain part of me keeps a baseball cap or sun visor in my backpack. As soon as the helmet comes off… the cap/visor goes on.
I am learning to let go of the "perfect hair" syndrome and focus on maintaining my health and sharing fun times with my family. It's definitely worth it.
My husband and I are avid road bike riders. I originally went natural when I started training for the Hotter n Hell 100 in 2008. For those wondering, the HH100 is a 100 miles bike race in August in Wichita Falls, TX. It get super hot and very challenging. Anyway…Now that I'm fully natural I could never go back. We ride about 3 days a week and it's so awesome to never have to worry about my hair. My curls are shoulder length and I usually pull my hair back into a low pony. I also wear a little skull cap under my helmet to protect my hair from the rubbing inside the helmet.
OMG! this is my dirty secret that I never told. I can't ride a bike! I can't believe so many of you can't ride LOL
in a misery love company kinda way I kinda feel better
I actually just posted on fb last week "Latest dilemma: Afro + bicycle helmet = fail."
My hair isn't long enough for a low pony but too long (poofy) to fit under the helmet. I think I'll have to put it in two french braids it which means either I wear it braided a lot or no spontaneous bike rides 🙁
My hair is long enough (BSL) that I can wear a low bun on ponytail so I have that advantage when it comes to helmets.
Because I have MS, I don't bike as much as I would like (though I work out at the gym often), but I enjoy it when I can.
we bike a lot. we just did 40 miles during our last ride a few days ago. i usually rock a twist out and just wear a silk scarf underneath the helmet. the style preserves fine, and i wash weekly.
my mother didnt know how to ride and we set her up with free classes from http://www.waba.org/ in washington dc. they have a great teaching perspective- the rider isn't touched while learning. they simply remove the pedals and have the new rider learn how to feel comfortable sitting on a bike, then pushing off and balancing, once they can balance with their feet of the ground then they learn to pedal. by the end of the session, she was biking. look for a comparable program in your city. she is 60 and there were people older than her in the class. it is never too late.
as a frequent rider i think its really liberating. biking has done a lot for me. feels good!
hope this helps someone get out there 🙂
It's nice to read that other people enjoy biking as well and have a way to get their hair under those helmets. We actually took this photo last week and biking is so much fun. @ anonymous in Chi-town, riding is truly therapeutic along the lakefront. I'm a Speech Therapist and any time for relaxation that calms the whole family is welcomed by me.
Wow CurlyNikki, I never would have guessed that you couldn't ride a bike. It's never to late to learn if it's something that you want to do. I actually saw a man teaching a young lady how to ride on the day that I took this picture. It really is relaxing and fun when there's good scenery. Thanks for sharing my article!
Barbara of www.barbaranaturallyspeaking.blogspot.com
love bike riding, but never really owned a bike. Purchase a bike – thats on my bucket list of things to do.
I'm a Chi town girl too and I agree riding on the lakefront is so therapuetic..sorry I'm a psychotherapist! But I wear my helmet and like others' I stuff it under and usually have bad "helmet head" after the ride. I'm going to try some of the techniques above to reduce that so I can at least look CUTE-r while riding!
I don't bike, but the hubs does. He even participated in the MS 150 to Austin, TX this year. We went to VA Beach last year & somehow i let him talk me into biking & I almost died! It was so HOT. We were riding forever. My hair was a smelly, matted mess when we got home, lol.
I usually plan to bike ride (or roller blade) before my weekly wash, that way if the weather is especially nasty, I load my hair up with some conditioner and either pull it back in a bun or a puff on top of my head. I wear a head band, and I stuff that helmet on my head! The great thing about it is my hair actually helps keep the helmet on place.
I'm not alone!!!
Anon @ 3:10 and Nik, I am 41 and don't know how to ride a bike either. Parents did not want to spring for a bike growing up. It is on my bucket list of things to learn. 🙂
I don't know how to ride a bike and I'm 31 🙁
LOL Nikki I thought I was the only one…I just learned this summer and I'm 24. My boyfriend ran behind me holding the seat and everything…it's now one of my favorite ways of working out!
I don't bike but I ride with my hubby on his motorcycle. I were a tight fitting scully-like cap under my helmet. With that I am able to wear my hair out, in twists, or in braids. it also helmet the helmet slide on easily.
I use the stationary bike at the gym sometimes. I took a bike tour in D.R. a few years ago…very good workout with the bumpy roads and such. ~KF519
I love biking! We just got a bike trailer for my 15 month old to ride in so we are having a blast! Helmets are a must. I was worried about my hair fitting in my helmet too. What I usually do is wear a light-weight knitted cap underneath. It joins all of my hair together which makes it easier to put on my helmet:)
Evelyn of http://salonnaturelles.blogspot.com/