Category: Knitting Crafts

7 DIY Bike Makeover Ideas

Posted on by

With warmer temperatures on the horizon, I am looking forward to spending lots of time biking with my kids this summer. Is there anything that makes you feel like a kid again like riding on a bike? I think not! Today’s post offers 7 ideas for a DIY Bike Makeover that you can do on a bike you already own or on a bike that you might like to purchase from your local Goodwill Store.

Did you know that Goodwill has bikes? I often see them lined up outside of our store and I had been dreaming of buying one and updating it with a few embellishments and spray paint of my own. As I had been dreaming and bookmarking my plans, my husband secretly surprised me with a bike to celebrate selling my first book.

Here is a picture of my new baby. Don’t worry, I always wear shoes and a proper helmet, but this is the moment that we captured when I first got my bike. I still plan to add a few embellishments to my bike basket and can’t wait to put a few more miles on her so I still flip through my upcycling inspiration boards to add my own personal touch to her.
To inspire you (and me!) I have pulled together seven ideas that you could try for customizing a bicycle of your own. May I also say, as a mother to a very girlie-girl, that this is also a great way to transform a BOY bike to a GIRL bike with a little spray paint, duct tape, or even fabric! Let’s get dreaming!

Add a Knitted or Crocheted Embellishment

I am a knitter so I can appreciate any good craft with yarn especially when it comes to knitted or crocheted embellishments. If your bike basket is lacking a little sparkle, consider knitting or crocheting some beautiful flowers like claireabelle makes.

My favorite resource for knitted/crocheted embellishments is to visit Ravelry and sign up for a free membership and search through their patterns for flowers. I sort them by FREE patterns so that I don’t have to spend a lot to create something new and it is a great way to stash bust yarn you already have or to put to good use donated yarn from Goodwill!

Make a Brand New Bike With Duct Tape

Duct tape and washi tape crafts are a hot trend this Spring and what could be easier than recovering a bike with a little duct tape? Simply pick out a few different patterns and cut strips to recover your bike like Skunkboy did in their tutorial. 
This craft is fantastic for kids that have outgrown the patterns on their bike or for redoing a boy bike into a fresh girl version, or a girl bike into a more masculine looking bike. The best part is that this craft is simple enough that your children could do it and the cost is minimal for a brand new new-to-you bike! 

Recover With Fabric & Ric-Rac

Fabric is one thing that is in abundance at our store whether it is from houseware items, clothing items, or even fabric from someone’s abandoned sewing hobby. That is why I love this adorable bike makeover on poppytalk that transforms a bike into a thing of beauty by covering it in fabric. 
I also love the added details of a freshly painted metal basket and a ric-rac trim to really pull out the beautiful colors of the fabric-covered bike. Aren’t you in love with this one too?

Add Some Ribbon Tassels

Tricycles need a little love too and I remember as a kid how much fun it was to have my ribbon and glittered tassels blowing in the wind while I rode my bike, and the sounds as they flapped through the breeze. If your child’s ribbon tassels are looking a little sad or you want to add that special flair to a Goodwill bike, consider making your own ribbon tassels with this fabulous ribbon tassel tutorial from Northstory, made from wooden golf tees and a variety of cute ribbons!

Crochet a Cute Seat Cover

Who says the seat on your bike needs to be boring? Why not put your needlecraft skills to good use and crochet a seat cover for your bike? I am in love with this fabulous pattern created over at And Sew We Craft for dressing up your bike seat.

Consider spray painting your bike in a similar theme to the yarn or yarn bomb your bike by wrapping yarn around the different metal parts or handles. This seat cover would also be cute paired with those knitted embellishments that we talked about on our basket!

Create a Fabric Bunting

Is there anything that DOESN’T benefit from a bunting? Surely not! I think this fabric bunting would be a cute one to try for bike parades for the 4th of July in a red,white, & blue for the holiday. Once again, claireabelle makes shows off a cute tutorial for sewing a simple fabric bunting to add to your bike basket!

Spray Paint, Spray Paint, Spray Paint

There are two things that this girl can do- hot glue it up or spray paint it up. There is very little that doesn’t get a coat of spray paint in our house although I try to avoid painting my children (but often end up painting myself). I adore this bike makeover using spray paint that was created by The Little Giggler. There is nothing that freshens up a bike more than a fresh coat of paint.
This is a great DIY to try if you love the bones of a bike at Goodwill, but aren’t crazy about the paint job. The best part is that spray paint requires zero craft skills and it is inexpensive to purchase! 

Before I wrap up this piece, I just wanted to remind you that even the parts from bikes can be used in beautiful and creative ways. It’s Handmade shows off an adorable way to use a bike wheel for displaying pictures or even your to-do list. I think this would be such a fun addition to our office and I am going to be on the lookout for a wheel of my own to use!

Have you ever made over a bike? Tell us how you made your own bike special!