Padded shorts recommendations?

[Severine]

So, I've just discovered, thanks to a triathlon board I've found The Diva Cup (I know, fitting right?). I'm just finishing up my first period with it and I LOVE this thing. I can go all day without emptying so Lola you might need to do it a couple of times but I've not had one leak, not one. And I never get that with tampons. And, yes, go commando, it really is much better.

I used to just go with a tampon and never worried about a liner/pad, but I think I have heard that works from discussions in the women's lounge on MTBR. Also heard lots of good things about the 'keeper' (same as the 'diva cup' I believe) and such as well.

Thankfully, I've had a Mirena IUD for years now and haven't had more than a spot or two of a period in several years. (yay!)

You girls are on the ball! I was going to recommend the same! (And I have Paragard, the copper IUD, so I have SUPER HEAVY periods now... I feel your pain, Lola!) The Diva Cup works well for me doing anything other than running - for some reason, it slips when I do that (and I've been using the Diva for about a year before I got pregnant with my son, and the last few months since my period came back).

 

[perma-grin]

Wow Robyn the Diva cup sounds awesome! I ride in dressage breeches (white leather seated pants) for show, beige for barn. Pads suck but not as bad leaking does in white pants! This cup sounds like the answer to a dressage riders prayer! My bike pants are all black so I don't freak so much if an accident occurs in them. My flow is always light but white shows everything! Thanks for the info!

 

[Robyn]

Anyone who wants to get a Diva cup I have a coupon code that gets it for you for $15 and change shipped. Just pm me.

 

[altagirl]

Wow Robyn the Diva cup sounds awesome! I ride in dressage breeches (white leather seated pants) for show, beige for barn. Pads suck but not as bad leaking does in white pants! This cup sounds like the answer to a dressage riders prayer! My bike pants are all black so I don't freak so much if an accident occurs in them. My flow is always light but white shows everything! Thanks for the info!

Oooh - yeah white pants would be no good. Though knowing how dirty I get doing everything anyway - white bike shorts would be destroyed after one ride anyway!

I guess that's the thing too - almost all my bike shorts are black or at least dark colors. So the bottom line is - even if it's an issue - I'm the only one who'd know about it anyway.

 

[geargrrl]

Ok, um, . . .


Here's my question, what does one do during her period? I use tampons. That's not a problem, but I am perimenopausal, which means that my periods right now are very heavy. One super plus tampon will not make it through a two hour bike ride, so I have to supplement with pads. Do you use pads camo with the bike shorts??? That seems too weird to me.

LOL, I just stay home on those perimenopause overflow days.:(

Ok so I am only 1/2 way serious here, but I certainly do know what you mean. If I have a ride planned ( which I try not to do) I go with super plus and black shorts. And, I take extra "supplies" with me. I've got no issues with stepping behind a bush and changing out if I need to - I just make sure to pack zip locks, extra tp and so on. ( pack it it, pack it out) I have found I am way more prone to chafeing when I am bleeding.

gg

 

[VickiK]

to the bike shorts question...I have a pair by Terry and a knicker length pair by Bella (sold by Terry). The latter are comfortable, the former don't offer as much protection. I would like to get another shorts length. The Bella line has shorter lengths available, but I bumped this thread to see if any other favorites have appeared on the scene since this thread was active.

Like the idea of Pearl Izumi liners under some cheapo shorts.

 

[ski diva]

I have a new favorite that I got last year: a cycling skort from Terry. It looks like a short skirt, but it has a padded chamois liner underneath. It's really comfy and cute; I feel like I can wear it to run errands when I'm done with a ride, without looking quite so bike-y.

 

[bounceswoosh]

For mountain biking, I've started wearing baggies over liners - I always end up ripping out the stock liners and replacing with Pearl Izumi liners.

For road biking, I have several pairs of Sugoi shorts that I like very much. It doesn't have that elastic band waist thing, so it's gentle on the belly - important when you have chronic GI issues.

As for the blood question, with my current hormonal birth control, I have a very light flow. I would either stick a panty liner to the chamois and hope it stayed put through the sweat, or I would just plan to throw the shorts straight in the wash when I got home.

I tried the Diva Cup for a few months when I had a heavier flow every month - Pros: with my flow, I could wear it camping for a couple of days with no problem. Cons: I can't recall how exactly this transpired, but I managed to spill a full Diva Cup on my carpet ... ewwww.

 

[altagirl]

New favorite chamois liners: https://www.dirtyjane.com/collections/chamois/products/bloomers-chamois-shorts-tang-by-my-alibi

 

[bounceswoosh]

New favorite chamois liners: https://www.dirtyjane.com/collections/chamois/products/bloomers-chamois-shorts-tang-by-my-alibi

Hmm. Usually stuff with a low waist like that, when combined with my big booty, puts the waistband in an uncomfortable in-between state.

 

[altagirl]

Hmm. Usually stuff with a low waist like that, when combined with my big booty, puts the waistband in an uncomfortable in-between state.

The nice thing to me is that there's no "waistband" elastic. It's just a big flat seam band, like a yoga pant waist. And they are generous enough to actually cover my butt.

Well, and I hate high waisted anything in front - to me that's always more uncomfortable than low/middle rise types of things and more often than not roll the waistbands down on things. So I'm sure it depends on individual preference for that.

 

[Quiver Queen]

I love the Terry Echelon short! A little bit of compression, anatomic padding, wears well, breathes, and washes well. I wear them for 100-mile days and get no butt fatigue. Their inseam might be a little long if you like shorties, but for the more "mature" Divas, I think they're perfect. Worth every dollar of their $125 price tag, and I never hesitate to buy them at full pop. FYI, if you get these and they tend to ride down , they're too small; if they feel like you're wearing a diaper, they're too big.

 

[altagirl]

I love the Terry Echelon short! A little bit of compression, anatomic padding, wears well, breathes, and washes well. I wear them for 100-mile days and get no butt fatigue. Their inseam might be a little long if you like shorties, but for the more "mature" Divas, I think they're perfect. Worth every dollar of their $125 price tag, and I never hesitate to buy them at full pop. FYI, if you get these and they tend to ride down , they're too small; if they feel like you're wearing a diaper, they're too big.

I actually use the Terry Echelon knicker for road riding. That fabric is great for sun and heat protection. No matter how much sunscreen I use, I end up with a stripe of dark tan over my knees and it drives me crazy, so I started wearing full knickers to avoid it on long rides and they work well. They claim that skin covered by that "ColdBlack" fabric stays 9 degrees cooler than skin without it.

 

[VickiK]

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Quiver Queen]

I just discovered another nice short, the Suguoi RS Pro. I found it on Steep and Cheap, liked it, and so just ordered another two pair @ $56. The fabric is a dense mesh, thick enough to not be see-thru, but light enough it is very breathable; when you stand in a breeze, you can actually feel your nether regions getting cooled. Inseam is 9 1/2 inches, waist is anatomical, thigh grip is silicone (could be a little wider, but it does the job), and the chamois is triple density and anatomical.

 

[heather matthews]

I love Endura liners for mountainbiking and thats all I use with baggy shorts.The chamois is a good shape and they wick well.I mail order mine from the UK.For road riding I use a local NZ brand called Ground Effect.Their "witches britches"3/4 length knickers(yes really) are really comfortable and have lined knees which are quite warm which is a bit of a blessing on cold Christchurch mornings.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I've been having an issue the last few years where the edge of the chamois chafes the junction with the thigh, or sometimes even the labia. Yikes. I'm not sure what's up with that, but my last few mountain bike rides, I've been wearing baggies with just wool panties underneath. My sitbones have had a break-in period, but I'm pretty happy at this point. And I don't have what feels like a big wet diaper between my legs until I can get somewhere to change.

 

[VickiK]

That is a different kind of Yikes zone, and I think a new pair of bike shorts or liners is DEFINITELY in order.

 

[altagirl]

I've been having an issue the last few years where the edge of the chamois chafes the junction with the thigh, or sometimes even the labia. Yikes. I'm not sure what's up with that, but my last few mountain bike rides, I've been wearing baggies with just wool panties underneath. My sitbones have had a break-in period, but I'm pretty happy at this point. And I don't have what feels like a big wet diaper between my legs until I can get somewhere to change.

I went for several years not wearing a chamois at all and going with satiny smooth underwear instead. The plus, in my mind is that they don't hold all the sweat in that can cause chafing like a thick chamois, and they do a nice job of eliminating friction. I still wear these on rides where there will be very little uphill, or for lift served riding.

https://www.victoriassecret.com/pan...gger-panty?ProductID=263274&CatalogueType=OLS

These days I'm not riding often enough to keep by sit bones broken in without a chamois, so I'm glad I found a couple that work.

These are my other new favorites: https://www.urbanistcycling.com/index.php/product/the-brigitte/

 

[bounceswoosh]

Ooh. I like that panty, and especially how the chamois is narrow in the front.

But honestly, I've always had problems where keeping the chamois against my skin after I've finished riding has lead to some really unpleasant situations - so I'm just as happy to not use it and, as you say, not deal with holding all that sweat and bacteria pressed up against me. Plus my butt looks smaller ;-)