DIY Jasbeschermers Clip

A bent spoke as a DIY "jasbechermers" (skirt guard) clip on a Batavs Old Dutch at Flying Pigeon LA.

We’ve had all sorts of repair jobs walk in the door recently, few of them were worthy of documenting. However, seeing as this is the only shop in LA that specializes in bikes with “jasbeschermers” (Dutch for “dress guard” or “skirt guard”), I thought that someone out there would appreciate this little trick.

A 2 year old Batavus 3-speed Old Dutch washed ashore at our shop, and we were asked to give the bike a check-up. This bike has been used, heavily, and stored outdoors full time. It had a little bit of superficial rust on the bars and bell, and a caked-on layer of road dust (having never had a bath but those given to it by the heavens).

The bike was also missing the little plastic and rubber clips that hold the jasbeschermers (aka skirt guard) in place. Having no real way of obtaining replacements here in Los Angeles, I turned to a pile of old spokes and fabricated a set!

Another view of our DIY jasbechermers (skirt guard) clip on a Batavus Old Dutch bicycle.

I pulled the clips off of a Pashley Roadster as examples. Then, holding the spoke in my bench vise, I used pliers and my hands to bend and fold the spoke into shape. A quick clip of the excess with some crappy Park Tool “wire cutters” (CN-10’s – perfect for cutting string and spokes, not so good at actual bike cables) and the jasbechermers clips were ready to go.

If you’re stuck at home with a missing skirt guard clip, a piece of coat hangar wire ought to do the trick. You can bend it using two pairs of pliers. DIY jasbechermers clip FTW!