If you live in one of the 10 best cities for biking and like to wear dresses and skirts on warm days, chances are you’ve struggled to prevent giving everyone on the street a glimpse of your undies. Cute as your panties might be, you probably want to avoid showing them to all of Brooklyn on your morning commute. Well hold on to that helmet I know you’re wearing (need I remind you how important helmets are?) because your life is about to change.
Wait for it — you can prevent your skirt flying up while mounting, riding, and dismounting your bike with this very simple trick. It’s called ”Penny in Your Pants” and was devised by avid cyclist and your new hero Johanna Holton. Penny in Your Pants is pretty self-explanatory, but I’ll spell it out for you anyway.
First, you put on a skirt and grab a penny. The Penny in Your Pants website also suggests using a pebble, marble, or other such object as a substitute if you don’t have a penny on hand. Next you simply find a rubber band (or an old inner tube cut into rings) and push the penny from the back of the skirt to the front to create a “button” between both layers. Wrap the rubber band around the “button” and then feel free to have a dance party because you won’t be flashing anybody! You are an indestructible force of nature!
The extra weight from the penny keeps the skirt down, and since you’ve connected the front and back layers of the skirt you have some added protection from the elements. If those instructions are confusing — I tried my best, guys — you’re in luck because Johanna and Co. also filmed a video demonstrating the technique. Now you can cycle without 50 million creepers leering at your exposed backside. A win for feminism and a win for Citi Bike.