Bicycle Cuff

Abstract

A lightweight and portable bicycle cuff is disclosed to protect the lower leg, pants, and shoe of a bicycle rider from the effects of dirt, grease, and an exposed chain and front gear(s) while having minimal impact on pedaling by the bicycle rider. In certain embodiments the bicycle cuff provides increased visibility to traffic while riding. In some embodiments the cuff includes a flexible, water resistant woven material which conforms generally to the rider's ankle and foot by means of tailored shaping of the woven material, a strip of reflective material along the rear ankle area, and a loop and hook style closure on one side. In these embodiments the cuff covers from just above the ankle to approximately one third of the way down the front of the rider's shoe and just over the edge of the back of the rider's shoe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cuff for a bicycle rider comprising:
 an instep flap comprising a flexible fabric generally trapezoidal shaped, and having an instep flap top edge, an instep flap bottom edge, an instep flap front edge and an instep flap back edge;   a front flap comprising a flexible fabric generally quadrilateral shaped having a front flap top edge, a front flap bottom edge, a front flap closure edge and an front flap attachment edge, the front flap attachment edge joined with the instep flap front edge;   a back flap comprising a flexible fabric generally quadrilateral shaped having a back flap top edge, a back flap bottom edge, a back flap closure edge and a back flap attachment edge, the back flap attachment edge joined with the instep flap back edge; and   wherein the instep flap, the back flap and the front flap are tailored to curve around a rider's ankle and a rider's shoe, so as to cover approximately from just above the top of the rider's ankle to just below the top of the rider's shoe and to follow a general contour of the rider's ankle.   
     
     
         2 . The cuff of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible fabric comprises one of:
 a water resistant urethane-coated nylon;   a woven cloth;   a non-woven cloth; and   vinyl.   
     
     
         3 . The cuff of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of at least one of:
 the front flap;   the back flap;   the instep flap; and   comprises reflective material.   
     
     
         4 . The cuff of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the front flap closure edge comprises one of a hook fastener and a loop fastener and a portion of the back flap closure edge comprises a different one of the hook fastener and the loop fastener. 
     
     
         5 . The cuff of  claim 1 , further comprising reflective material attached to the back flap and the instep flap and at least partially covering a seam between the back flap attachment edge and the instep flap back edge. 
     
     
         6 . The cuff of  claim 1 , further comprising a logo attached to a portion of the front flap. 
     
     
         7 . The cuff of  claim 1 , wherein the cuff covers the rider's ankle and shoe from just above the rider's ankle to approximately one third down the front of the rider's shoe and over a back edge of the rider's shoe. 
     
     
         8 . The cuff of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a top opening formed by the top edges of the front flap, the back flap and the instep flap;   a bottom opening formed by the bottom edges of the front flap, the back flap and the instep flap; and   wherein the top opening has a smaller circumference than the bottom opening.   
     
     
         9 . A protective cuff apparatus comprising:
 a flexible material having an outside surface and an inside surface and a first end and a second end and a top edge and a bottom edge;   at least one coupler to secure the first end to the second end to shape the cuff apparatus into a cuff;   the top edge having a length that is shorter than the bottom edge so that when the coupler secures the first end to the second end, the protective cuff formed by the flexible material flares outwards from the top edge to the bottom edge; and   the at least one coupler operable to secure the protective cuff apparatus around an ankle and upper foot region of a person operating a bicycle, the protective cuff apparatus protecting at least a portion of a wearable item worn by the person operating the bicycle.   
     
     
         10 . The protective cuff of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible material comprises one of:
 a water resistant urethane-coated nylon;   a woven cloth;   a non-woven cloth; and   vinyl.   
     
     
         11 . The cuff of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of at least one of the outside surface of the flexible material comprises reflective material. 
     
     
         12 . The cuff of  claim 9 , wherein the coupler comprises a hook fastener and a loop fastener. 
     
     
         13 . The cuff of  claim 9 , wherein the outside surface of the flexible material further comprises a logo. 
     
     
         14 . The cuff of  claim 9 , wherein the cuff covers a rider's ankle and shoe from just above the rider's ankle to approximately one third down a front portion of the rider's shoe and over a back edge of the rider's shoe. 
     
     
         15 . The cuff of  claim 9  further comprising
 a top opening formed by the top edge; 
 a bottom opening formed by the bottom edge; and 
 wherein the top opening has a smaller circumference than the bottom opening.